News Archive
Latest 50 news articles
Simple Solution Releases Huge Potential for Nanostructured Materials
Sometimes the best ideas in science are the straightforward ones. So when Irish scientist Prof Jonathan Coleman and his team used a soapy solution to turn a cheap lump of graphite, or pencil lead, into billions of flakes of the strongest and one of the most important nanomaterials known, the result was a major breakthrough. The experiment itself was simple, but it belies the kind of insight and understanding that has seen Coleman - recognised as one of the top materials researchers in the world...
Clinical Waste Disposal Practice Reduces UCL Costs by 18%
A national industry body has recognised MITIE and University College London (UCL) for their ground breaking approach to clinical waste management in the university’s 23 laboratories. By diverting autoclaved clinical waste from high temperature incineration (HTI) to Energy-from-Waste treatment, savings of 18% in disposal cost per tonne and reduction of carbon emission by 27% per tonne were achieved. MITIE won the award for innovative practice in Waste Management and Resource Recovery at the 2011...
Novozymes Expands Collaboration with Upperton
Novozymes Biopharma has expanded its partnership with Nottingham-based research and development company, Upperton Ltd, to offer customers a new albumin conjugation solution. "Novozymes is delighted to unveil Recombumin Flex along with our new conjugation solution in partnership with Upperton Limited," said Dave Mead, Business Development Director at Novozymes Biopharma. "Novozymes has enjoyed a successful relationship with Upperton over the past 10 years and its expertise and experience in the c...
Analox Pictures Need Witty Repost
There’s no need to file away your sense of humour and let the January blues set in. Instead join in some post new year fun with the Analox Group which is asking for clever, funny or cheeky captions to their staff ’s photographs. Several members of staff based at the Stokesley, North Yorkshire company were feeling a little light-hearted when they posed for photographs. Their message is ‘Don’t just analyse it – Analox it!’ The question is what will your wittiest caption be? The company will rele...
£30 million for National Sports Medicine Centre
The Government is to spend £30 million developing the country’s first ever National Sports and Exercise Medicine Centre of Excellence, promoting sport and exercise medicine which will help more people to be more active, treat injuries caused by exercise and conditions associated with lack of exercise. Health Secretary Andrew Lansley made the announcement on 9th January, while visitingLoughborough University, one of the network partners. The establishment of the Centre, which will also fulfil o...
Kick-Off for Local Team Sponsorship
Copley Scientific, suppliers of test equipment to pharmaceutical companies across the globe, is taking a keen interest in activities much closer to home, after signing a sponsorship agreement with local under 13’s soccer side Edwalton Cavaliers . The Cavaliers, who currently play in the second division of the Young Elizabethan Football League, hope to rapidly climb the league table and buoyed by their new sponsorship deal are in good spirits in the early stages of the 2011/2012 season. “Copley S...
Cell Therapy Centre Located in Capital
A new centre to support the development and commercialisation of cell therapies and advanced therapeutics, as well as the underpinning technologies for manufacturing, quality control, safety and efficiency is to be located in London. The Technology and Innovation Centre in Cell Therapy will receive £10 million per annum (up to £50 million over the next five-year period) funding from the Technology Strategy Board (TSB) in collaboration with the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills. The...
UK Centre Focused on Quality and Service
Shimadzu has been developing its UK’s headquarters in Buckinghamshire into a major Centre of Excellence for analytical and environmental solutions geared to help UK customers evaluate technical solutions tailored to their specific requirements. As suppliers of chromatography and spectroscopy instruments and services the Milton Keynes facility, which opened its doors to visitors in Autumn, has been building on its customer focused approach, nurturing ”a shared, constructive ‘mindset’ within the...
Astell Celebrates 2011 Orders
Astell Scientific recently won an order for 70 autoclaves destined for the Middle East. Manufactured in the company’s UK factory, the models ordered are from Astell’s Compact range, suitable for a wide range of sterilisation applications and designed to maximise efficiency and ease of operation. Earlier in 2011 the company also won a significant order for a 2000L effluent decontamination system for a research facility in Malaysia. Leukaemia Busters also presented the company with a thank you cer...
Medical Researchers Granted Access to Compounds
Following a landmark agreement between the Medical Research Council(MRC) and AstraZeneca., academic researchers can access 22 of the company’s compounds with a view to exploring new treatment opportunities. Drug development is a long, complex and expensive process – the average sector cost of bringing a new medicine to market was more than £630 million last year. Many compounds which have potential to treat or prevent a specific disease can reach the early trials stage on the drug development...
