FEATURE ARTICLES

The use of genomic analysis in the study of disease is now commonplace, but the vast quantity of data produced can be daunting. Here, Dr Anna Andersson explains why she relies on visualisation tools.

(Image: NCI-Dr Lance Liotta Laboratory)

Automated sample sorting can have a significant impact on a laboratory’s Lean credentials, as Elizabeth Kelsey and Wendy Leversuch explain.

The latest IT equipment from Roche is helping one London hospital to make the best use of point-of-care glucose testing and provide improved care for its diabetic patients.

Some 200 delegates gathered at the National Motorcycle Museum, Birmingham, for last year’s UK NEQAS General Haematology participants’ meeting. Barry Hill reports on the highlights.

The Biomedical Science Congress is now less than 10 months away. More than just a scientific meeting, this complete experience demonstrates the vital importance of the close relationship between the commercial sector and the profession it supports.

A European programme to enhance the training of young researchers working on prostate cancer concluded next year. Its priority is a focus on clinical application, as Jennie Wilde explains.

Modern laboratory medicine relies heavily on automation and sophisticated data analysis. Here, Wendy Leversuch and Stephen Knight examine a system that supports cutting-edge haematology.

The past few years have seen unprecedented change in the way pathology services are delivered, and nowhere is this more apparent than in histopathology. Now, cutting-edge processing technology is helping laboratories meet Department of health targets.

Screening for Down’s syndrome is an important part of antenatal care, and ideally should be undertaken within the first three months of the pregnancy. Assay combinations now offer a means to achieve this aim.

Methotrexate, a toxic chemotherapeutic agent used to treat various conditions, requires close laboratory monitoring. Here, Rick Allan and Kevin Sensier describe their evaluation of two assays.

Much has changed in coagulation testing over the past several decades but the partnership that has developed between Glan Clywd Hospital in North Wales and Sysmex continues provide satisfaction.

Siemens Healthcare Diagnostics recently held two user meetings, one to consider the latest in pathology service configuration efficiency, and the other to address the latest developments in point-of-care testing

Effective and efficient management of point-of-care testing across a large hospital trust requires a dedicated team and the latest technology, as this overview of the situation in Cambridge illustrates.

The experiences of two large hospital trusts demonstrate the advantages of working with Sysmex UK and using the company’s range of fully automated haematology and coagulation solutions.

The two-day VBMPS congress, to be held at the International Convention Centre in Birmingham on 15-16 October, aims to highlight the link between human and animal health, focusing on the study, diagnosis and treatment of animal diseases. Concurrent sessions will be held in Cellular Pathology, Haematology/Clinical Chemistry, Microbiology/Infection and Pharma Science, and delegates may attend any presentation in any of the streams

As human papillomavirus testing is rolled out on the NHS Cervical Screening Programme in England for use at triage, Tracy Huggins examines its benefits and its potential as a future primary screening technique.

The NHS Cervical Screening Programme is reaping the benefits of automation through the use of liquid-based techniques and automated technology, as Wilma Anderson explains.

An individual’s phenotype can be influenced by their lifestyle, and this can determine how they respond to drugs and other treatments. Now, a legacy of the London Games aims to investigate the human phenome on an unprecedented scale.

In order to transform haematology services at Kingston Hospital, a partnership forged with Beckman Coulter has facilitated staff retraining, the updating of IT systems and the installation of state-of-the art analysis systems.

Automation is forging ahead in microbiology and is being helped by the application of liquid-based technologies and the latest developments in the design of the humble yet ubiquitous swab. Here, Rachel Adams takes a look at the latest innovations.