Abstract
Adept Technology
White Paper: Automation in the Photovoltaic Industry
A new white paper from Adept Technology addresses the use of industrial robots with image processing in the photovoltaic industry.
For more information, visit www.curetoncommunications.com, e-mail
Air Science USA
Mobile EDU Ductless Fume Hood
The Mobile EDU is totally self-contained, provides all around visibility, and is easily moved from lab to lab. The ductless design allows easy installation, and the base is mounted on large heavy-duty wheels for ease of transport. The height is 77.5 in., so it can easily pass through a standard door. The multilayered EDU filter has 99.9% filtration efficiency for chemicals normally found in a typical academic chemistry curriculum.
For more information, visit www.air-science.com.
Artel
Pipette Quality Management System
According to ARTEL, its new Pipette Quality Management System is designed to help laboratories easily transit to a robust, in-house pipette calibration process for greater control over data quality. As part of the Pipette Quality Management System, ARTEL installs and validates the ARTEL PCS Pipette Calibration System to seamlessly and rapidly integrate it into existing laboratory operations. ARTEL also trains laboratory staff on using the PCS and its pipette quality management software to ensure optimal execution of liquid-handling quality assurance programs.
For more information, visit www.artel-usa.com.
Asynt
PTFE Reaction Vessel Lids
Asynt's new PTFE reaction vessel lids are a direct replacement for the standard glass item. Screw-in ports in a range of sizes replace the conventional glass taper joints that are prone to seizure and vulnerable to breakage, particularly when heavy probes such as FTIR are in use. The mechanical properties of PTFE allow the lid to be made with a lower profile, which combined with a built-in stirrer guide significantly reduces the height of the reaction station for better accessibility and safety. PTFE has better thermal insulation properties than glass, reducing condensation on the lid and making processes like distillation more efficient.
Asynt also offers custom design and manufacture of laboratory equipment from traceable pure or glass-filled PTFE materials.
For more information, visit www.asynt.com, e-mail
Beckman Coulter
Agencourt DNAdvance System
According to Beckman Coulter, this new extraction kit for DNA isolation and purification from mammalian tissue samples delivers a combination of recovery, yield, and purity not available with any other kit on the market today. It incorporates solid-phase reversible immobilization paramagnetic bead–based nucleic acid purification technology. The Agencourt DNAdvance chemistry is automated on the Beckman Coulter Biomek NXP and FXP Laboratory Automation Workstations to process three 96-well plates in about 75 min without the use of organic solvents, vacuum filtration, or centrifugation. Full walkaway automation can be easily achieved with a PlateStak Automated microplate handler that enables continuous throughput. The Rutgers University Bionomics Research and Technology Center is a beta site for this new extraction system, and reports seeing a higher success rate for extractions with Agencourt DNAdvance, and that the bead-based technology delivers more consistent results.
For more information, visit www.beckmancoulter.com.
PARADIGM Detection Platform Cartridges
Four new detection cartridges are now available for the modular PARADIGM configurable and upgradeable multimode reader. The new cartridges increase the total number of interchangeable detection choices to 14, extending platform utility and return on investment. The new options include two additional luminescence detection cartridges optimized for 96- and 384-well plate formats, a new detection cartridge for BRET2 (Bioluminescence Resonance Energy Transfer) live cell assays and a Rhodamine fluorescence cartridge for a selection of cyanine dyes.
Two of the four new detection cartridges expand the PARADIGM's Glow Luminescence line with offerings specially designed for 96- and 384-well applications. These complement the existing Glow Luminescence Detection Cartridge optimized for the 1536-well plate format. The unique well-isolating design of each cartridge is optimized for a specific plate format to provide increased sensitivity with reduced cross talk.
The new Dual Luminescence Detection Cartridge is optimized for use with BRET2 live cell assays and includes predefined protocols and data analysis tools. This cartridge is considered ideal for the study of protein–protein interactions.
The new Fluorescence Intensity Detection Cartridge delivers speed and high sensitivity in applications using Cy3 and equivalent Rhodamine fluorescent labels. This new cartridge expands Beckman Coulter's detection menu for Fluorescence Resonance Energy Transfer assays by reading Cy3 paired with Cy5 or Cy5.5 dyes, which are commonly used in genomics and proteomics research.
PARADIGM cartridges can be interchanged in less than 5 min, without hardware changes, to meet different assay needs.
For more information, visit www.beckmancoulter.com.
BioCision
CoolSystem
BioCision's new line of portable tube and plate thermoconductive cooling and heating modules ensures that samples are kept organized at precise temperatures all day. According to BioCision, organization of dozens of samples with its CoolSystem allows users to protect and find tubes quickly. The ThermalTray provides a stable, temperature-constant platform for a variety of tube and plate modules that never sink into the ice or water bath. It eliminates floating, lost, or contaminated sample tubes. CoolSystem works with any temperature media, including ice, dry ice, water baths, heat plates, and liquid nitrogen.
