RECENT NEWS

Abbott has received CE marking for its new ARCHITECT haemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) assay. The new HbA1c test provides clinicians with important information that may help patients take critical steps to manage the progression of their disease. Measurement of HbA1c reflects a person’s average blood glucose level over the previous three months.

Siemens Healthcare Diagnostics is raising awareness of the prevalence of diabetes among adolescents to healthcare professionals with the help of Iron Man, the Marvel Super Hero. The character recently attended the Siemens Healthcare Diagnostics exhibition stand at the Diabetes UK conference in Manchester to promote early diagnosis and treatment to manage diabetes effectively.

For the first time, certain immunosuppressant drug (ISD) assays can now be performed automatically on cobas modular platforms, allowing laboratories to consolidate testing for a wide range of transplant testing/monitoring assays on a single platform.

Researchers in the Department of Molecular Genetics at the University of Toronto, Canada, are using Tecan’s Infinite M200 PRO plate reader and Gas Control Module (GCM) to study host-pathogen interactions for Legionella bacteria.

Tameside Hospital in Ashton-under-Lyne has invested in a Radiometer AQT90 FLEX analyser to allow rapid and convenient testing of NT-proBNP.

Liebherr professional freezers are in use at the Natural History Museum helping to maintain the integrity of genetic and cellular biodiversity samples that include some from the world's endangered species. The Molecular Collections Facility (MCF) at the Natural History Museum uses Liebherr freezers from the Mediline range to store the important samples. The freezers play an essential role in the reliable, safe and secure storage of countless cell samples that contribute to important research.

Microbiology services in East Lancashire have benefited from automated blood culture testing solutions from bioMérieux for many years, and are now enjoying the flexibility offered by the BacT/ALERT 3D microbial detection system. Ian Byrom (pictured with the BacT/ALERT system), operational manager at the Royal Blackburn Hospital, explained: “We have been using bioMérieux’s automated blood culture systems within the hospital for nearly 30 years, and have always had a good relationship with the company.

A recent Medical Devices Directive demands that accessories such as water purification units be treated as medical devices in their own right. This empowers the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) with the right to seize and to remove unsafe products from manufacturers and to retain them as evidence if proceedings are taken.

Recently, Lab Tests Online-UK launched a free mobile application (app) version of its website. The app is written by practising NHS laboratory doctors and scientists to help patients, carers and healthcare professionals understand the many clinical laboratory tests that are used in diagnosis, monitoring and treatment of disease.

A Personal DeltaVision (DV) cell microscopy imaging system supplied by Image Solutions UK is assisting scientists at Cancer Research UK to understand how tumours develop drug resistance. The system is being used by a team of researchers based in the Translational Cancer Therapeutics (TCT) laboratory, using parallel clinical trial and functional genomics approaches to develop new predictive tools that will improve the prognosis of patients with solid tumours.

The new Roche cobas HPV test application (app) for iPad, which provides essential information about cervical cancer, human papillomavirus (HPV) testing and HPV genotypes, is now available free of charge from the App Store (http://thehpvapp.com).

Randox Laboratories and French diagnostics company Aterovax have announced a strategic partnership to commercialise Aterovax’s biomarker secreted phospholipase A2 (sPLA2) for the assessment of cardiovascular risk.

Special Invitation – Free Seminar: Focus On: Innovation Partners for the Future 26th and 27th June 2013 Central London

Innovation is important to Roche, and in this, our 35th year of working with Hitachi to produce analytical systems with unsurpassable performance and throughput, we are delighted to host the "Innovation Partners for the Future" event.

Recently, British autoclave manufacturer Priorclave celebrated 25 years since first opening its doors for business on 16 February 1988 and during this period has delivered from its London factory almost 5000 steam sterilisers worldwide. It makes Priorclave the most successful UK laboratory autoclave producer.

GE Healthcare Life Sciences recentlyannounced Jane Stout from the United States, Anushree Balachandran from Australia, and Markus Posch from the UK as the winners of the GE Healthcare 2012 Cell Imaging Competition.

Rhodri Morgan has been appointed a director of an innovative stem cell research business developing medicines that could assist patients around the world. The former First Minister of Wales has joined Cell Therapy (CTL), which was founded by Nobel Laureate Professor Sir Martin Evans and biotechnology entrepreneur Ajan Reginald.

At its recent meeting in Birmingham, the Department of Health’s Pathology Harmony group considered the implementation on reporting new units for haemoglobin and mean cell haemoglobin concentration (MCHC). The deadline for all clinical laboratories to report in g/L is set as 31 March 2013. Pictured are Professor Keith Hyde, (seated centrally), who led the haematology subgroup, surrounded by members of the DH Pathology Harmony group at the recent meeting in Birmingham.

The NHS Graduate Management Training Scheme has been recognised as the best in the public sector for its innovative use of social media. Recently, the scheme run by the NHS Leadership Academy was presented with the ‘best use of social media in the public sector’ award at the national Graduate Recruitment Social Media Conference Awards.

The IBMS Sheffield branch held its AGM at the Northern General Hospital, Sheffield, in November, and was preceded by two presentations. Chris Teather, an advanced biomedical scientist from Sheffield Teaching Hospitals, gave a presentation entitled ‘HPV Testing… The Story so Far’.

The IBMS Council has announced the election of Nick Kirk CSci FIBMS as President Elect. Nick’s year as President Elect commenced on 1 January 2013 and he will succeed Derek Bishop as IBMS President on 1 January 2012.