Researchers identify specific lab tests for early stage MS
Researchers in Israel say they have discovered which specific lab tests will allow them to identify early signs of multiple sclerosis (MS). Standard neurological testing is used to examine and monitor the walking abilities and muscle strength of MS patients, but such methods are not effective at identifying deficits during the infancy of the disease. A team at Tel Aviv University's Sackler Faculty of Medicine and the Multiple Sclerosis Centre in Sheba Medical Center, Tel-Hashomer, say they have...
Associations Welcome SME Support in Life Sciences Industry
Life Sciences associations have welcomed the Government's vision for their sector following a speech by Prime Minister David Cameron (December 5),in which he outlined how two new reviews – the ‘NHS Chief Executive Review of Innovation’ and the ‘Life Sciences Strategy’ - can help drive new innovations in healthcare, whilst supporting a thriving industry at the same time. The Chief Executives of the four trade bodies; The Association of British Healthcare Industries (ABHI), The Association of the...
California crime labs clear up DNA backlog
Crime labs in California have caught up on their web of backlogged DNA cases. The build-up had slowed DNA testing in the state and jeopardised criminal prosecutions, the California Department of Justice said. Laboratories will now be able to perform routine analysis within 30 days, down from an average of 90 to 120 days. Attorney general Kamala Harris said DNA testing was made a priority in 2011 because of the direct link between timely investigations and successful prosecutions. She said crime...
Minister Sherlock Announces SFI Researcher of the Year
Professor Jonathan Coleman, a Science Foundation Ireland (SFI)-funded researcher from Trinity College who has achieved international success in the area of nanostructures, has been announced as the ‘Science Foundation IrelandResearcher of the Year’ for 2011. The announcement was made by Minister for Research and Innovation, Seán Sherlock T.D., at the SFI Science Summit in Athlone, held in November and attended by 300 researchers. The theme of this year’s summit was ‘Shaping the Future Now: New...
Funding to Boost UK’s Regenerative Medicine Capabilities
Fourteen commercially-focused regenerative medicine research projects are to benefit from nearly £8.5 million of government grant award funding. Ten of the collaborative projects will address generic challenges in the development of cell based therapies, and will lead to demonstrators with commercial applicability. Four projects will engage in the development of regenerative medicine therapeutics. The investment in the projects, part of the Technology Strategy Board (TSB) managed £21.5 million R...
Anachem Gains PCR Reagents Distributorship
Anachem Ltd has been awarded exclusive UK distribution rights for the novel range of molecular engineered reagents from KAPABiosystems Inc, (Woburn, MA USA). “Anachem’s large, enthusiastic team of specialist representatives is best served to support KAPA’s product range. We visit scientists in molecular laboratories every day and alongside liquid handling products have been advising them on PCR consumables for many years,” says Amy Jingzi Liu, Anachem Product Manager. “We have already built a...
NanoSight Wins Innovation Award
NanoSight, a leading manufacturer of nanoparticle characterisation technology has won Technology World's 2011 Business Innovation Award in the category of Energy & Environment. Sponsored by PA Consulting Group, the Awards showcase the best of British innovation. NanoSight received the accolade for its tracking system for real time monitoring of subtle changes in the characteristics of particle populations with analyses confirmed by visual validation. Jeremy Warren, CEO of NanoSight, commented:...
GSK Oncology Scholarship Scientist Selected
Melania Capasso, from the Centre for Cancer & Inflammation, Barts Cancer Institute, Queen Mary University of London, was recently announced as the winner of GSK’s first UK Oncology CASE (Collaborative Award in Science and Engineering) PhD Scholarship. Her proposal ‘Investigating the voltage-gated proton channel HVCN1 as a target for lymphoma treatment’, which will commence in October 2012, was one of 74 submissions received from high profile researchers and institutions UK-wide. The level of in...
Cambridge Bioscience Selected as Agents for NanoInk
NanoInk’s® NanoFabrication Systems Division has reached an agreement with Cambridge Bioscience to act as exclusive distributor in the United Kingdom and Ireland for desktop equipment including the NLP 2000 nanofabrication System and the DPN 5000 nanopatterning System. ‘‘Cambridge Bioscience has already established strong relationships within NanoInk’s target customer base in the United Kingdom and Ireland. Its sales and marketing team has the background required to understand the scientific mar...
Shire Receives techMARK Accolade
Shire plc, a global specialty biopharmaceutical business was named “Company of the Year” at the techMARK Awards 2011. Organised by the London Stock Exchange, with lead sponsorship by PwC, the techMark Awards recognise businesses that “have outstanding long term growth potential, with a sound strategy in place to ensure successful delivery of its commercial advantages and to build shareholder value”. Angus Russell, Chief Executive Officer of Shire, said: “The receipt of the techMARK Company of...
Joint UK-Norwegian Support for Industrial Biotechnology Sector
The British and Norwegian governments are to work together to support nine new research and development projects that will create innovative processes to generate high-value chemicals through industrial biotechnology and bio-refining. The Technology Strategy Board (TSB) has offered grant funding totalling £1.82cmillion to the nine UK-led projects and four of these will also be supported by Innovation Norway, which is providing additional funding of £400,000 to the Norwegian businesses that are...
Boiswood Named as Distributor for SSP
US manufacturer SSP has appointed Boiswood as the UK distributor for its instrumentation valves and fittings. The move represents an ambitious target to capture a substantial share of the UK market. The range includes products made from stainless steel, nickel alloy and speciality materials such as Monel or Hastelloy. Sectors served include oil and gas, power generation, aerospace, chemical engineering, pharmaceuticals and semiconductor manufacturing as well as alternative fuels and LNG vehicles...
Oxoid Award Presented to Mature Student
Thermo Fisher Scientific recently announced that the Winner of the 2011 Oxoid Award for Excellence for the best performance on a BSc (Hons) Applied Biomedical Science degreecourse at the University of Portsmouth, was Mrs Gailyn White. “We are delighted that, on recommendation from the University board, Gailyn has received this Award”, said Myra Wilkinson, Course Leader at the University of Portsmouth. “She is a mature student, who has consistently produced work at a high standard and achieved...
Evocutis validates LabSkin model
Evocutis, the biotechnology firm, has completed R&D and validation of its full thickness skin model for use in supporting anti-ageing claims. The company, which analyses and evaluates skincare products for the health and cosmetic markets, said the model – LabSkin – would provide the cosmetics industry with valuable data for assessing trial endpoints when testing the activity of their ingredients and products. Because the data can be obtained prior to expensive human use studies, the model signif...
Dates Announced for WWEM 2012
WWEM 2012, the 5th in a series of highly successful Water, Wastewater and Environmental Monitoring events will return to the Telford International Centre on 7th and 8th November 2012. Organised in conjunction with the Environment Agency and the Water Monitoring Association (WMA), WWEM 2012 will be an essential diary date for anyone with a professional interest in testing or monitoring water quality, level or flow. Exhibitors are already fighting for the best spots and a comprehensive conference...
Risk factors increase likelihood of CVD event
Middle aged adults that have one or more elevated traditional risk factors for cardiovascular disease(CVD) have a significantly more chance of having a CVD event such as a heart attack or stroke, it has been found by the Cardiovascular Lifetime Risk Pooling Project. The project, one of the largest-ever analyses, was supported by the National Institute for Health and analysed data from 250,000 people involving 18 population-based studies. It is the first of its kind to look simultaneously at age,...
AB Sciex Acquires Labindia’s Mass Spectrometry Division to Broaden Presence in India
AB Sciex has announced that it has acquired the mass spectrometry business of Labindia Instruments Pvt Ltd, a leading life science solutions service provider in India. This acquisition represents AB Sciex’s increasing investment in India, combining its global resources, world-class scientific expertise and product development leadership with wellestablished, local expertise and on-site support to advance science and respond to the growing needs of India’s scientific community. Labindia’s mass sp...
Schott and Xinkang Agree on Joint Venture in China
German technology group Schott and the Chinese company Zhejiang Xinkang Pharmaceutical Glass Co, Ltd have signed an agreement to establish a pharmaceutical packaging joint venture in China. Schott will own the majority of shares of the new company that will supply the fast-growing Chinese pharmaceutical market with high-quality pharmaceutical packaging products made of glass. The closing of the joint venture is subject to customary closing conditions. “With the formation of this joint venture...
Leica Microsystems Acquires Labindia’s Microscopy and Histopathology Divisions
Leica Microsystems, a leading provider of microscopy systems and total histology solutions, recently announced that it has acquired the microscopy and histopathology business of Labindia Instruments Pvt Ltd, a leading solutions and service provider in India. This transition comes after more than 20 years during which Labindia has successfully distributed Leica’s products in India. Over 130 associates from Labindia have transferred to Leica Microsystems to sustain continuity for existing custo...
Fourth Tecan Symposium Enjoys Chinese Success
Tecan recently hosted the fourth annual Tecan Symposium, welcoming leading genomics, proteomics and biobanking experts from around the globe to discuss this year’s topic; Translational Medicine: From bench to bedside and back. Held outside of Europe for the first time, the 2011 Tecan Symposium was in Shanghai, China, reflecting Tecan’s strong commitment to the Asian market and the growing importance of China as a major centre for genomics and clinical research. The two-day event was divided into...
Colour Measurement Expansion in Asia
Lovibond Tintometer, innovators in colour measurement, has expanded its activities in Asia by opening a dedicated office to service the region. The new facilities, situated in the China Life Tower in Beijing, will provide invaluable support in driving the Lovibond® business and marketing activities in the region. Ms Sunny Yuan has also joined the company to continue and develop the close working relationships with the current Lovibond® Reseller infrastructure. Having local representation ensures...
The Place to be in 2012
For any company who is looking to grow their business in the Far East especially in Indonesia then InaPharm or InaChem is the place to be in July 2012. The premier B2B trade fair dedicated to the pharmaceutical industry in Indonesia, InaPharm is a three day industry event running alongside the 2nd edition of InaChem - the Indonesia International Chemical Exhibition and Chemical Engineering Conference. InaChem is the largest chemical industry event in Indonesia and focuses on a diverse range of c...
Hellma Celebrates 10 Year Anniversary of Asia Pacific Headquarters in Singapore
Hellma GmbH, a pioneer in the manufacturing of quartz and glass optical components for scientific analysis has been supplying high precision optics to renowned analytical instrument manufacturers as well as scientists in the area of spectrophotometry since 1922. This year commemorates the 10th anniversary of its Asia Pacific headquarter office in Singapore, which was set up in 2001 to strengthen Hellma’s presence in Asia Pacific. This operation supports Hellma’s clients and OEM partners in the...
New molecule responsible for atherosclerosis
A new molecule called netrin-1 has been found to block the normal migration of macrophages out of arteries, which causes immune cells to accumulate and promote the progression of atherosclerosis. Researchers at New York University revealed why cholesterol-laden, coronary artery disease-causing cells called macrophages, accumulate in artery plaques. Netrin-1 is a molecule created by the accumulation of macrophages in plaques. Heart attacks and strokes caused by artery plaques that break off and...
Brain cell malfunction in schizophrenia discovered
Scientists at the Scripps Research Institute have discovered that DNA stays too tightly wound in certain brain cells of schizophrenic subjects. The research adds to a developing recognition that cellular-level changes not tied to genetic defects play important roles in causing disease, in what is being called a promising new field in epigenetic research. The findings suggest that drugs already in development for other diseases might eventually offer hope as a treatment for schizophrenia and rela...
Sildenafil found to alleviate heart problems
Sildenafil, the active ingredient in Viagra, can alleviate heart problems, it has been revealed in a recent report by Bochum's researchers. The drug has been found to activate an enzyme that causes the giant protein titin in the myocardial cells to relax, making stiffened cardiac walls more elastic again. The study, in cooperation with scientists from the Mayo Clinic in Rochester US, examined dogs that suffered from diastolic heart failure, a condition in which the heart chamber does not suffici...
Olive oil and fish can help prevent acute pancreatitis
Researchers at the University of Granada have found that Mediterranean diet ingredients can help prevent acute pancreatitis, in a first study of its kind. Oleic acid and hydroxytyrosol, present in a particularly high concentration in virgin olive oil and n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids found in fish, affect the cellular mechanisms involved in the development of acute pancreatitis. An in vitro experimental model was developed, which allows scientists to evaluate how changes in the membrane fatty...
Could cod liver oil help combat tuberculosis?
Cod liver oil was revealed to be an effective treatment for tuberculosis (TB) in a historical study from 1848, with modern scientists claiming the report may still have prevalence today. The study, conducted at the Hospital for Consumption, Chelsea (now the Royal Brompton Hospital), tested over 500 patients using standard treatment and cod liver oil, and a similar amount of control patients receiving the standard treatment alone. The results showed that improvement rates were similar, but the di...
Oxford Instruments Makes Award at UCL
Oxford Instruments has announced that Adnan Mehonic is the recipient of its first Oxford Instruments Plasma Technology award for the Best MSc Project in Nanotechnology at UCL, entitled 'Current transport studies of silicon nanoclusters'. The project, supervised by Dr Tony Kenyon, investigated metal-oxide-semiconductor (MOS) devices containing silicon nanoclusters doped with erbium ions, and analysed and discussed the conduction mechanism whose understanding is essential for further development...