For more information, visit www.biocision.com, e-mail
BioTek
EL406 Microplate Washer Dispenser
According to BioTek, its new EL406 Microplate Washer Dispenser defines a new category of combination microplate washer dispensers, and is the only instrument on the market to offer fast and full microplate washing along with both peristaltic and microprocessor-controlled syringe drive reagent dispenser technologies to optimize liquid-handling processes in microplate format, including complex wash routines. By combining washing and dispensing technologies in one compact unit, users save space as well as the expense of multiple dedicated instruments.
For more information, visit www.biotek.com, or e-mail
BioStack Microplate Stacker with Rotational Wrist
The new BioStack Microplate Stacker with Rotational Wrist is designed for enhanced flexibility, customizable automation, and broad compatibility in microplate-based applications. The BioStack's integrated rotational wrist accommodates instrument carriers with both landscape and portrait orientations, allowing unimpaired access to the keypad and display. This feature provides greater compatibility with BioTek microplate washers, dispensers, pipetting systems, and detection systems as well as third-party microplate instruments.
For more information, visit www.biotek.com, or e-mail
Brinkmann Instruments
Technical Bulletin: Thermal performance of a Controlled Laboratory Reactor
A new technical bulletin describes how the thermal performance of a controlled laboratory reactor is measured by performing a series of experiments and obtaining overall heat transfer coefficients. According to Brinkmann, knowledge of the heat transfer coefficients of reactors can provide important information relating to the thermodynamics of a reaction and estimation of the overall reaction power and enthalpy. This new technical bulletin details how these heat transfer coefficients have been calculated for Lara reactors and includes original experimental data and suggested reference reading material.
For more information, visit www.brinkmann.com.
Cool-It Insulated Bowls
In conjunction with a stirring hotplate and freezing mixture, Cool-It Insulated Bowls provide cooling to −70°C for round bottom flasks. Designed to fit on a standard stirring hotplate, a choice of two compact Cool-It Insulated Bowls are available for flasks from 10 mL to 2 L.
Manufactured with a robust, virtually unbreakable, chemically resistant HPDE outer, Cool-It Bowls are compatible with a wide range of freezing mixtures. An insulated foam core maintains low temperatures for long periods, protects users from contact with freezing mixtures, and reduces condensation and ice formation on outer surfaces. To prolong the duration of cooling, Cool-It Bowls come with special lids that reduce the risk of solvent spitting or accidental spilling of reactive reagents into the freezing mixture, and a unique nondrip pouring spout that allows freezing mixtures to be simply and safely drained. An integral handle further increases the ease and safety of draining the freezing mixture postreaction.
For more information, visit www.brinkmann.com.
CyBio
CyBi-TipTrays
Customized racked CyBi-TipTrays enable users of CyBi-Well pipetting systems to exclude any number of tips individually from the pipetting process. The arrangement of these tips can be chosen freely to realize even exceptional pipetting patterns. PCR and Sterile CyBi-TipsTrays are now available for all purity specifications for the use with bacteria and cell cultures as well as nucleic acids.
For more information, visit www.cybio-ag.com, or e-mail
Denator
Stabilizor T1
Stabilizor T1 is Denator's first commercially available system for instant stabilization of tissue samples. According to Denator, rapid degradation of proteins and peptides in ex vivo samples is a well-known problem facing scientists trying to establish proteomic and peptidomic profiles in normal or diseased states. The smallest changes upstream can significantly influence results downstream, and degradation begins within seconds of a tissue being sampled. As a consequence, vital information about the original biological state may be destroyed or distorted, leading to intersample variation and the risk of incorrect data interpretation.
Stabilizor T1, based on Denator's heat inactivation technology, enables stabilization of tissue at the crucial moment of sampling. By stopping degradation instantly and permanently, scientists can now determine the original biological state of every sample, improve data interpretation, and discover novel proteins and peptides that would normally go undetected.
For more information, visit www.denator.com.
Dune Sciences
Smart Grids
Dune Sciences announces its technology for producing TEM Grids that enable the most comprehensive understanding of structural, chemical, and functional characteristics at the nanoscale for applications including metrology, nanomaterials, pharmaceuticals, life sciences, semiconductor processing, QC, and failure analysis. According to Dune Sciences, Smart Grids are a cross-disciplinary tool that integrates the combined capabilities of electron microscopy, surface science, and electronic and optical interrogation in a single sample.
Smart Grids are produced from thin silicon wafers with thermally grown SiO2 membrane windows. Their surface chemistry and functionalization are tailored to accommodate a wide range of material samples. These patent pending grids are available in several standard configurations. Customized geometries and surface chemistries are also available.
For more information, visit www.dunesciences.com, e-mail
ESA Biosciences
Handbook on Oxidative Metabolism
The latest version of the Handbook on Oxidative Metabolism is now available on compact disk free of charge from ESA Biosciences. The handbook provides a 500-page reference source showing the beneficial use of electrochemical detection (ECD) in the study of prooxidant production, macromolecular damage, and antioxidant protection.
