RECENT NEWS

Every webcast from Abbott Diagnostics now attracts continuing professional development (CPD) credits from the IBMS. Throughout June, webcast users were able to develop their knowledge of hepatitis C diagnosis, learn how changes in the HIV-1 virus will affect diagnostics and patient management, and also improve their understanding of myocardial infarction, all from the comfort of their own desk. These live, interactive presentations were led by prominent doctors, subject matter experts and Abbott professionals.

Following the installation of an ABX Pentra 400 chemistry analyser at the University of Oxford, researchers in the Department of Physiology, Anatomy and Genetics are already seeing the benefits. Researching the role of diet and exercise on heart function, the team is analysing plasma metabolite levels, lactate, triglycerides, ketones and fatty acids in blood on a daily basis.

In collaboration with the Japanese company Hamamatsu Photonics, the Hamamatsu Tissue Imaging and Analysis (TIGA) centre has been opened at the University of Heidelberg.

The Randox International Quality Assessment Scheme (RIQAS) is the largest EQA scheme in the world. Now, three new programmes have been added, making external quality control easier than ever.

Beckman Coulter UK has appointed Lisa Truslove as its national sales manager across the company’s expanding clinical diagnostics business.

A company launched in 2005 to provide a rapid diagnostic reporting service for histopathology and cytology is seeing its workload grow month on month. Backlogs online reporting service is being used increasingly by hospital pathology departments as a cost-effective alternative to locum recruitment, short-term holiday cover or longer-term support.

Randox Laboratories has built a reputation for customer support services of the highest standard, and maintains this reputation by providing customers with what they need, when they need it. Randox has been recognised for this through the BelfastTelegraph Service to Business Award, which recognises the best in the market.

The latest generation of water purification technology from Purite is enabling Siemens Medical Solutions to ensure the quality of the reagents produced for use with its blood gas analysers. Siemens Medical Solutions provides performance-driven diagnostics solutions that assist in the diagnosis, monitoring and management of disease. Its products and services incorporate the latest in science and technology to provide healthcare professionals with the vital information they need. In particular, the company's blood gas analysers are designed to improve patient care by providing medical professionals with laboratory-quality results at the point of care.

Pulse has unveiled its new website for connecting clients with a skilled base of healthcare and social care professionals. Already attracting more than 60,000 visits a month to its UK site, Pulse consistently comes top of the league for healthcare and social care staff searching for jobs.

LGC has launched a new website to provide public access to the outputs of the UK National Measurement System (NMS) Chemical and Biological Metrology programme. The website also contains the outputs from the previous Valid Analytical Measurement (VAM) and Measurements for Biotechnology (MfB) programmes. The NMS Chemical and Biological Metrology programme aims to develop new approaches to measurement which will lead to standardisation and thus improved comparability of measurement results.

As part of its ongoing commitment to social responsibility, and following its Support of Oxfam at Christmas, Kirkham Young has announced its sponsorship of two local organisations. Making a donation to the Sussex-based charity Demelza James and sponsoring a local rugby club's junior match kit offered the healthcare and scientific sales recruitment company a chance to make a real difference to the local community.

A CARV II confocal imager from Image Solutions (UK) is helping scientists at Royal Holloway, University of London to understand how memory functions at the molecular level.

Eppendorf UK's service partners now include Lab3, alongside PEAK-Service and specialists in pipette calibration, European Instruments. All three partner companies are ISO 9001:2000-registered, with engineers trained by Eppendorf AG service in Hamburg and supported by Eppendorf's technical team and electronic service databank.

Beckman Coulter UK has announced that Tameside Hospital has installed the UK's first UniCel DxC 880i Synchron Access clinical system – its integrated work cell that consolidates chemistry and immunoassay testing in high-volume laboratories.

Researchers from the UK and USA are working together to investigate the genetic underpinnings of cancer in the human genome. The Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute and Applied Biosystems are sequencing a cancer genome and normal DNA from the same individual to detect and characterise the genetic changes that occur during the development of the disease.

Oxoid has announced the winners of the 2007/2008 Oxoid Infection Control Team of the Year Awards as Worcester Acute NHS Trust, UK (First Prize), East Kent Hospitals NHS Trust, UK (Second Prize), and Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust, UK (Third Prize).

The National Institute of Infectious Diseases in Rome, the main beneficiary of a European Commission project entitled European Training in Infectious Disease Emergencies (ETIDE), has invited interest in its training courses from specialists in the field.

In March, NHS Connecting for Health appointed Dr Gifford Batstone as national clinical lead (NCL) for pathology. Dr Batstone studied medicine at St Thomas’ Hospital, London, before training in pathology in Bristol and Southampton. He has been involved in the implementation of Department of Health initiatives in clinical audit, medical education and information technology.

The National Health Service Retirement Fellowship has nearly 200 branches throughout the UK to help and encourage members in the pursuit of an exciting range of interests and activities, while at the same time providing many social events at which existing friendships are maintained and new ones formed.

The BUPA Foundation awards include one that recognises outstanding contributions to patient safety from individuals or teams.