RECENT NEWS

Myocardial infarction: improved detection in women

Abbott’sARCHITECT STATHigh Sensitive Troponin-I (hsTnI) test may help clinicians detect twice as many cases of myocardial infarction (MI) in women. Results have shown that the test is able todiagnose an MI in 22% of cases for women compared to a standard of 11% when usinga gender-specific threshold (an approach to setting diagnostic thresholds which tailors treatment andtest thresholds by gender).

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Heart_ant_wall_infarction.jpg

Early warning of skin cancer relapse

A blood test may be able to provide early warning that patients with advanced melanoma skin cancer are relapsing, according to a study published recently in Cancer Discovery(Girotti MR, Gremel G, Lee R et al. Application of sequencing, liquid biopsies and patient-derived xenografts for personalized medicine in melanoma.Cancer Discov 2015 Dec 29. Pii: CD-15-1336 [Epub ahead of print]).

Transforming healthcare from Northern Ireland

From its headquarters in Crumlin, Northern Ireland, Randox has grown into an international success story, at the frontline of improving healthcare in conditions such as stroke, dementia, diabetes, heart disease, sexually transmitted infections (STIs) and respiratory infections through earlier and more accurate diagnosis.

Patient Sample and Request Form Identification Criteria

The IBMS has published updated guidance on Patient Sample and Request Form Identification Criteria. The updated policy defines the minimum criteria that must be in place for the receipt and identification of samples.

Innovative research supported by SET Award

IBMS President Ian Sturdgess joined the Parliamentary and Scientific Committee, MPs and scientists in Parliament recently to present the Silver Award in Biological and Biomedical Sciences at SET for Britain 2016.

Post-prandial glucose control

New data from four studies demonstrate that post-prandial hyperglycaemia is associated with a negative physical and emotional impact on people with type 1 and type 2 diabetes, greater use of healthcare resources, missed work time and reduced productivity. These results were presented recently at the World Diabetes Congress of the International Diabetes Federation.

David Bennett moves to Viapath

Dr David Bennett, former head of NHS Foundation Trust regulator Monitor, has been appointed the new Chair of Viapath, the pathology joint venture owned by Guy’s and St Thomas’, King’s College Hospital and Serco.

Cancer immunotherapy using patients’ T cells

An international team of scientists has reported important results using patients' own immune cells to fight cancer. In one trial, symptoms disappeared in 94% of patients with acute lymphoblastic leukaemia. In other types of blood cancer, response rates over 80% have been reported, and over half experienced complete remission.

www.nih.gov

Need to identify clinical anaerobes? Apply for your free guide

An Introduction to Clinical Anaerobic Bacteriology is a special guide that enables readers to isolate and identify 12 commonly occurring, clinically important anaerobic bacteria. Don Whitley Scientific is offering UK-based readers a free copy of the Library Edition of this publication. To apply for your free copy, please email the company or log on to its website and complete the contact form.

Green Apple Environmental Award for pipette tip racks

Rainin TerraRack pipette tip racks have achieved success in last year’s Green Apple Awards. The judges recognised the environmental benefits of this product range – which is designed to minimise the problem of plastic tip rack waste – selecting TerraRack from a field of more than 500 entries to receive a Bronze Award for Environmental Best Practice. The award was presented to EU market manager Ian Eaton-Taylor at a ceremony held at the Houses of Parliament last November.

Flow cytometer awarded for innovative research

An internationally renowned gene therapy research team has won a $200,000 CytoFLEX flow cytometer from Beckman Coulter Life Sciences. The contest was designed to explore innovative research solutions involving flow cytometry. The winning team, headed by Dr Martin Pulé, is from the UCL Cancer Institute at University College London.

Services to Public Health recognised

Neil Bentley, head of Specialist Microbiology Technical Services at Public Health England (PHE), has been awarded an OBE for Services to Public Health in the New Year's Honours, which is well-deserved recognition of his contribution to public health in the UK and overseas.

Improved prostate cancer screening

A study undertaken in Sweden has shown that a new test for prostate cancer is better at detecting aggressive cancer than prostate-specific antigen (PSA). The new test, which has undergone trial in 58,818 men, discovered aggressive cancer earlier and reduced the number of false-positive tests and unnecessary biopsies. The results were published recently in the The Lancet Oncology.

Controlling the function of H5N1 influenza polymerase

An international collaboration of scientists has revealed the molecular function of a protein essential for replication of H5N1 influenza virus. A subdomain of the viral polymerase undergoes large-scale structural reorganisation to enable an essential part of the polymerase to enter the nucleus of the infected cell, where the viral genome is replicated.

Virology testing: the evidence pack

Beckman Coulter Diagnostics has made available Issue 4 of its DxN VERIS Molecular Diagnostics Evidence Pack. Following presentation of eight new scientific posters at the European Societyfor Clinical Virology meeting in Edinburgh, the Evidence Pack has been updated and now contains more than 20 evaluation posters presented at key infectious disease meetings across Europe.

Innovative urine analysis: celebrating a milestone

Menarini has announced the placement of its 50th sediMAX analyser into the UK and Irish market. The success of this innovative urine analyser has been largely down to the technology employed, which has moved away from the flow cell-based systems previously available.

Cervical Screening Programme: 2014–15 statistics

The Health & Social Care Information Centre (HSCIC) has published a report on information about the NHS Cervical Screening Programme in England in 2014–15 and key statistics from the previous 10 years.

Public health reunion in Bakewell

A dozen ex-PHLS laboratory managers, some accompanied by their partners, gathered in Bakewell, Derbyshire, in mid-September for their annual reunion at the Rutland Arms Hotel. Special guests were Don Whitley (pictured giving an impromptu after-dinner speech) and his son, Paul Walton (managing director, Don Whitley Scientific).

Academy for Healthcare Science appoints new Chair

John Stevens, a past-president of the IBMS, has been appointed Chair of the Academy for Healthcare Science (AHCS). Qualified as a biomedical scientist in haematology and transfusion science, John has worked across all healthcare disciplines, including a spell as a research assistant.

Confirming hepatitis C infection and quantifying viral load

Hologic has continued its expansion into the virology testing market, having earned CE?IVD certification for the Aptima hepatitis C virus (HCV) Quant Dx assay on the fully automated Panther system.

Latest Issues

IHC technical issues masterclass

UK NEQAS CPT, The Haylofts, Newcastle
13 August, 2025

37th European Congress of Pathology

ACV, Vienna, Austria
6 -10 September, 2025

IBMS Congress

The International Convention Centre (ICC), Birmingham
22-25 September, 2025