The Handbook of Oxidative Metabolism provides an introduction to the topic, the chemistry of reactive species, damage and repair of the body's defensive mechanisms, how the negative effects of oxidative stress can be prevented, and the consequences when the body's natural defenses fail. Where appropriate, the guide outlines HPLC–ECD-based methods and provides references to published literature that describe analytical methodology relevant to measuring the effect of reactive species. In addition, a wide-ranging bibliography of articles details the many diseases associated with pro-oxidant production.
For more information, e-mail
Technical Poster: Measurement of Low Nanogram Levels of Organic Impurities in APIs
A new technical poster describes how ESA BiosciencesCorona–Charged Aerosol Detector (CAD) enables the routine measurement of low nanogram levels of organic impurities in active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs).
In this study, the Corona CAD was tested for its ability to quantitate organic impurities (0.05–10% level) in a series of APIs. The isocratic HPLC method used in the study reproducibly and accurately measured nonchromophore and chromophore-containing impurities down to the 0.005% level independent of chemical structure. The method also showed excellent precision (RSD < 2.5%) for a nebulization technique and offered a dynamic detection range from micrograms to nanograms.
For more information, visit www.esainc.com/resources/presentations.
FEI Company
Magellan Family of XHR SEMs
The Magellan Family of extreme high-resolution scanning electron microscopes (XHR SEMs) is designed to allow scientists and engineers to quickly see things they could not see before, such as 3D surface images at many different angles and at resolutions below 1 nm (about the size of 10 hydrogen atoms, side by side). Most importantly, the Magellan XHR SEM images samples at very low-beam energies, avoiding distortions otherwise caused by the beam penetrating into the material below.
The Magellan Family includes the Magellan 400, which is optimized for scientific research, whereas the Magellan 400L is optimized for semiconductor labs. The semiconductor lab model comes with a load-lock feature that speeds-up sample throughput, and includes a retractable solid-state backscatter electron detector and S2 compliance kit. Both models have an optional, full environmental enclosure to isolate the instrument from thermal and acoustic interferences, ensuring peak performance while relaxing site requirements and facility preparation costs.
For more information, visit www.fei.com.
Titan 80–300 ETEM
According to FEI Company, its new Titan 80–300 environmental transmission electron microscope (ETEM) is the premier solution for chemical research at the atomic scale. Its ability to image samples in controlled gaseous environments allows scientists to investigate the fundamental atomic mechanisms of gas–solid reactions, such as carbon nanotube growth, crystal nucleation and growth, heterogeneous catalysis, and many other economically significant processes.
At the core of Titan ETEM's capabilities is its ability to deliver high-resolution imaging with gas pressures in the sample chamber as high as a few percent of atmospheric pressure. A gas controller permits precise control of composition as well as pressure. Heating and cooling holders provide control over a range of temperatures. The ability to select electron beam voltages anywhere between 80 and 300 kV accommodates a wide range of material and imaging conditions.
For more information, visit www.fei.com.
Ultimate Throughput and Ultimate Imaging Connectivity Solutions
By accelerating and improving the quality of preparation, imaging, and analysis of the ultra-thin samples required for transmission electron microscopy (TEM), FEI says its Connectivity Solutions can reduce “wafers-to-atoms” time from days to hours. The FEI Connectivity Solutions improve the efficiency and quality of sample preparation by linking the operations of preparation, lift-out, transfer, loading, and imaging/analysis tools.
The Ultimate Imaging solution includes the Helios NanoLab 400S DualBeam system for sample preparation and thinning, the MultiLoader tool for tweezer-less transfer and loading of mounted samples, and the Titan3 TEM for sub-Angstrom imaging and analysis. The Ultimate Throughput solution includes the CLM-3D full wafer DualBeam system for reliable, repeatable, programmed TEM sample preparation; the TEMLink 150 ex-situ extraction tool for automated sample lift-out; and the MultiLoader tool and Cartridge Transfer Station for sample staging, transfer, and loading to a TEM (for imaging and analysis) or to the Helios NanoLab 400S (for additional thinning). Both solutions use versions of the FEI AutoTEM software for precision in the location and preparation of the samples.
For more information, visit www.fei.com.
X-FEG Electron Source for Titan S/TEMs
According to FEI, its new extreme field emission gun (X-FEG) electron source module for the Titan family of scanning transmission electron microscopes (S/TEMs) combines higher brightness–previously available only with more complex cold field emission–with the high, ultra-stable current of thermally assisted field emission. This combination is designed to provide significant improvements in resolution, speed, sensitivity and ease of use to the Titan. The X-FEG is a refinement of the Schottky thermally assisted field emission technology that FEI pioneered for electron microscopy applications.
For more information, visit www.fei.com.
MLA 600F Mineralogy Analyzer
Designed for use in the mining industry, this high-speed automated mineralogy analyzer can optimize the performance of mineral processing operations by reducing sample turnaround time from days to hours, allowing operators to increase metal recovery by responding faster and more frequently to changes in feed and waste stream mineralogy. The new system was developed in cooperation with FEI's partner, JKTech, and mining giant and automated mineralogy pioneer, Anglo Platinum.
