RECENT NEWS

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.

The Oxoid Infection Control Team of the Year Awards are designed to recognise and reward those who are making a real difference to improved standards of infection control within hospitals worldwide.

Olympus has started production of the first immunoassay reagents for the AU3000i analyser at its extended Irish facility.

Researchers at the Wellcome Trust Centre for Human Genomics at the University of Oxford have teamed up with microarray specialists Oxford Gene Technology Services (OGT) to develop a method for in situ spotting of double-stranded DNA on microarray slides.

Guy's and St Thomas' NHS Foundation Trust has become the 20th UK hospital to adopt the modular pre-analytics system (MPA) from Roche Diagnostics.

SyngeneÆs ChemiGenius2 multipurpose imaging system is being used by the University of Oklahoma for a fluorescence imaging application which is part of an important study into the causes of blindness associated with diabetes.

It has been announced that Affymetrix has awarded premier application status to Beckman CoulterÆs ArrayPlex for automated target RNA preparation.

Beckman Coulter has recently introduced BioSafe AeroSeal covers for its AllSpin JS-5.3 rotors

A family fun day at Wimpole Hall, the beautiful National Trust property to the west of Cambridge, was recently organised by Papworth Hospital.

Acolyte Biomedica, the company spun out of the MoD establishment at Porton Down, has launched the BacLite Rapid MRSA test.

Oxoid is introducing a new product that will help the fight against Vibrio cholerae and other Vibrio species.

The latest issue of LC World Talk, the newsletter from Shimadzu for the HPLC community, is available to view on line at www.shimadzu.co.uk.

CliniSys, one of the UKÆs leading providers of pathology software solutions, has announced its acquisition of MIPS, one of the largest and most successful suppliers of laboratory information systems in Europe. Head-quartered in Belgium, MIPS has a strong track record of sales success throughout Europe and a long history of product and service innovation.

Researchers at the Wellcome Trust Centre for Human Genomics [WTCHG] at the University of Oxford have teamed up with Oxford-based microarray specialists OGT Services to develop an in situ spotting method for double-stranded d DNA on microarray slides.

Researchers recently had an æon the doorstepÆ opportunity to see the latest advances in genomics, proteomics, cellular analysis and centrifugation, as Beckman Coulter mounted a major roadshow tour.

The UK's largest veterinary laboratory, IDEXX, has successfully automated haematology analysis for a wide range of companion animals and production animals, using the advanced multi-species software available for Bayer DiagnosticsÆ ADVIA 120 haematology system.

Nikon Instruments Europe and HESP Technology have formed a collaborative partnership to provide powerful software for cytogenetics analysis.

Thermo Electron has introduced it s Columns and consumables for GC and GC/MS catalogue, which has been updated to highlight the full breadth of ThermoÆs TRACE capillary GC columns and consumables.