RECENT NEWS

A new £42m trial called TRANSFORM is aiming to find the best way to screen men for prostate cancer and is co-funded by Prostate Cancer UK and the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR). Thousands more men could be saved every year as the new trial aims to double the efficacy of prostate cancer screening.

Quest Diagnostics, and PathAI have announced a multi-faceted collaboration designed to accelerate the adoption of digital and AI pathology innovations to improve quality, speed and efficiency in diagnosing cancer and other diseases. Under the terms of a definitive agreement, Quest will acquire select assets of PathAI Diagnostics, the business of PathAI that provides anatomic and digital pathology laboratory services.

The Institute for Biomedical Science (IBMS) has revealed the shortlists in 12 categories for its inaugural awards. Over 100 entrants have been narrowed down to just over 50 exceptional nominees, showcasing the immense talent within the biomedical science community.

Bio-Rad Laboratories has further expanded its range of StarBright dyes, now totalling 32 spanning multiple lasers. The range expands translational and immunological research capabilities by providing greater choice and flexibility in conventional and full-spectrum multicolour flow cytometry panels.

Beckman Coulter Life Sciences has entered a collaborative partnership with Watchmaker Genomics, an expert in genomics tools development for high-stringency clinical and translational applications, to deliver automated liquid handling solutions that enable laboratories to streamline operations and generate consistent results.

A recently completed study indicates that circulatory protein levels can provide important information for increasingly accurate diagnoses and personalised care in patients with aggressive B-cell lymphoma.

The IBMS has unveiled its new look for Harvey’s Gang, after taking over the initiative last year. Going forward the new name will be Harvey’s Lab Tours, but the mission to educate and inspire young patients through interactive laboratory tours remains unchanged.

The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) has published its strategic approach to artificial intelligence (AI) which aims to ensure patient safety and industry innovation into 2030.

Launch Diagnostics recently celebrated its new office premises in Dartford with an official opening ceremony. It comes at a time of growth for the company which has also recently established a new subsidiary based in Germany.

Biomedical scientist and Scientific Officer at Pro-Lab Diagnostics Dr Neil Bentley OBE completed the London Marathon during April, raising funds for WaterAid.

An international trial of the world’s first personalised mRNA cancer immunotherapy for melanoma has begun at University College London Hospital (UCLH). The work is underpinned by support from NIHR infrastructure.

Sectra’s digital pathology solution together with Leica Biosystems’s Aperio GT 450 DX have received a 510(k) clearance from the US Food & Drug Administration (FDA). This is the first time an FDA clearance within digital pathology allows the use of DICOM images for pathology diagnostics, which marks a significant step towards standardisation in this field.

Medical robotics company Clarapath has entered into a strategic collaboration with Mayo Clinic to develop its automated tissue sectioning technology and other innovations.

Scientists at Nanyang Technological University, Singapore (NTU Singapore), have developed a coin-sized chip that can directly isolate blood plasma from a tube of blood in just 30 minutes, which is more convenient and user-friendly as compared to the current gold standard, multi-step centrifugation process.

Differences in how young and elderly people’s nasal cells respond to the SARS-CoV-2 virus may explain why children typically experience milder COVID-19 symptoms.

Combating Antibiotic-Resistant Bacteria Biopharmaceutical Accelerator (CARB-X) has announced it will award up to US$1 million to diagnostics and health technology company Scout to demonstrate proof-of-concept and feasibility ahead of development of a new point-of-care test – STI Scout.

Abbott's i-STAT TBI cartridge has received clearance from the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to be used with whole blood, allowing doctors to help assess patients with suspected concussion at the patient's bedside and obtain laboratory quality results in 15 minutes.

NHS cancer checks have topped three million in a year for the first time – more than doubling in the last decade. The NHS is committed to diagnosing more cancers at an earlier stage when it is easier to treat. More cancers than ever before are being caught at stages 1 and 2.

Laboratory products manufacturer and supplier Medline has announced that it is now a direct distributor for Epredia, a member of PHC Group. Epredia is a global leader in the anatomical pathology field, providing comprehensive solutions for precision cancer diagnostics and tissue diagnostics.

Thousands of people unknowingly living with hepatitis C are to be identified, diagnosed and cured thanks to major NHS investment in rapid testing technology and an extension of a ground-breaking medicines deal.