The MLA 600F uses a scanning electron microscope equipped with a field emission gun (FEG) and multiple highspeed energy dispersive X-ray spectrometers to automatically acquire image and composition information from a large number of samples–typically polished sections of particulates from mineral processing operations and drill core, or lump materials from exploration. Specialized software from JKTech uses the data to acquire and measure characteristics such as mineral type and distribution, grain size, liberation, and association.
For more information, visit www.fei.com.
GE Healthcare
Fast Trak Training and Education
Customized training courses for improving biopharmaceutical processes are now available through GE Healthcare's Fast Trak Training and Education program. The new courses can be tailored to match specific training needs, and may be held on-site at customer facilities.
Fast Trak sessions are typically run over 2–5 days at facilities in United States, Germany, China, and India, and provide insight into many important aspects of biopharmaceutical processes. Customers can discuss specific training needs with GE Healthcare bioprocess experts and select from a wide variety of topics, including downstream processing, technology transfer, column packing, chromatography, filtration, process optimization, and scale-up. The courses are objective, not commercially oriented, and integrate theory and practice with a high ratio of instructors and instruments to trainees.
For more information, visit www.gelifesciences.com/fasttrak.
ImageMaster 2D Platinum v7.0
Version 7 of GE Healthcare's ImageMaster 2D Platinum is a software package for comprehensive visualization, exploration, and analysis of 2-D gel data, including 2-D Difference Gel Electrophoresis (DIGE). With interactive analysis modes and an improved user interface, GE says its version 7 offers significant new features for greater convenience and speed. Key features include well-established methods for all 2-D experiments, including single stain and DIGE experiments; easy import and image viewer functionality; effective spot detection and matching solutions; versatile analytical methods; user-friendly and flexible interface; adaptable visualization tools; seamless integration into laboratory workflow; and quality and data integrity.
For more information and a 14-day free trial, visit www.gelifesciences.com/imp.
DIGE Trial Pack
New protein-labeling trial kit for 2-D Fluorescence 2-D DIGE is designed for scientists new to 2-D DIGE to test the system. The DIGE Trial Pack contains 2 nmol each of the three CyDye DIGE Fluor minimal dyes Cy2, Cy3, and Cy5, sufficient to run five gels (10 protein samples plus internal standards), and a free 1 month trial license of DeCyder 2-D Differential Analysis Software, the dedicated image analysis software for the Ettan DIGE system.
For more information, visit www.gelifesciences.com/trydige.
Genevac
Application Report: Sample Preparation for MS Detection of Insulin in Blood Serum
A new application report entitled “Sample Preparation for the Detection of Synthetic Analogues of Insulin in Human Serum” discusses an improved method for the preparation of samples for the mass spectroscopic detection of synthetic insulin in blood serum. Using a miVac Duo sample concentrator, the sample preparation method is improved, reducing preparation time from several days to just 2 h and better. In addition, more consistent recoveries are obtained than when using the traditional nitrogen evaporation method.
For more information, visit www.genevac.co.uk.
VirTis VirTual Freeze Dryer
According to Genevac, its new VirTis VirTual large capacity pilot scale freeze dryer is designed for fast drying and high condenser loading applications. VirTual freeze dryers feature a large shelf surface area to footprint ratio, with a standard unit measuring just 127 cm (w) × 193 cm (h) × 99 cm (d).
Using a 50-L internal coil condenser, the productive VirTual freeze dryer can condense 20 L of water in just 24 h. Three different CFC-free refrigeration options are available, offering condenser temperatures from −53 to −90°C with low-shelf temperatures of −48 to −70°C to enable rapid freeze drying of a wide range of materials. All condensers are fitted with an integral, highly efficient hot gas defrost system to ensure fast system turnaround times. An innovative chamber isolation system enables detection of the end of drying and drying progress via pressure rise testing.
An expanded range of shelf arrangements (4–10) with shelf-latching kits allows custom configuration to meet exact processing requirements for tissue, vials, or bulk drying. Advanced control system options allow easy scale-up from clinical and small-scale batches to large-scale automated production runs, and enables compliance with industry standards. Multistep, multirecipe storage and optional PC control enhances ease of use, cycle development, historical trending, and the repeatability of results.
For more information, visit www.genevac.co.uk, e-mail
VirTis Ultra Series Freeze Dryer
VirTis Ultra Series Freeze Dryer is engineered to handle a wide range of applications from phase one research through to production of clinical trial batches. The VirTis Ultra Series offers design enhancements enabling larger batch development and processing, improved product uniformity, and easier validation of operating procedures.
Users can specify up to 2.13 m2 of useable shelf area in a footprint of just 1.13 m2. The product chamber, shelves, and smooth-walled condenser chamber are highly polished 316-L stainless steel. Up to 15 shelves can be specified, and interspacing can be simply rearranged in most models. The new CFC-free Super EL refrigeration system achieves shelf temperatures of −70°C and condenser temperatures as low as −90°C. Condenser capacity on the Ultra is available in 25, 35, or even 50 L.
