The need to ensure that laboratory medicine can meet the future challenges of a rapidly changing healthcare environment sits at the core of an innovative strategic conference for this sector. The agenda of the European Federation of Clinical Chemistry and Laboratory Medicine (EFLM) Strategic Conference in Mannheim (18-19 June) highlighted the challenges, and also outlined areas of discussion to…
The need to do more to combat resistance in Germany was keenly emphasised by delegates at the VDGH (The German Diagnostics Industry Association) event held in Berlin this May. Only the answer, or at least the common will, is missing to bring this threat under control via a concerted concept.
The idea of testing blood or urine to find markers that help diagnose or treat disease holds great promise. A new study helps set standards for RNA sequencing, improving consistency and laying the foundation to move the field forward.
Liquid biopsies can increasingly help diagnose and monitor breast cancer, and tracking circulating tumour cells (CTC) in metastatic patients could prove effective in these applications and treatment planning. Efforts are currently underway to demonstrate CTC clinical use and much can be learned from completed studies in prostate cancer, speaker Michail Ignatiadis MD PhD highlighted in a dedicated…
Olympus’ Image of the Year Award for light microscopy in Europe recognizes the very best in life science imaging. Inspired by the beauty and breadth of images submitted for Image of the Year 2017, Olympus is now continuing its quest for the best light microscopy art in 2018. For the chance to win one of three prizes, applicants can submit life science light microscopy images to…
Liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS) has become a highly valued procedure in state-of-the-art laboratories – among them the Dr. Wisplinghoff Laboratory in Cologne, which adopted the method a decade ago. In its forty years, the organisation has provided physicians with the entire clinically relevant analysis spectrum of laboratory medicine, pathology, transfusion medicine as well as…
LC/MS, i.e. the combination of liquid chromatography (LC) with mass spectrometry (MS) – an analytical method developed primarily for environmental analysis and live science – remains a keen topic in the medical laboratory. In recent European Hospital issues, we have outlined various reasons why this procedure is in increasingly popular in the medical lab. Here we continue with an interview…
Two blood tests can predict which subset of men with advanced prostate cancer will likely not benefit from anti-androgen therapies, providing doctors and patient added clarity on treatment options, according to a study led by Duke Cancer Institute.
Measuring RNA fragments in a pregnant woman’s blood gives a reliable estimate of the baby’s due date and can predict if the baby will arrive prematurely, a Stanford-led team has shown.
Biomedical engineers at Columbia Engineering have discovered a new fundamental feature of brain oscillations: they actually move rhythmically across the brain, reflecting patterns of neuronal activity that propagate across the cortex. The coordination of neural activity across widespread brain networks is essential for human cognition. Researchers have long assumed that oscillations in the brain,…
Dr. Thomas Hainmüller and Prof. Dr. Marlene Bartos of the Institute of Physiology of the University of Freiburg have established a new model to explain how the brain stores memories of tangible events. The model is based on an experiment that involved mice seeking a place where they received rewards in a virtual environment.
Laboratories can now automate manual steps and achieve high sample throughput and high productivity with a new autosampler and liquid handling system intended for use in pharmaceutical, contract research, food safety, environmental, clinical research and forensic workflows.
SCIEX announced a new release of its LC and mass spectrometry operating system, SCIEX OS software, which provides new tools for full regulatory compliance and updated calculation algorithms that support data processing for the majority of SCIEX instruments.
Olympus cellSens 2.1 offers improved capabilities for flexible camera and microscope control and enables researchers to create sharp, noise-free images in less time. Helping to drive microscopy forward, cellSens 2.1 speeds up image analysis and features new image acquisition tools at a lower cost. In addition, existing cellSens users may be eligible for a free upgrade to cellSens 2.1. cellSens…
A new SLAS Discovery original research article available now for free ahead-of-print, researchers from the Genomics Institute of the Novartis Research Foundation (GNF) highlights a diversity of approaches that their automated high-throughput flow cytometry has enabled for phenotypic drug discovery. Flow cytometry is a very powerful tool that has been used for decades and allows for…
Menarini Silicon Biosystems announced that a new study has found that using circulating tumor cells (CTCs), a form of liquid biopsy, holds promise as a key tool for developing a staging system that can have a significant impact in the treatment of metastatic breast cancer (MBC). In this study, the largest CTCs pooled analysis study to date, researchers determined that the CTC count could be used…
European Hospital has recently focused on the development of liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS) for use in analytical/medical diagnostics. Dr Stavros Kromidas, an expert in high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) and author of several specialist books, has published his latest book ‘The HPLC-MS Handbook for Practitioners’. We interviewed him about this and a new technique…
Figures show that the rates of pathology testing are continuing to rise despite a backdrop of financial constraint within the NHS. General practitioner (GP) Dr Jessica Watson has expressed concern that some tests are being carried out for the wrong reasons – often for a non-medical purpose – and that unnecessary tests are causing increased anxiety and uncertainty rather than offering…
Genrui Biotech Inc., one of the leading Chinese developers and manufacturers of IVD equipment and reagents, present their latest POCT devices at the China International Medical Equipment Fair (CMEF). Among the presented devices are the 5-Part Auto Hematology Analyzer KT-6610, which uses advanced tri-angle laser scattering, flow cytometry technology to deliver white blood cell differential…
At the 28th European Congress of Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases (ECCMID 2018), Fast Track Diagnostics, a Siemens Healthineers company, launches a new molecular thermocycler, the Fast Track cycler, and the complementary new FastFinder software. The Fast Track cycler is a compact platform that enables laboratories of all sizes to implement molecular testing with simplicity and speed…
This platform enables you to perform high class molecular diagnostics at an unbelievable speed. All assay run times are as short as 15 to 30 minutes, depending on the sample material. The lyophilised reactions are shippable and storable at room temperature and ready to use, with a shelf life of 18 month. Due to the robustness of the polymerase you don’t need any DNA extraction. The…
A thin copper wire wrapped around a channel slightly thicker than a strand of hair could be the key to manufacturing a compact electronic device capable of counting white blood cells from the comfort of one’s home, a Kennesaw State University researcher says. Hoseon Lee, an assistant professor of electrical engineering in the Southern Polytechnic College of Engineering and Engineering…
Faced with the constant challenge of increasing demand and a backdrop of falling reimbursement, Mayo Clinic in the United States has adopted an innovative and proactive approach to managing its laboratory services. That has seen the US-based medical giant embrace a variety of tools and reference materials to aid clinician decision making, improve care and lower costs. Dr Curt Hanson, Chief…
Horiba Medical is proud to announce the development of its offer with the extension of the Hematology portfolio into the Hemostasis field. For over 30 years, Horiba Medical has developed its recognized proficiency in blood cell analysis. This scientific knowledge, innovation, leadership and cutting edge technology has been utilized to propose a new and comprehensive range of systems and reagents…
Bacterial vaginosis (BV) is a common infectious disorder that affects millions of women worldwide. Women of all ages are at risk for BV and its complications, which include a greater susceptibility to sexually transmitted infections (STIs) such as herpes simplex virus and HIV. If left undetected and untreated, BV can increase a woman's risk of upper genital tract infections such as pelvic…