Immediate ART is beneficial
Immediate antiretroviral therapy (ART) is preferable in people recently diagnosed with HIV to deferring treatment, a study has found. According to a new study published in The Journal of Infectious Diseases, while scientists have been unable to prove the benefits of ART during early HIV-1 infection, earlier initiative is clearly favourable. The research involved 130 men and non-pregnant women with HIV-1, who had not previously received ART. One group had immediate treatment while the other gro...
Designs for World-Leading Research Centre Submitted
Plans for a world-leading research and technology centre for Glasgow are a step closer after being submitted to the Council'splanning department. The £89 million Technology and Innovation Centre at Strathclyde (TIC) will bring together 850 academics, researchers and projectmanagers from the University and its industrial partners to find solutions to challenges which are central to international impact and economic growth. Professor Jim McDonald, Principal of the University, said: "The Technology...
Synergy Health Hires Specialist Business Manager
Synergy Health, a leading provider of specialist outsourced services to healthcare providers, has appointed Steve Poynter as Business Development Manager. The new role is part of the company’s growth strategy and is in response to increased demand for its services. Poynter’s extensive health experience will be put to good use helping the NHS to maximise limited resources while improving quality and safety, said the company. Recent successful partnerships based on this model include University...
Reaching for the Red Planet: UK Space Agency Announces £1.6million for Mars Exploration
The UK Space Agency is making £1.6million available in support of projects to further explore our neighbouring planet Mars and keep the UK at the forefront of ESA’s Aurora Programme a European long-term plan for the robotic and human exploration of the solar system. The new funding will support projects to better understand the past and present environment and geophysics of Mars, characterise the biological environment of the planet and search for traces of past and present life. The Aurora pr...
Food and Biofuels Facilty Opens for Business
The doors opened on a new £25 million research facility for biofuels, brewing science and food and drink processing at The University of Nottingham in October, with aims to advance innovative and sustainable solutions for the benefit of industry. The Bioenergy and Brewing Science Building on the University’s Sutton Bonington Campus will feature a new state of the art microbrewery – small in comparison with SABMiller’s new £2million pilot plant which is also housed in the building – but the bigg...
Scientists confident Alzheimer's could be predicted 'years in advance'
Alzheimer's disease is preceded by a molecular signature that has been detected through simple biochemical assay procedure, researchers have suggested. Scientists working in laboratories at the VTT Technical Research Centre, Finland, believe the test could be carried out months or years before the first symptoms of the disease become apparent. The molecular signature is indicative of the pentose phosphate pathway being associated with the progression to Alzheimer's beyond mild cognitive impair...
Scientists seek TB rapid test
Scientists from the National University of Singapore (NUS), Singapore Lipidomics Incubator (SLING) and the Foundation for Innovative New Diagnostics (FIND) are collaborating to look for new biomarkers. The teams will be looking for novel molecules that will act as a tool for the detection of active tuberculosis (TB), with an aim to then introduce them into a diagnostic test. While scientists have been looking for diagnostic tests for several years, the World Health Organization (WHO) has claim...
Technology and Innovation Centre Opens
One of the first of at least six new Technology and Innovation Centres announced recently by the UK Technology Strategy Board (TSB) and due for completion by April 2013, has been established, with aims to attract investment in high value manufacturing (HVM). The TSB will invest £140 million in the centre over the next six years in an effort to encourage inward investment for new and established manufacturing businesses. The centre will use expertise and facilities from seven established manufac...
Bringing Science Back to Science Parks
Despite continuing depressed economic conditions impacting on regional growth, there are a huge number of success stories across the Science and Technology sector where start-ups and SME’s have been able to take advantage of development grants and support from UKTI and the private sector. The success of Science Parks in attracting companies over the last decade has varied considerably and remains highly competitive with contrasting outcomes. Agenda 1 is a thriving Bradford-based analytical servi...
Characterising Renewable Building Materials
A Model 440 CHN Analyser from Exeter Analytical is being used by the Environmental Research Group (ERG) at the University of East London) to help characterise renewablebuilding materials. With over 23,000 students from 120 countries worldwide, the University of East London (UEL) is located at the heart of Europe's largest regeneration area. Withinthe University's Sustainability Research Institute, the Environmental Research Group (ERG) embraces research across a wide range of environmental i...
Space Firm Develops Interplanetary Internet
UK company Surrey Satellite Technology is working with internet founder Vint Cerf to establish a revolutionary interplanetary internet which will speed up the transmission of data through space and help scientists explore stars 30 trillion miles away. Terrestrial internet is beamed into space to control unmanned craft,including 14 satellites currently orbiting theearth. The connection only lasts until a spacecraft leaves the earth’s orbit, but developers hope that the new interplanetarysystem...