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Semarion secures $3.8 million to scale next-generation cell assay technology and accelerate pharma adoption

Semarion, a University of Cambridge spin-out company from the Cavendish Laboratory combining materials engineering and cell biology to tackle unmet drug screening needs, today announced it has raised $3.8 million USD (£2.9 million GBP).

From Semarion 31 Mar 2026

Artemin identified as marker and target in feline osteoarthritis

By comparing osteoarthritis pain pathways known to be active in dogs and humans to those in cats with degenerative joint disease (DJD), researchers found that elevation of a particular molecule, artemin, could serve as a marker of disease (and possibly pain) as well as a potential therapeutic target.

30 Mar 2026

Chronic colitis reshapes colon stem cells in ways that can accelerate tumour growth

Researchers showed that chronic colitis leaves a long-lasting epigenetic memory in colonic stem cells, persisting for more than 100 days after recovery in mice. This memory is marked by durable AP-1-linked chromatin changes and later amplifies tumour outgrowth after oncogenic mutation.

29 Mar 2026

Spear Bio introduces new ultra-sensitive neurodegenerative assays and expands direct access at AD/PD 2026

Spear Bio, an innovator in ultrasensitive protein biomarker detection, showcased three new SPEAR UltraDetect™ immunoassays—brain-derived p-Tau 217 (BD-pTau 217), α-synuclein (α-syn) and phospho-Ser129-α-synuclein (pS129-α-syn)—at the International Conference on Alzheimer’s & Parkinson’s Diseases (AD/PD 2026) last week.

From Spear Bio 26 Mar 2026

New guidance aims to standardize tumor mutational burden in cancer

Immune checkpoint inhibitors have transformed cancer care, yet only a minority of patients respond to monotherapy, and immune-related adverse events remain a major concern.

25 Mar 2026

Primerdesign partners with Origin Sciences to create novel rectal mucosal extraction workflow

Primerdesign (part of the Novacyt Group), a company focused on the design, manufacture, validation and supply of nucleic acid extraction and real-time PCR kits, and Origin Sciences (Origin), a company pioneering the detection and diagnosis of gastrointestinal (GI) disease through an unprecedented focus on a unique biospecimen: rectal mucus; today announced a strategic partnership to create a new protocol that optimizes DNA extraction from novel rectal mucosal samples.

From Primerdesign 25 Mar 2026

Scientists turn red blood cells into long-lasting drug and imaging carriers in mice

A new preclinical study shows that red blood cells can be tagged in vivo and used as long-lasting carriers for imaging agents and therapies, opening a new route for safer drug delivery and vascular imaging.

23 Mar 2026

Study explores if wastewater can track colorectal cancer at population level

A proof-of-concept study shows that cancer-linked RNA can be detected in wastewater, raising the possibility of tracking colorectal cancer patterns across communities without relying on individual screening.

19 Mar 2026

Siemens Healthineers launches brain health research portfolio with first biomarker assays now available

Siemens Healthineers announced today its offerings for brain health research are expanding, with the brain-derived, fully automated Atellica IM Phosphorylated tau 217 (pTau217) and Atellica IM Brain Derived Tau (BDTau) assays now available for 1.

From Siemens Healthineers 19 Mar 2026

Gut-derived blood markers may help predict who develops coronary heart disease

Researchers used five prospective cohorts from the US and China to identify circulating gut microbiota-related metabolites linked to future coronary heart disease, then tested the findings through discovery, in silico validation, and targeted quantitative validation. The study ultimately highlighted nine metabolites associated with incident CHD, supporting a potential role for microbial metabolism in heart disease risk while not proving causation

18 Mar 2026

Study uncovers how tuberculosis bacteria fuel themselves during infection

Researchers at The Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids) have uncovered how the bacteria that causes tuberculosis fuels itself during infection, providing new insights into one of the world's deadliest infectious diseases.

17 Mar 2026

Study finds cockroach allergy often driven by shared proteins across arthropods

Researchers analyzed molecular sensitization patterns in Polish patients with perennial allergic rhinitis who tested positive for cockroach allergens. They found that most apparent cockroach allergies were driven by cross-reactive proteins shared with mites, seafood, and other arthropods rather than true cockroach-specific allergens.

13 Mar 2026

ELRIG announces Prof Hazel Screen and Dr Dave Powell as keynote speakers for Advances in Cell-Based Screening 2026

ELRIG, a not-for-profit, volunteer-led organization dedicated to the global drug discovery community, today announced the keynote speakers for Advances in Cell-based Screening 2026, taking place at AstraZeneca in Gothenburg, Sweden from 6-7 May.

From ELRIG (UK) Ltd. 12 Mar 2026

Hanson Wade - 7th Gene Therapy Analytical Development Summit Europe

Clinical and Regulatory Momentum Puts Gene Therapy Analytics in the Spotlight Ahead of the 7th Gene Therapy Analytical Development Summit.

12 Mar 2026

Blood test marker p-tau217 helps detect early dementia risk in cognitively healthy older women

A long-term study of 2,766 women in the Women’s Health Initiative Memory Study found that higher baseline plasma p-tau217 levels were associated with a greater risk of developing mild cognitive impairment or probable dementia.

11 Mar 2026

DNA-based barcoding reveals which nanoparticles successfully deliver genetic therapies

Drug delivery researchers have vastly improved the potential of genetic therapies by overcoming the challenge of consistently getting genes and gene-editing tools where they need to be within cells.

11 Mar 2026

Rapid Novor receives Ontario Ministry of Health provisional license for EasyM® blood-based MRD test for multiple myeloma

Rapid Novor Inc., a Canadian biotechnology leader, announced today that its diagnostic laboratory has received a provisional license from the Ontario Ministry of Health (MOH) for its EasyM® assay, enabling the company to begin testing patients in Canada.

From Rapid Novor Inc 11 Mar 2026

Researchers validate Mpox antibody test during outbreak in Rwanda

An antibody test for the infectious disease Mpox was successfully developed during the new clade 1b outbreak in Rwanda, the first time that an assay of its kind has been validated within this setting.

9 Mar 2026

New fragmentome technology can detect early liver fibrosis and cirrhosis

Researchers at the Johns Hopkins Kimmel Cancer Center report that an artificial intelligence (AI)-based liquid biopsy test using genome-wide cell-free DNA (cfDNA) fragmentation patterns and repeat landscapes can detect early liver fibrosis and cirrhosis, and may also reveal signals of broader chronic disease burden.

4 Mar 2026

Nearly 70 weeks after infection, long COVID patients show no detectable inflammation in blood tests

A controlled Norwegian case-control study examined circulating biomarkers of inflammation and neuronal injury in people with long COVID about 69 weeks after infection. The researchers found no significant differences in systemic inflammatory or neuroinjury markers compared with recovered controls after statistical correction.