RECENT NEWS

A new programme to evaluate how wastewater monitoring could be used to detect a wider range of dangerous pathogens has been launched by the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA).

Antibiotic susceptibility testing (AST) technology firm Avails Medical has announced that it has signed its first US commercial customer, a world renowned academic medical centre and flagship hospital for a six-hospital system, for the company's eQUANT system.

Tempus AI, a technology company leading the adoption of AI to advance precision medicine, has announced the acquisition of Paige, an AI company specialising in digital pathology.

While it has long been known that gut microbiota plays a role in the development of colorectal cancer, translating these findings into clinical practice has proven challenging. This is because different strains of the same bacterial species can have opposite effects, with some promoting the disease and others having no effect.

Men assessed as healthy after a pathologist analyses their tissue sample may still have an early form of prostate cancer. Using AI, researchers at Uppsala University have been able to find subtle tissue changes that allow the cancer to be detected long before it becomes visible to the human eye.

Salmonella Dublin, a type of bacteria that primarily infects cattle but some strains also can adapt to infect humans, is increasingly becoming resistant to antibiotics, making it a growing public health threat, according to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Scientists at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai have developed a powerful new computational tool that could transform how cancer tissues are analysed and help pave the way for more personalised treatments.

More than 100,000 people in England have now been tested for hepatitis C through the NHS’s confidential home testing service, in a major milestone towards eliminating the virus as a public health threat.

A joint statement has been signed by over 40 UK health funders and charities, to improve understanding of disease and develop better health interventions.

A blood test showing how white blood cells interact with milk proteins could transform the diagnosis and management of cow’s milk allergy in young children.

The UK Government has hailed the success of Community Diagnostic Centres (CDCs), with 100 sites now operational, delivering over 7.2 million tests and scans in the last year.

The latest UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) data show an increase in travel-associated chikungunya cases in England. A total of 73 cases were reported between January and June 2025.

Microbiology laboratory and automation firm Copan has launched UriVerse, a state-of-the-art, fully automated system that transforms the pre-analytical handling of urine specimens by automating key manual steps.

The National Pathology Imaging Co-operative (NPIC), based at Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust is proud to announce that three major NHS Trusts in North Central London have successfully gone live on the NPIC digital pathology network, marking an important milestone for digital healthcare innovation across the UK.

A newly published article from the Microbiology Society highlights actions which could help realise the full potential of vaccines in tackling antimicrobial resistance.

The August issue of PIP has now been published and is available to read online.

People at highest risk of infection with gonorrhoea will now be better protected from the disease, as the NHS and local authorities begin the roll-out of a world-first vaccination programme in England.

The World Health Organization (WHO) has released a new target product profile to guide the development of in vitro diagnostic tests for serious bacterial infections in newborns and young infants, including neonatal sepsis – a leading cause of infant deaths globally.

Precision health firm Helix has announced a partnership with cancer diagnostics company Veracyte that will make it easier for urologists to add comprehensive germline testing for patients with high-risk localised and metastatic prostate cancer.

Professor Susan Hopkins is appointed as the new Chief Executive Officer of the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA).