Horiba UK has recently installed its first Yumizen H500 at the National Centre for Sports and Exercise Medicine, East Midlands, (NCSEM-EM), based at Loughborough University. The Yumizen H500 is a small, compact analyser that provides a full blood count plus five-population WBC differential on very small sample volumes using only three reagents.
The NCSEM-EM is one of three hubs, together with London and Sheffield, and is an Olympic legacy project that aims to translate high-quality research in sport, exercise and physical activity into health outcomes that will improve the health and wellbeing of the nation. The work of the centre focuses on four main areas: i) exercise as an intervention in the prevention and management of chronic disease; ii) musculoskeletal trauma and exercise rehabilitation iii) exercise medicine for physical and mental health and wellbeing; and iv) nutrition (from healthy living to athletic performance).
The Yumizen H500 was purchased by Dr Lettie Bishop (Reader in Exercise Immunology) to assist in her research into the immunological and inflammatory response to exercise. Studies range from measuring response in elite athletes, rehabilitation in patients with reduced mobility, chronic illness to the health of the general public, and as such spans a wide range of academic and healthcare interests.
Many studies undertaken by the department involve cellular responses such as relative and absolute numbers of white blood cells, and the accurate parameters produced by the Yumizen H500 underpins the more in-depth studies such as flow cytometry. Dr Bishop commented that while immunophenotyping provides relative numbers of different specific cell types, the ability to use the cell counts from the Yumizen H500 permits the calculation of absolute numbers, giving the data more relevance.
“It also helps to ensure the quality and yield of cell cultures,”’ said Dr Bishop. ‘The instrument is fast, neat and small, and has a good linearity range on the WBC.”
The instrument is currently being used on four projects, including the immune response to heat exposure on upper body exercise, and the response to exercise in renal transplant patients.