Polymerase Chain Reaction News and Research

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Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) is a revolutionary laboratory technique that enables the replication of a specific DNA sequence. Using PCR, millions of copies of a target DNA can be easily synthesized within a short period of time.

FDA approves test for dengue virus infection

The first test that can detect the presence of the dengue virus itself rather than antibodies to the virus has been approved for use by the US Food and Drug Administration.

27 Jun 2012

Impressive results from blinatumomab Phase 2 study on B-precursor ALL

At the 17th Congress of the European Hematology Association in Amsterdam Professor Max Topp of the University of Wuerzberg in Germany presents the impressive results with a bispecific antibody for Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia patients.

18 Jun 2012

Roseola virus accounts for one third of febrile status epilepticus cases

New research shows that human herpesviruses (HHV)-6B and HHV-7, commonly know as roseola virus), account for one third of febrile status epilepticus (FSE) cases. Results of the FEBSTAT prospective study now available in Epilepsia, a journal published by Wiley-Blackwell on behalf of the International League Against Epilepsy (ILAE), suggest that HHV-6B may be involved in the development of epilepsy and further research is urgently needed.

14 Jun 2012

Biomedical engineers develop SMART detector for flu diagnosis

In April 2009, the world took notice as reports surfaced of a virus in Mexico that had mutated from pigs and was being passed from human to human. The H1N1 "swine flu," as the virus was named, circulated worldwide, killing more than 18,000 people, according to the World Health Organization. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in the United States said it was the first global pandemic in more than four decades.

11 Jun 2012

Genes ‘choose only good eggs’ for IVF

Researchers have identified a technique that could help them “pick the right egg” for in vitro fertilization treatment.

8 Jun 2012

Project aims to reduce transmission of infectious diseases on aircraft

A new study is expected to provide the first detailed information on how infectious diseases may be transmitted aboard commercial airliners. Sponsored by aircraft manufacturer Boeing, the research will document patterns of passenger movement inside aircraft cabins and inventory the microbes present in cabin air and on surfaces such as tray tables and lavatory fixtures.

8 Jun 2012

Single test developed that detects all known strains of H5N1

The close collaboration between scientists from the Experimental Therapeutics Centre (ETC) under the Agency for Science and Technology Research (A*STAR) and clinicians from Tan Tock Seng Hospital (TTSH) has enabled the successful development of the most comprehensive and rapid H5N1 bird flu test kit available to date.

29 May 2012

Researchers develop tentative model for diagnosis of colon cancer

Researchers from the Universidad Politécnica de Madrid's Facultad de Informática, the Universidad del País Vasco, the Gaiker Technology Centre (Biscay) and the Hospital de Cruces in Barakaldo, have developed a tentative model for the diagnosis of colon cancer based on a biomarker panel.

28 May 2012

USPTO issues patent to Vandalia’s process for large-scale DNA production technology

Vandalia Research, Inc. announced today that the United States Patent and Trademark Office granted U.S. Patent No. 8,163,489, covering Vandalia's process for large-scale DNA production using polymerase chain reaction.

18 May 2012

Updated results from Amgen’s blinatumomab Phase 2 study on ALL

Amgen today announced updated results from a Phase 2 study that showed treatment with blinatumomab (AMG 103) helped achieve a high-rate of complete response (CR) in 72 percent of adult patients with relapsed or refractory B-precursor acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) treated in the study.

17 May 2012

U of A develops new technology that enables personalized medicine

You wouldn't know it from appearances, but a metal cube the size of a toaster, created at the University of Alberta, is capable of performing the same genetic tests as most fully equipped modern laboratories-and in a fraction of the time.

26 Apr 2012

FDA grants 510(k) clearance for QIAGEN’s molecular detection PCR technology

QIAGEN N.V. today announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has granted two 510(k) clearances for its real-time PCR (polymerase chain reaction) instrument Rotor-Gene Q MDx and a compatible test for the detection of Influenza A/B, the artus Infl A/B RG RT-PCR Kit, for in vitro diagnostic use.

From QIAGEN Manchester Limited 17 Apr 2012

Quest Diagnostics receives FDA clearance for Simplexa C. difficile Universal Direct test

Quest Diagnostics, the world's leading provider of diagnostic testing, information and services, today announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has granted 510(k) clearance to its Simplexa C. difficile Universal Direct Test on the 3M Integrated Cycler.

From Quest Diagnostics 12 Apr 2012

Hepatitis B-infected patients with longer telomeres more likely to develop HCC

Hepatitis B-infected patients with significantly longer telomeres—the caps on the end of chromosomes that protect our genetic data— were found to have an increased risk of getting liver cancer compared to those with shorter ones, according to findings presented by researchers at Jefferson's Kimmel Cancer Center at the American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) Annual Meeting 2012.

4 Apr 2012

Life Technologies expands TaqMan Mutation Detection Assays

Life Technologies Corporation today announced the expansion to its TaqMan Mutation Detection Assays -- highly sensitive and novel molecular analysis research tools designed to detect an additional 241 of the most common mutations in 21 cancer genes.

2 Apr 2012

FDA clears BD MAX assay for detecting GBS DNA in Lim Broth cultures

BD announced today the U.S. Food and Drug Administration clearance of the BD MAX Group B Streptococcus (GBS) Assay and Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendments (CLIA) moderate complexity test categorization on the second-generation BD MAX System.

From BD (Becton, Dickinson and Company) 29 Mar 2012

EBV can infect and may also contribute to lymphomas in man's best friend

More than 90 percent of humans have antibodies to the Epstein Barr virus. Best known for causing mononucleosis, or "the kissing disease," the virus has also been implicated in more serious conditions, including Hodgkin's, non-Hodgkin's and Burkitt's lymphomas. Yet little is known about exactly how EBV triggers these diseases.

13 Mar 2012

Rapid influenza diagnostic tests highly accurate in children than in adults

A new study conducted by researchers from McGill University, the Research Institute of the McGill University Health Centre (RI MUHC), and Sainte-Justine University Hospital Research Centre, Montreal, has put the accuracy of rapid influenza diagnostic tests (RIDTs) under the microscope.

28 Feb 2012

Roche grants in vitro diagnostics product license for real-time PCR technology to LTC

Roche and Life Technologies Corporation announced today that they have entered into two license agreements to allow LTC to expand its PCR offerings for diagnostics applications.

23 Feb 2012

Researchers discover function and expression of CD97 in malignant gliomas

Researchers at Virginia Commonwealth University Medical Center's VCU Massey Cancer Center and Harold F. Young Neurosurgical Center and Old Dominion University have discovered that suppression of Wilms tumor 1 protein (WT1) results in downregulation of CD97 gene expression in three glioblastoma cell lines and reduces the characteristic invasiveness exhibited by glial tumor cells.

8 Feb 2012