Tomocube’s cutting-edge 3D quantitative phase imaging is set to play a crucial role in platelet research according to a new paper from scientists at the University of York. Using holotomography images generated by the Tomocube HT-2H microscope, the team were able to identify and quantify in single unlabelled, live platelets clear disparities in activation status and potential functional ability in disease states without experimental interference, such as from fixation or labelling...

The rapid spread of the newly emerging SARS-CoV-2 virus variant B.1.1.7 in Great Britain and other countries shows changes in the genome of the SARS-CoV-2 virus can lead to new biological properties. Most of the approximately 12,000 mutations in the genome of the SARS-CoV-2 virus that have been identified since February 2020 so far did not change the biological properties of the virus. However, some of the almost 4,000 mutations that have been identified in the spike protein....

Complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor (CMOS) technology now offers the advanced imaging capabilities required for many biomedical applications, but can it replace the more expensive sCMOS (scientific CMOS) sensors? CMOS and sCMOS sensors have set the benchmark for both performance and value in machine vision in several industries, and this article will explain the benefits and costs of each technology for highly demanding imaging applications in biomedical and life sciences....

On February 24th, Tecan is marking 20 years since the publication of the draft sequence of the human genome by hosting its first virtual genomics symposium. This one-day event will be live-streamed using a sophisticated new online platform, and will explore the latest advances in research, translational and clinical applications of genomics technologies, as well as offering a valuable networking opportunity to attendees....

BioChromato Inc. reports on how Pharmaceutical companies undertaking Absorption, Distribution, Metabolism and Excretion (ADME) studies are benefiting from integrating RAPID Easy Piercing Seals (EPS) into their screening protocols. Optimization of the ADME properties of a drug molecule is one of the most difficult and challenging part of the drug discovery process. The ADME profile of a compound has a major impact on the likelihood of its success as a drug....

Kromek a worldwide supplier of detection technology focusing on the medical, security screening and nuclear markets, announces that it has commenced a £1.25m programme funded by Innovate UK to customise its biological threat-detection solution for the automated detection of all airborne viruses, including COVID-19, to support end-use cases....

Making people stand in front of a scanner to have their body temperature read can result in a large number of false negatives, allowing people with Covid-19 to pass through airports and hospitals undetected. Leading experts in physiology have suggested instead that taking temperature readings of a person’s fingertip and eye would give a significantly better and more reliable reading and help identify those with fever....

Asynt reports how Globachem Discovery (Alderley Park, UK) has benefited from the investment in ReactoMate reactor systems for the scale-up of novel agrochemicals. Globachem Discovery is the UK R&D arm of Globachem, a Belgian agrochemical business. The company operates in the early phases of the R&D pipeline, developing new molecules and chemistries for the agrochemical industry....

ZTA Biotech, a Budapest-based biotech startup has announced the breakthrough development of a COVID-19 antibody (IgG) test using the ELISA protocol. This new detection method represents a great step forward in determining if patients have had COVID-19 and if they might still have immunity to the disease. Early results have proven 100% in specificity after testing 280 samples, and 100% sensitivity by testing 260 samples of recovered and symptomatic patients....

BioChromato Inc. has published an interview with the Department of Medicinal Chemistry and Molecular Pharmacology at Purdue University (Indiana, USA) that explains how the Smart Evaporator C1 has assisted them in isolating and purifying novel compounds from DMSO solutions for potential pharmaceutical use. Because the US Federal Drug Administration (FDA) does not approve DMSO formulations for human administration, researchers at Purdue University wanted to synthesise a new Platinum (IV) chloride complex...

New research on the structure and dynamics of a branched form of DNA called a three-way junction could lead to more effectively targeted treatments for degenerative disorders like Huntington’s Disease, scientists say. In a new paper published in the journal Nature Communications, chemists from the University of Glasgow show for the first time how three-way DNA junctions undergo unexpected rearrangements in their structure....

The International Institute for Sustainable Laboratories (I2SL) and MyGreenLab have partnered again to reward the best concept to improve cold storage regarding sustainability: The Freezer Challenge 2021. The users can earn points by taking actions from good management practices, temperature tuning, and other areas, as well as for sharing information about best practices. Awards will be given to those who have done the most to save energy and improve their sample storage...

ZEISS announces that it has formed a research collaboration partnership with the Max Planck Florida Institute for Neuroscience (MPFI). Using an LSM 980 NLO next generation confocal microscope supplied by ZEISS, MPFI will investigate using implanted GRadient INdex (GRIN) lenses in combination with the Airyscan 2 area detector for deep brain functional neuroscience research....

Mogrify Limited, a UK company aiming to transform the development of ex vivo cell therapies and pioneer the field of in vivo reprogramming therapies, and the MRC Laboratory of Molecular Biology (LMB), a world-class research laboratory dedicated to understanding important biological processes at the molecular level, today announced an exploratory research collaboration. The project aims to develop novel protein expression systems by leveraging recent advances in direct cell reprogramming...

Scientists sequencing virus samples from the first confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Scotland (and through the first wave) have found evidence of community transmission, driven by multiple introductions through international travel, as early as February 2020. In new research, led by the University of Glasgow and published in Nature Microbiology, researchers have been able to confirm that SARS-CoV-2, the virus which causes COVID-19, had multiple introductions to Scotland in early 2020, mainly from European countries such as Italy and Spain....

Asynt has supplied Polymer Mimetics (Liverpool, UK) with a range of synthetic chemistry equipment to exploit novel chemistries to produce a new generation of high-performance polymers. Polymer Mimetics is a joint venture between the University of Liverpool, and Scott Bader Company Ltd. building upon a new polymerisation process developed by Professor Steve Rannard from the University’s Department of Chemistry....

AMSBIO has published an interview with researchers at Yamaguchi University Graduate School of Medicine, Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Japan, that covers their groundbreaking work to develop cell regeneration therapies for liver cirrhosis. The interview covers the involvement of the Graduate School of Medicine in the development of StemFit® for Mesenchymal Stem Cell (MSC), a new chemically defined medium which minimizes the risk of hazardous animal derived ingredients....

Panthera’s clinical trial sites in Preston, North Manchester and North London began dosing volunteers in the Phase III PROVENT trial which will evaluate AstraZeneca’s long-acting antibody combination, AZD7442, for the potential prevention of COVID-19. The double-blind, placebo-controlled trial will include adult volunteers who have no history of COVID-19 and have an increased risk of infection...

Autoscribe Informatics, a leading global laboratory informatics provider, announced the release of a new white paper examining the role of a Laboratory Information Management System (LIMS) in supporting ISO17025 accreditation. The white paper explores the ways in which a Laboratory Information Management System (LIMS) can play a key role in achieving, maintaining, and benefiting from ISO17025 accreditation.