TOP INDUSTRY NEWS

Artistic ability used in the fight against infection Artistic ability used in the fight against infection
Local children in Salisbury have put their artistic talents to the test by designing eye-catching artwork to highlight the alcohol gel dispensers at entrances to wards and departments at Salisbury District Hospital. Regular hand washing and the use of alcohol gels represent the first line of defence against infections, and patients, visitors and staff must use them when entering and leaving clinical areas.

Other News...

Qlucore appoints new sales director
Qlucore has appointed Ann Holmberg as its new sales director. Ms Holmberg (pictured) has an MSc in biochemistry and has worked as marketing and sales manager in the laboratory information management systems (LIMS) sector since 1992, covering the Nordic region.
Automated solutions for molecular pharmacology
The Leibniz-Institut für Molekulare Pharmakologie in Berlin is using Tecan's Freedom EVO workstations for systematic high-throughput screening of bioactive small molecule libraries. Peter von Kries, head of the Institute's screening unit, explained: “The unit has a small team of staff performing library screens of around 20,000 compounds a day, and this high throughput is partly thanks to the flexibility of our Freedom EVO workstations.
Radiochemistry at The Old Glassworks
Quotient Bioresearch has announced that its state-of-the-art radiochemistry facility in Cardiff is fully operational and that shipments of radiolabelled products have commenced. All staff have now transferred from the former site operated by Amersham Radiolabelling Services to the new facility.
Imaging systems boosts Hungarian neuroscience research
Nikon Instruments has entered a partnership with the Institute of Experimental Medicine (IEM) of the Hungarian Academy of Science KOKI in Budapest to open the first Nikon Microscopy Centre (NMC) in Central Europe. The centre will allow neuroscience researchers access to state-of-the-art microscopy and imaging systems.
Smooth transition in Oldham
Staff in the microbiology laboratory at the Royal Oldham Hospital have chosen bioMérieux's BacT/ALERT microbial detection system for processing blood cultures. Technical manager Sheila Norris explained: “One of the primary drivers for change was that our previous system used glass bottles. After we centralised our service, we had several incidents involving breakage of glass bottles during transport between the wards and the laboratory. The BacT/ALERT system uses plastic bottles, which means that this is no longer a problem.
Bio-bin reduces carbon emissions and saves space and money
Huddersfield Royal Infirmary’s pathology laboratories have switched to using environmentally friendly Bio-bins for the disposal of non-sharp laboratory waste, significantly reducing the amount of plastic they incinerate and saving money. In addition to complying with the NHS Carbon Reduction Strategy, the move away from traditional ‘sweetie jar’ containers has massively reduced the storage space required and saved on transport costs.

COVER STORY

Glasgow grows up: the changing landscape of pathology Glasgow grows up: the changing landscape of pathology
The laboratories of NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde have undergone considerable growth and change since the installation of new automation started back in 2005. However, far from being restrictive, the pathology solution chosen has enabled the laboratories to evolve.

PRODUCT NEWS

Improved and safer ultraviolet sterilisation
The GLE-UVSC UV sterilisation cabinet from Scie-Plas is an essential item for every molecular biology laboratory carrying out polymerase chain reaction (PCR) reactions. The cabinet provides decontamination of reagents and equipment before carrying out sensitive PCR reactions, particularly when amplifying DNA sequences that are either in limited supply or of low copy number.
Accelerated LC/MS analysis
Phenomenex has introduced Clarity Oligo-MS columns for rapid and efficient LC/MS characterisation and quality control of synthetic RNA and DNA. Based on the company’s core-shell particle technology, the new C18 columns deliver significantly shorter run times than traditional media, along with increased resolution and sensitivity. With the high resolving power of Clarity Oligo-MS, impurities in complex synthetic mixtures can be separated from the peak of interest in less than 10 minutes.
Life science imaging software
Olympus has introduced its new cellSens software for life science imaging applications. Consisting of three different packages, cellSens Entry, cellSens Standard and cellSens Dimension, all user requirements can be met with ease. Incorporating a user-definable interface, the imaging process can be personalised from start to finish.
High-capacity/high-speed shakers
Using a newly engineered direct drive mechanism, almost no load is too heavy for the Lab Companion SKC shakers, even at high speeds. A large selection of models is available based on platform size and stroke diameter. Programmable motion control, light-emitting diode (LED) displays, unbalanced load sensors, and self-protecting cut-off function make these shakers versatile and safe.
Mycobacteria: faster detection and lower contamination
Invitech has announced the UK availability of NAC-PAC N30, a convenient, systematic approach to pre-analytical acid-fast bacilli (AFB) specimen processing. NAC-PAC improves recovery of positive AFB specimens (most notably mycobacteria) and helps to reduce the number of contaminated/reprocessed samples through rigid control of pH during pre-analytical processing. Laboratories can now benefit from its easy-to-use format that can improve recovery of mycobacteria, ensure fewer false-positive results, and increase diagnostic effectiveness.
Advanced and user-friendly confocal imaging
The new Olympus FluoView FV10i confocal laser scanning microscope system brings a new level of accessibility to confocal microscopy. Designed to remove all the complex steps involved in setting-up and using confocal microscopes, the system ensures that users can concentrate on the images and data without the need for prior expertise.
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FEATURE ARTICLE

Improved processing times: the Oswestry histopathology laboratory experience
Bone histopathology presents a challenge to both tissue processing and diagnosis, but the Excelsior ES from Thermo Fisher Scientific has set new standards for efficiency and performance at one of the UK’s premier orthopaedic facilities.

PRODUCT ARTICLE

Fast thermal cycling
The Techne TC-Plus thermal cycler, with one of the fastest aluminium blocks on the market, can contribute to significant reductions in polymerase chain reaction (PCR) processing times by using faster ramp rates, modified programs and modified reaction mixes.