RECENT NEWS

Scientists at the University of Ulster are using nanotechnology – highly miniaturised technology – to build new DNA biosensors that could be used to identify genetic diseases and dangerous microorganisms, and in cancer research and forensic science.

Leading scientists have called for Europe to invest more funds in the study of lipids that play a crucial role in the function of human cells and which are implicated in a range of diseases including obesity, diabetes and Alzheimer’s disease.

The key finding of a European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC)- initiated assessment on the importance and magnitude of vector-borne diseases for Europe is that climate and environmental changes may increase the risk of vectorborne disease outbreaks in the future.

The Health Professions Council (HPC) has welcomed publication of the Report to Ministers from the Department of Health Steering Group on the Statutory Regulation of Practitioners of Acupuncture, Herbal Medicine, Traditional Chinese Medicine and other Traditional Medicine Systems Practised in the UK.

The British In Vitro Diagnostics Association (BIVDA) has welcomed guidance issued recently by the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) on the treatment and management of type 2 diabetes. The guidance stresses the importance of self-monitoring of blood glucose levels in managing the disease.

An NHS Digital Mapping Data Agreement has been developed to provide the NHS with a sector-wide resource for unlocking answers to highly detailed geographical problems.

Recent research has shed new light on how the fetal brain develops.

Oral ingestion of pomegranate extract reduces the production of chemicals that cause inflammation suggests a study published in BioMed Central’s open-access Journal of Inflammation.

Professor Lord Winston, one of the UK’s foremost medical academics and the presenter of BBC series such as The Human Body and Child of Our Time, has been named patron of a fundraising campaign to create a new facility for world-class drug research and development at the University of Strathclyde in Glasgow.

Professor Sir Alec Jeffreys has received a Gold Award from the Association of Colleges (AoC). Sir Alec studied biochemistry at Merton College, Oxford, and then in 1997 moved to the University of Leicester, where he developed genetic fingerprinting and DNA profiling.

Innovation should be the life blood of the NHS and no-one is better placed to conceive new ways of improving patient care than those who deliver it. However, despite being brilliant at generating ideas, healthcare staff often lack the contacts, know-how or time to take their ideas forward. Lack of a joined-up approach between managers and frontline staff often leads to apathy, with the words innovation and National Health Service often being regarded as an oxymoron.

Formerly part of Barloworld Scientific, Sterilin is a newly formed independent business specialising in the manufacture of single-use laboratory plastics.

A life-science background and five years’ experience in two previous roles at Eppendorf have given Geoff Simmons in-depth knowledge of the company’s applications, products, sales channels and customers. As Eppendorf brand marketing specialist since 2005, Geoff has applied his marketing and communication skills to advertising, global and local promotions, marketing and exhibition management.

The Scottish Medicines Consortium (SMC) has accepted Pradaxa (dabigatran etexilate), the first oral anticoagulant to be licensed in the UK for more than 50 years, for routine use in the NHS in Scotland for patients undergoing hip and knee replacements. The SMC decision is the first recommendation for NHS use of Pradaxa in the UK and was welcomed by the manufacturer, Boehringer Ingelheim.

The success of any polymerase chain reaction (PCR) method depends on the functionality of the cycler. No two thermal cyclers function identically but periodic and continuous validation with DRIFTCON, available from Anachem, offers a convenient and easy means to check if PCR tests are working within predetermined parameters.

The recent Microscience 2008 meeting saw the first formal collaboration between the Royal Microscopical Society (RMS) and the Society for General Microbiology (SfGM) with the introduction of a new satellite meeting at this major biennial event. The one-day SfGM meeting concentrated on the cellular aspects of infection and consider both cell invasion processes and the ‘tussle’ that takes place when a host cell tries to fight against a pathogen replicating within the cell.

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.