RECENT NEWS

The UK's eight Research Councils have begun an initiative to assess the efficiency and value for money of their grant peer review process.

Oxoid has announced that first prize in its 2005/2006 Infection Control Team of the Year Awards has been awarded to Craigavon Area Hospital Group Trust, Co Armagh, Northern Ireland.

The International Tandem Repeat Consortium (ITRC) has announced the public launch of a powerful new genetic database aimed at generating a new focus in genetic research.

Beckman Coulter UK has announced the appointment of Peter Frost as its new customer support manager, based at its High Wycombe offices.

Information on the health and lifestyle of over half a million volunteers aged between 40 and 69 will be gathered by UK Biobank.

Recently, Genevac shipped its 2000th centrifugal evaporator.

Synoptics, a leader in the development and manufacture of innovative digital imaging systems, has recently been listed in the Deloitte Technology Fast 50 (DTF50) as one of the fastest-growing technology companies in eastern England.

The National Horseracing Authority of Southern Africa is using the Applied Biosystems/MDS Sciex Q TRAP LC/MS/MS system to screen racehorse urine and blood for prohibited substances used to influence the outcome of races.

Sterilin has launched its most comprehensive disposable plastics catalogue to date.

The second annual European symposium on protein fractionation and biomarker discovery featured papers on a wide range of advances in proteome research.

Cambridge BioScience is now distributing EpigentekÆs range of epigenetics-related research kits in the UK.

Camlab, the Cambridge-based laboratory supplies company, has announced plans for substantial growth as it enters its second half-century.

Oxoid, a leading manufacturer of microbiological culture media and diagnostic products, won first prize in the Logistics and Supply Chain category of the prestigious 2005 Manufacturer Awards.

On 21 November, staff at Bayer in Newbury helped to record another major event in the æBayer TapestryÆ, when they attended the UK launch of the ADVIA Centaur CP, the latest compact immunodiagnostics analyser from Bayer Diagnostics.

Thermo Electron has published a new brochure for its DFS, the new high-resolution GC/MS for trace and target compound analysis launched in Canada last year.

Analytical Technologies, the UK distributor of Sebia electrophoresis equipment, provides training courses as part of the package when a new instrument is commissioned.

Following the devastation caused to the Gulf Coast by Hurricane Katrina, Abbott sent its three Architour trucks to the area.

In October 2005 Pfizer Consumer Healthcare discontinued supply of the Pancreolauryl Test (PLT). The company said that it was unable to resolve various manufacturing and supply issues relating to the capsules used in the test. As Pfizer is the sole British distributor, PLT is no longer available in the UK.

Greater Glasgow Health Board (GGHB) has selected Abbott Diagnostics, in conjunction with third party suppliers, to provide instruments, tests, laboratory automation and other laboratory management services to hospitals in the GGHB community for a seven-year period.

Researchers at the University ChildrenÆs Hospital in Erlangen, Germany, are using the API 4000 LC/MS/MS system from Applied Biosystems to master the problems associated with steroid analysis and paediatric therapeutic drug monitoring, in a number of research projects.