For more information, visit www.genevac.co.uk, e-mail
Hemco
MicroFlow I Ductless Fume Hood
Hemco's new MicroFlow I Ductless Fume Hood is equipped with a larger, safer carbon filter; and a larger, more ergonomic workspace that is recessed to contain spillage. The 12–1b MicroFlow I is considered ideal where space is an issue, comes self-contained, and is shipped assembled and ready to use.
For more information, visit www.HEMCOcorp.com, or call +1.816.796.2900.
Innovatis
Cellavista
New from Innovatis, Cellavista is an image-based system that can be used for rapid visualization of a broad range of cellular assays, while performing image analysis simultaneously. Combining brightfield and fluorescence optic capabilities, Cellavista enables users to acquire and analyze images for a wide array of cell-based assays including but not limited to single cell cloning, cell confluence, suspension cell count, FACS seeding efficiency control, cell nuclei count and characterization, transfection efficiency, microplate quality control, viral plaque assays, fluorescent protein expression, and apoptosis assays. In as little as 5 min, Cellavista can scan a 96-well microplate with simultaneous image acquisition and analysis.
For more information, visit www.innovatis.com/cellavista; or call +800.286.1631, +49(0)7121.38786.0; or +65.6320.8371.
CuBiAn Photometric Biochemistry Analyzer
According to innovates, its new CuBiAn is a fully automated, membrane-free chemical analyzer that measures key parameters in cell-culture media, including IgG. As a proven, established technology, the automated capabilities and membrane-free technology of CuBiAn allow for robust usage and high reproducibility, with very low operating costs in calibration and maintenance. All assays are prepared, incubated, and measured by the instrument. Pipetting, sample predilution, and temperature control are all automated to provide significant assay ranges (IgG 10 μg/mL– >20 g/L).
Unique to CuBiAn technology, is its ability to detect IgG concentrations along with 11 different metabolites in a single sample and sequence. IgG is detected by immunoturbidimetry, whereas all other molecules are quantified by photometric enzyme assays. This wide measurement range allows for a nearly unlimited flexibility for new assay methods. The key parameters measured are IgG (human, humanized), glucose, lactate, ammonia, glutamine, glutamate, inorganic phosphate, LDH, total protein, and Na+, K+, Cl–. Barcode detection of samples and reagents ensure traceable analysis results. CuBiAn requires low-sample volumes, and is capable of providing 90 results per hour (and 360 results with an ISE unit).
For more information, visit www.innovatis.com, or call 800.286.1631, or +49(0)521.2997.300.
LabVantage Solutions
Webcast: Driving Decision Support with LIMS
A new 45-min Webcast offers an overview of decision support, LIMS role in decision support, LIMS-driven decision support, as well as insight into LIMS key users, key requirements, and in-practice.
For more information, visit www.labvantage.com/newsevents/events/2008/webinars.
Mettler Toledo
Micro- and Ultra Microbalances
According to Mettler Toledo, its new XP6 Microbalance, XP6U Ultra Microbalance, and XP2U Ultra Microbalance are designed to boost efficiency and reliability, and support network compatibility.
The new micro- and ultra microbalances combine excellent repeatability, higher capacity, and a short stabilization time. The XP2U and XP6U Ultra Microbalances offer unsurpassed accuracy with a readability of 0.1 μg, reducing sample weight requirements to allow significant cost savings. In addition, the XP6 and XP6U have an unparalleled capacity of up to 6 g and achieve optimum measurement performance in seconds. Comprehensive QM functions help to fulfill regulatory requirements, and even sample sizes below 1 mg meet strict process tolerances and comply with internationally used USP41 regulatory standards.
For more information, visit www.mt.com, or call +41.44.944.2211.
Calibry Pipette Calibration Software
The new Calibry 4.0 pipette calibration software is designed to offer unmatched ease of use and speed for the calibration of single- and multichannel pipettes. The new version of the software features a comprehensive and fully traceable list of 2400 pipettes from all major manufacturers, which is kept up to date with the addition of new pipettes and their tolerances.
The software's new open concept for report customization enables tailor-made reports to be easily created, and the report template can be freely defined by the operator in Microsoft Excel or Word. An intuitive new user interface optimizes usability in all steps of the pipette calibration process. Temperature and humidity readings can be automatically recorded to save time and improve data reliability using Testo's 435/635/735 series of measuring instruments—devices from other manufacturers could also be adapted.
For more information, visit www.mt.com, or call +41.44.944.2211.
Micronic
TraXis Sample Storage Coding System
According to Micronic, its new TraXis is a sample storage coding system designed to radically enhance compound traceability and retrieval.
Demanding storage requirements of research laboratories has necessitated the development of mid-scale storage systems capable of uniquely identifying individual samples. Although traditional sample storage systems are extremely accurate, human errors during manipulation and removal can cause problems. The TraXis system comprises a uniquely identified tube, a polypropylene tube rack, multipiercable resealing cap, and a range of specially designed readers and tube sorters for accurate identification and fast manipulation of the TraXis tubes.
