Advancing individualised therapies
The decoding of the genome has made it possible for molecular biology specialists to detect predispositions for illnesses and treat them accordingly.
Microbiology
Electroporation
The function of cell membrane is to maintain the stability of a cell's interior by regulating the amounts and types of molecules entering or leaving the cell.
SARS no longer deadly threat - But avian flu is
USA - Scientists are confident that the virus that caused severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) is no longer circulating in humans, or other animals, according to Professor Kathryn Holmes, a microbiology expert at the University of Colorado, USA.
Food threat to health congress
Globally, about two million people die each year after consuming spoilt food, according to the World Health Organisation (WHO).
Prion filter for red cells
Scientists at biopharm firm Pathogen Removal and Diagnostic Technologies Inc* (PRDT) recently confirmed their identification of lead ligands capable of specifically targeting certain 'challenging' viruses.
Baby food & meningitis
An extensive international study, presented at the American Society for Microbiology meeting in New Orleans, concludes that baby foods contain worrying levels of disease-causing microbes, including Enterobacter sakazakii (linked to some fatal outbreaks of meningitis at children's hospitals in Europe and the USA*).
Biochips
Due to economic pressure, laboratories increasingly consolidate and automate procedures. Further cost reductions could come about through miniaturisation and multi-parameter tests.
Web advisories aid physicians
Monitoring and rapidly introducing new developments into everyday practice is an increasingly difficult task for many doctors. Additionally, patients are more informed due to media medical reports, which raise their expectations that doctors can offer a quick, reliable interpretation of the latest medical data.
Advances in blood group serology
Todays test formats (gel technology, micro test plates), plus laboratory electronic data processing and automation, have changed the classic format of blood group serological examinations significantly - and reduced the danger of life-threatening errors.
Article • Bacterial defense mechanism
Antibiotic resistance: a global threat to healthcare
Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is becoming more prevalent around the world, constituting a serious threat to public health. When bacteria acquire resistance against antibiotics, common medical procedures – for example, in surgery – become impossible due to the high infection risk. Keep reading to find out about AMR research, development of new antibiotics and antibiotic alternatives.
