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Scientists take important step toward gene therapy for deaf patients

Scientists at Oregon State University have taken an important step toward gene therapy for deaf patients by developing a way to better study a large protein essential for hearing and finding a truncated version of it.

19 Sep 2017

Porvair Sciences provide optimised microplate products for drug discovery scientists

Porvair Sciences offers a range of application optimised microplates and high-performance microplate equipment designed to enable drug discovery scientists to optimise sample preparation and improve productivity.

From Porvair Sciences Limited 15 Sep 2017

New clinical trial begins testing Epigem’s instrument for detection, cure of rare anemias

Epigem today announced that one of its development instruments, MeChem, is being tested in a new clinical trial into the detection and cure of rare anemias. The company has filed two patents relating to the test methods and the associated system.

14 Sep 2017

Novel technology holds promise for improving accuracy of type 1 diabetes tests

Researchers from the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Stanford University and the University of Florida report the development of a novel antibody detection technology that holds promise for improving the accuracy of diagnostic tests for type 1 diabetes in young children and making populationwide screening practical.

13 Sep 2017

‘Nanoswitches’ could be key to faster, more sensitive tests for detection of biomarkers

Engineered strands of DNA -- nanoscale tools called "nanoswitches" -- could be the key to faster, easier, cheaper and more sensitive tests that can enable high-fidelity detection of biomarkers indicating the presence of different diseases, viral strains and even genetic variabilities as subtle as a single-gene mutation.

12 Sep 2017

VUMC and Bayer agree on strategic research alliance to develop new therapies for kidney diseases

Vanderbilt University Medical Center and Bayer have agreed on a five-year strategic research alliance to evaluate new drug candidates for the treatment of kidney diseases, with the goal of accelerating the translation of innovative approaches from the laboratory to pre-clinical development.

12 Sep 2017

Combination immunotherapy as second or third line treatment of mesothelioma shows promising results

Combination immunotherapy as second or third line treatment extends overall survival to at least 15 months in patients with pleural malignant mesothelioma, according to late-breaking results from the MAPS2 trial presented today at the ESMO 2017 Congress in Madrid.

11 Sep 2017

Seeing the full picture, real-time analysis of live-cells

Every cell is a miniature factory taking in raw material (extracellular signals) and processing it to produce something (a biological response). But unlike a factory that can be easily tweaked to run at steady-state and look the same from day to day, cells are dynamic.

From Sartorius 7 Sep 2017

Differentiating sepsis and systemic inflammatory response syndrome using biomarkers

Firstly, it is necessary to make a distinction between systemic inflammation and Systemic Inflammatory Response Syndrome (SIRS). SIRS consists of changes in clinical signs including an abnormal body temperature, increased heart rate, increased respiratory rate, an abnormal white cell count (either decreased or elevated), or an increase in band neutrophils.

7 Sep 2017

New portable allergen-detection system could help prevent trips to emergency room

For kids and adults with food allergies, a restaurant outing can be a fraught experience. Even when care is taken, freshly prepared or packaged meals can accidentally become cross-contaminated with an offending food and trigger a reaction.

6 Sep 2017

Integra makes multichannel pipetting quicker and easier than ever before

INTEGRA is making multichannel pipetting quicker and easier than ever before. The company’s extensive range of manual and electronic handheld pipettes – combined with the revolutionary GripTips system – is helping take the ‘pain’ out of multichannel pipetting, boosting productivity and ensuring happy, healthy staff.

From INTEGRA Biosciences 6 Sep 2017

Scientists question CRISPR human embryo editing claims

A paper published in the journal Nature on the 2nd August described how a gene editing tool CRISPR could be used to correct a genetic mutation that leads to a heart condition. This team had performed the genetic editing on the gene sequences in dozens of viable human embryos to attempt to prevent a genetic heart condition called hypertrophic cardiomyopathy.

31 Aug 2017

New method of genetic testing leads to successful targeting of MET fusion in lung cancer

There are many ways a gene can be altered and there are many genes that, when altered, can cause cancer. Testing individually for each possible alteration in every cancer-related gene is not feasible as it would require hundreds of individual tests and many, many thousands of dollars.

31 Aug 2017

Drug testing assay for Plasmodium vivax infection possible with Porvair Sciences Krystal black microplate

Porvair Sciences reports that the National Center for Biological Sciences (NCBS) in Bangalore, India is using its Krystal 384 black microplate to produce a standard drug testing assay for Plasmodium vivax infection.

From Porvair Sciences Limited 31 Aug 2017

Researchers use zebrafish animal model to explore drug-seeking behavior

As the opioid crisis escalates, the science behind addiction remains poorly understood. To address this need, researchers at University of Utah Health devised a system that allowed zebrafish, a small tropical fish, to self-administer doses of hydrocodone, an opioid commonly prescribed to people for pain.

26 Aug 2017

Pan-European initiative receives €3.7 million funding to train next generation of brain tumor researchers

A pan-European initiative led by the University of Plymouth designed to train the next generation of brain tumor researchers, has received funding of almost €3.7 million from the European Commission's Horizon 2020 - Research and Innovation Framework Program.

26 Aug 2017

New strategy allows researchers to identify potential treatments for altered levels of MeCP2

Having twice the normal amount of the protein MeCP2, a condition called MECP2 duplication syndrome, causes severe progressive neuropsychiatric disorders that include intellectual disability, autism spectrum disorders, motor dysfunction and other medical complications.

24 Aug 2017

Quanterix announces launch of new SR-Plex benchtop instrument for high sensitivity biomarker analysis

Quanterix Corporation, a company dedicated to digitizing biomarker analysis with the goal of advancing the science of precision health, today announced it will be expanding its single molecule array, or Simoa, technology platform portfolio to include the new Quanterix SR-Plex benchtop instrument.

23 Aug 2017

Licorice could pose health risk by interacting with medications

Licorice roots have a diverse and flavorful history, having been used in ancient Egyptian times as a tea and in traditional Chinese medicines, all the way to today as a flavoring agent and as an ingredient in some licorice candies.

21 Aug 2017

FDA provides panel of human plasma samples to evaluate serological tests for detecting Zika infection

As an additional measure in the fight against Zika virus, today the U.S. Food and Drug Administration announced that it has made available a panel of human plasma samples to aid in the regulatory evaluation of serological tests to detect recent Zika virus infection.

18 Aug 2017