TraXis tubes may be encrypted with up to 8.5 billion different combinations of a numerical code that provide a unique identification and radically enhanced sample storage traceability. To enhance sample identification throughput, the TraXis reader can simultaneously scan all 96 tubes in a rack without the need for any additional location or tube removal. As samples are often reformatted into a variety of plates for screening, Micronic also offer a multipiercable cap, which is hydrophobic and can be pierced at least 12 times without the risk of sample evaporation or contamination.
For more information, visit www.micronic.com or www.micronicna.com, e-mail
VolumeCheck
The VolumeCheck from Micronic is an automated system that enables precise and rapid determination of sample volume in unsealed deep- or shallow-well microplates, tube racks, and high-volume test tube racks. The VolumeCheck is available in three configurations—a standard system, a high-speed model capable of scanning a complete 96-well plate in only 1 min, and a large volume model optimized for handling test tube volume measurements above 2 mL. Using proprietary acoustic sensor technology, the VolumeCheck provides high accuracy noncontact sample volume determination, for example ±12.5 μL/well in a 2-mL-deep-well plate. Sample volume is derived from the acoustic sample measurement compared against a calibration data set generated from previously collected known sample volumes.
For more information, visit www.micronic.com or www.micronicna.com, e-mail
Millipore
OxyELISA Oxidized Protein Quantitation Kit
The new OxyELISA Oxidized Protein Quantitation kit from Millipore provides all reagents necessary for quantitative, high-throughput detection of modified proteins in cells undergoing oxidative stress. By providing a fast and sensitive assay for oxidation, the OxyELISA kit can help researchers, especially neuroscientists, to understand the mechanism of cellular aging. As a result of oxidative stress, oxygen-free radicals and other reactive species introduce carbonyl groups into proteins in the cell. The OxyELISA kit detects these carbonyl groups. The kit uses a direct-labeled monoclonal antibody that is readily detected without a secondary antibody, making the ELISA assay more specific, easier to use, and faster.
For more information, visit www.millipore.com.
Sterile Millex Syringe Filters
The 33-mm Sterile Millex family of syringe filters, which according to Millipore includes the fastest filters on the market, now includes Millipore Express PLUS (PES) membrane in 0.22 μm (GP) and 0.45 μm (HP) pore sizes to deliver faster filtration rates with low-protein–binding properties. With 20% more surface area than standard 25 mm devices, the new filters offer a higher process volume of 200 mL and a greater burst strength (150 psig), allowing for high operating pressure. Without the risk of filters bursting or clogging, researchers need not use multiple filters per sample or worry about incomplete filtration.
In addition to improving filtration throughput, Millipore says its new Millex filters also increase experimental reproducibility. Because 33-mm filters have a low hold-up volume (less than 100 μL), there is minimal sample loss during filtration. The low-protein–binding Millipore Express PLUS (PES) membrane allows maximum recovery of soluble proteins, such as serum components
typically added to cell-culture media. Preserving these additives translates into consistently intact, sterile cell-culture media, ensuring reproducible cell growth, behavior, and downstream results.
For more information, visit www.millipore.com, or call 800.548.7853 or +1.951.676.8080.
Millipore and CXR Biosciences
Cytochrome P450 Antibodies
A new panel of human and rodent cytochrome P450 (CYP450) antibodies for use in drug discovery programs is now available as part of Millipore's portfolio of discovery toxicology products. CXR Biosciences developed the antibodies and will use these new reagents in its own research services business.
For more information, visit www.millipore.com, or www.cxrbiosciences.com.
Molecular Profiles
Poster: nanoPASS for Characterization of Surface Energy of API Material
A new poster from Molecular Profiles demonstrates the ability of its nanoPASS(
This poster investigates the surface energy of three polymorphs using carbamazepine as a model compound. Samples are investigated before and immediately after size reduction by micronization, and after micronization and storage at ambient laboratory conditions for 1 month. This work highlights the application of nanoPASS as a comprehensive suite of complementary analytical techniques designed to optimize solid-state selection of APIs and proves further insight into the formulation of APIs and excipients.
In the application detailed in the poster, Carbamazepine Forms I, II, and III are prepared and confirmed by Powder X-ray Diffraction, Raman and Infrared spectroscopy. Surface free energy measurements are based on the adhesive interaction between an atomic force microscope probe and single particles of carbamazepine. Humidity is kept to a minimum (∼1% RH) and electrostatic charging is minimized before each experiment. Measurements are made in a grid pattern across the surfaces of multiple particles. Micronization is performed using a Sturtevant qualification micronizer with a grind pressure of 100 psi for 10 min.
For more information, visit www.molprofiles.co.uk or e-mail
PerkinElmer
LABWORKS waterLIMS
LABWORKS waterLIMS simplifies data management for water laboratories by providing an integrated suite of software applications, interfaces, and reports based on fundamental needs. This solution integrates with PerkinElmer's chromatography, inorganic and materials characterization instruments to build on the company's EcoAnalytix initiative to provide comprehensive application–focused solutions.
