Top Clinical News Stories This Month

18 Feb 2015
Sonia Nicholas
Managing Editor and Clinical Lead

Editorial article

Read the most popular clinical diagnostic news stories published this month. Articles include a new test for bowel cancer, advances in the search for a liquid biopsy, a smartphone fingerprick test for infectious disease markers, and details of the largest medical laboratory conference in Singapore.

New €25 Blood Test is a Breakthrough in the Diagnosis of Bowel Cancer

Irish scientists are developing a new €25 ($28) blood test for bowel cancer, which could save thousands of lives by spotting the disease at the earliest possible opportunity. The simple check will pick up on antibodies in the blood, produced as the body reacts to the onset of bowel cancer.
Read full article

EKF Molecular Diagnostics Collaborates with ANGLE for Liquid Biopsy Development Using Parsortix and PointMan Technologies

EKF Molecular Diagnostics has agreed a collaboration with specialist medtech company, ANGLE plc, to investigate the combination of ANGLE’s Parsortix circulating tumor cell (CTC) harvesting platform with EKF Molecular’s PointMan™ DNA enrichment technology as a liquid biopsy.
Read full article

Smartphone, Finger Prick, 15 Minutes, Diagnosis - Done!

A team of researchers, led by Samuel K. Sia, Associate Professor of biomedical engineering at Columbia Engineering, has developed a low-cost smartphone accessory that can perform a point-of-care test that simultaneously detects three infectious disease markers from a finger prick of blood in just 15 minutes.
Read full article

Sheffield NHS Lab Discusses Move to CytoSure™ Arrays

Oxford Gene Technology (OGT), The Molecular Genetics Company, explores how Sheffield Children's NHS Foundation Trust, UK, has seamlessly transferred to its CytoSure™ ISCA 8x60k platform, in a new case study entitled Evaluating and Switching to CytoSure Microarrays.
Read full article

MEDLAB Asia Pacific Returns to Singapore in March 2015
MEDLAB Asia Pacific is the largest medical laboratory conference and exhibition in Singapore. It is a platform for all healthcare professionals working within the medical laboratory sector, and will enable them to witness and share the latest innovations and technology available in the IVD and medical laboratory market.
Read full article

Links

Tags

Blood TransfusionBlood Transfusion involves giving donor blood to a recipient patient. Screening is essential to avoid transfusion reactions. Blood banks use immunohematological techniques to determine rh and ABO blood group, and screen for antibodies using specific antisera. Blood Banks use Direct Coombs Tests (DCT) and Indirect Coombs Tests (IAT) to detect hemolysis and Haemolytic Disease of the Newborn (HDN).HematologyIn Haematology / Hematology, complete blood cell counts (or full blood counts) are obtained using automated blood count analyzers to enumerate blood cell types.  Hematology also encompasses haemostasis and coagulation, thrombophilia and hemophilia, plasma viscosity and ESR analysis, hemoglobinopathies, cell morphology and haematinic measurement.ImmunologyImmunological techniques measure and characterize immune responses. Immunology kits and analysis systems often use techniques such as ELISA, radioimmunoassay (RIA) and immunodiffusion assays, Immunohistochemistry, and flow cytometry. Immunologists use equipment such as flow Cytometers, plate readers, plate washers and fluorescent microscopes.Cellular PathologyCellular Pathology deals with the microscopic analysis of tissue samples and cells. Sample preparation and processing includes fixation, staining, sectioning and slide mounting, using equipment such microtomes and cryostats. In choosing immunohistochemistry and immunocytochemistry kits, consider chromogens, staining method, antibodies, microscopes and imaging.Point-of-CarePoint-of-Care Testing (POCT) or Near Patient Testing (NPT) products are available for urine, blood and other clinical chemistry analyses. POCT includes: blood glucose testing, blood gas and electrolytes analysis, rapid coagulation testing (PT / INR), rapid cardiac markers diagnostics, drugs of abuse screening, urine strips testing, pregnancy testing, fecal occult blood analysis, food pathogens screening, hemoglobin diagnostics, infectious disease testing and cholesterol screening.Clinical ChemistryBiochemistry (or clinical chemistry) involves the analysis of bodily fluids using chemical tests. Techniques used include HPLC, chromatography, spectroscopy, mass spectrometry, immunochemical, electrophoresis, turbidometric / spectrophotometric assay, MRI and ISE analysis. Tests are often carried out on plasma or serum but urine (urinalysis) and fecal specimens are also processed.Clinical GeneticsMolecular Genetics covers the analysis of hereditary genetic disease and chromosomal abnormalities. Genetics can be analysed using DNA, RNA, and protein microarrays, PCR, RT PCR and DNA sequencing. Genetic equipment includes genetic workstations, thermal cyclers, cooling blocks and electrophoresis products. Diagnostic kits are used for DNA / RNA extraction and purification.Clinical MicrobiologyMicrobiology is the study of microorganisms including protists, prokaryotes, fungi, and, often, viruses. Microorganisms are a useful research tool as genetic vectors and, in immunology, for antibiotic susceptibility testing, cellular biology and genetics. Microorganisms commonly grow readily in incubators with microbial culture media; this can contain chromogenic supplements to differentiate between cell lines. Estimate your culture’s density of microorganisms with colony counters, or screen and select colonies for desirable clones with automated colony pickers. Additionally, equipment is available to monitor environments for the presence of microbes and identify with microbial identification instruments. Find the best microbiology products in our peer-reviewed product directory: compare products, check customer reviews and receive pricing direct from manufacturers.In Vitro DiagnosticsIn vitro diagnostics (IVD) involve testing samples outside the body, typically in a laboratory, to diagnose diseases or conditions. IVD technologies include blood tests, molecular assays, and other bodily fluid tests, enabling accurate diagnosis and monitoring of diseases. These tests are essential for guiding treatment decisions in clinical settings. Browse our peer-reviewed product directory to find the best IVD solutions; compare products, check reviews, and get pricing directly from manufacturers.