LABWORKS waterLIMS increases operational productivity by managing complicated sampling schedules, alerting the lab to hold time requirements, streamlining the collection and evaluation of data from a variety of instruments, and providing the results in both printed and electronic formats to the laboratory's customers.
Further efficiencies may be achieved by interfacing LABWORKS waterLIMS to handheld field devices, geographic information system applications, plant information systems, and environmental enforcement data management systems.
For more information, visit http://las.perkinelmer.com/waterLIMS.
Raman IdentiCheck
According to PerkinElmer, its new Raman IdentiCheck spectrometer combines the high spectral performance (3500–230 cm–1 range, 4 cm–1 resolution and high sensitivity) of a laboratory-based instrument with the convenience of a portable, handheld trigger probe system. The Raman IdentiCheck is designed to deliver unambiguous, high-quality data for use in markets requiring fast, on-site testing, such as forensics, homeland security, pharmaceutical and health-care testing, mining and on-site conservation analysis.
The system is controlled using a laptop or tablet PC equipped with a comprehensive suite of software. The PerkinElmer Spectrum software includes all data collection and sophisticated spectral processing such as baseline correction, photo-bleaching, and spectral COMPARE to make even challenging samples more straightforward to analyze and positively characterize.
For more information, visit www.perkinelmer.com/IdentiCheck.
PerkinElmer and Arnel
High-Speed Refinery Gas Analyzers
New from PerkinElmer and Arnel, models 1117 and 1317 High-Speed Refinery Gas Analyzers. Both analyzers are based on the PerkinElmer Clarus 600 Gas Chromatograph and incorporate special column sets to accommodate the use of hydrogen carrier gas to optimize throughput.
The Model 1117 High-Speed Refinery Gas Analyzer provides guaranteed analysis of helium, hydrogen, oxygen, nitrogen, CO2, CO, H2S, C1 through C5 hydrocarbons including olefins and C5=, C6+ composite in approximately 7.5 min using two thermal conductivity detectors and a flame ionization detector. The Model 1317 provides the additional capability of sampling pressurized liquids through the use of a liquid-sampling valve.
For more information, please visit www.perkinelmer.com/FastRGAs.
Porvair Sciences
Online Video: TriSeal High-Throughput Sealing Station Demonstration
A new online video by Porvair Sciences demonstrates how its TriSeal High-Throughput Sealing Station can be instructed to securely seal and store up to 100 microplates using the Scorpion stacker/loader. As the first plate is sealed inside the TriSeal, a second plate is automatically added to the turntable before the ejected sealed plate being removed by the Scorpion and returned to the sealed stack. A single interface box is used to control the stacker/loader and the TriSeal.
For more information, visit www.porvair-sciences.com/acatalog/Triseal_&_Accessories.html.
Microplates for Ultra-High-Throughput Drug Research
A new range of 1536-well microplates designed for drug research laboratories seeking to miniaturize compound storage and management, and cellular and biological assays. According to Porvair, its new 1536-well plates offer flatness of +0.07 mm that translates into a significant increase in plate tolerance and helps to eliminate mishandling problems in automated environments. Rounded edge square well design considerably reduces liquid loss on well walls and provides for better liquid recovery by automated liquid handlers. Maximum liquid capacity is just 10 μL per well.
For more information, visit www.porvair-sciences.com.
QIAGEN
Gene Expression Analysis Kits
RNA purification and messenger RNA (mRNA) quantification can be done more quickly and with less sample material using three new products by QIAGEN. The RNeasy Plus 96 Kit is the only 96-well RNA purification kit that does not require DNase digestion, even for applications particularly sensitive to minute amounts of DNA. The QuantiFast Multiplex PCR Kit is the first to integrate multiplex technology with fast-cycling capabilities, making real-time PCR and two-step RT-PCR up to two times faster to complete. The AllPrep DNA/RNA 96 Kit is the only kit that can simultaneously purify genomic DNA and total RNA from the same sample using a 96-well format, saving time by as much as 50%.
For more information, visit www.qiagen.com.
microRNA (miRNA) Assay Technologies
The two new products—miScript miRNA Mimics and miScript miRNA Inhibitors—are ready to transfect for use in gene regulation and cellular pathway analysis. According to Qiagen, by directing a protein complex to bind to specific mRNA, miRNAs act to fine-tune cellular gene expression. Aberrant expression of several miRNAs is associated with severe diseases. QIAGEN now offers standardized tools and ready-to-use technologies that simplify the analysis of miRNA function, and can be customized to individual research requirements.
miScript miRNA Mimics are synthetic RNA oligonucleotides that function like mature endogenous miRNA molecules when transfected into mammalian cells. These can be used to artificially upregulate the level of any miRNA in a cell. In contrast, miScript miRNA Inhibitors are synthetic chemically modified RNA oligonucleotides that inhibit endogenously expressed miRNAs. miRNA Inhibitors effectively lower the endogenous levels of miRNA in cells enabling loss-of-function studies.
For more information, visit www.qiagen.com.
Type-it PCR Kits
QIAGEN's new PCR-based product line Type-it is designed to make first attempts at genotyping accurate and reliable. Three kits are now available for genotyping of single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs), microsatellites, and mutations.
The Type-it Fast SNP Probe PCR Kit enables accurate SNP genotyping using 5'-nuclease assays. High-call rates are ensured, even when targeting difficult SNP loci or when using low template amounts. Time-savings of up to 40% are possible compared to conventional methods due to the significantly reduced PCR run times achieved on all cyclers with standard and rapid ramping rates.
The Type-it Microsatellite PCR Kit is a novel multiplex PCR-based kit for reliable detection of microsatellite loci in humans, animals, plants, and bacteria using any detection platform. The kit allows high-yield coamplification of all fragments without the need for time-consuming optimization of PCR parameters and can be effectively used in challenging settings such as capillary sequencers.
The Type-it Mutation Detect PCR Kit is for detection of mutations such as deletions and translocations or for preamplification of SNPs using multiplex PCR technology. Multiple mutation targets are amplified in parallel using one protocol. The kit ensures greater reliability and significant savings in time and costs.
For more information, visit www.qiagen.com.
Radleys
Storm Workstation
Used with a suitable circulator, the new Storm Workstation from Radleys can provide precise controlled heating and cooling from −65 to −200°C. When combined with the Carousel 6 Reaction Station and Tornado Overhead Stirrer, the Storm creates a powerful parallel process reactor that heats and cools, mechanically stirrers up to six round-bottomed flasks under an inert atmosphere, with built-in refluxing. The Tornado's strength also allows stirring of viscous samples or delicate solids. Storm also can be used with the full range of RadleysHeat-On Blocks from 10 mL to 5 L to perform individual heated/cooled reactions in a round-bottomed flask.
For more information, visit www.radleys.com, e-mail
Carousel 12 Plus Reaction Station
Compared to the original Carousel 12 Classic, the new Carousel 12 Plus Reaction Station heats up faster and uses over one third less energy to reach the same temperatures. The Carousel 12 Plus is designed to easily and simultaneously heat or cool, stir and reflux up to 12 samples (1–20 mL) under an inert atmosphere. In addition, it is considered by Radleys to be more flexible, easier to use, easier to clean, more resistant to chemical corrosion, and to provide enhanced reaction tube visibility.
For more information, visit www.radleys.com, e-mail
RTS Life Science
Walkaway Specialist Systems
This new, fully automated line of solutions for waste firing of pressurized metered dose and multidose dry powder inhalers includes the Walkaway Specialist pMDI (pressurized metered dose inhaler) Waste Shot Firer and the Walkaway Specialist mDPI (multidose powder inhaler) Waste Shot Firer.
According to RTS, these systems increase testing throughput by processing multiple devices in parallel. They are fitted with shot detection technology, and offer integral waste collection and filtration, allowing waste shots to be safely collected for later disposal.
The Walkaway Specialist pMDI Waste Shot Firer is designed to efficiently process batches of up to 10 inhaler devices through the waste firing process. Key capabilities of the pMDI Waste Shot Firer include ex-actuator firing, ex-valve firing, linear shaking, and inversion shaking. The pMDI system is a cradle-based unit for easy loading and can easily accommodate multiple device types.
RTS' Walkaway Specialist mDPI Waste Shot Firer incorporates a carousel design to accommodate up to 30-metered dose dry powder inhalers for waste firing. The high capacity of the mDPI Waste Shot Firer enables extended periods of unattended operation. In addition, the new system has flexible device actuation stations for device priming, providing a solution for conditioning and actuating inhaler devices.
For more information, visit www.inhaler-testing.com, or e-mail
RTS A2
The RTS A2 is a solution for small-scale automated sample storage system designed to be a reliable, flexible, and cost-effective entry point to automated sample storage and retrieval. The RTS A2 enables sample storage in a controlled temperature environment. To maximize sample integrity, this system cherry picks samples, stored in a variety of industry standard microtubes and vials, at the storage temperature.
For more information, visit www.rtslifescience.com.
Stäubli Robotics
Stericlean Robot
According to Stäubli, its new Stericlean Robot can operate in barrier isolator systems used in aseptic processes, representing a major breakthrough in efforts to automate processes within isolators to eliminate repetitive motion concerns and overcome contamination potential, inconsistency, and throughput issues that impact quality and productivity when human operators pierce aseptic spaces.
The Sterliclean Robot can withstand corrosive H2O2 used during regular sterilization processes by using complex surface coatings and full encapsulation. The technology eliminates restrictive enclosures and problems related to glove ports and heavy mechanical arms, plus other factors that undermined previous attempts at using robotics with isolator systems. Shadow areas, or surfaces on and under the device that might otherwise elude the vaporized hydrogen peroxide, can now be effectively sterilized because the robot is deliberately and methodically moved during sterilization.
For more information, visit www.staubli.com.
TX200 Heavy Payload Robot
The TX200 and TX200L are the next generations of standard and long-reach high-performance material handling robots featuring speed, rigidity, and load capacities
ranging from 100 to 130 kg and a maximum reach of 2194–2594 mm.
These new robots have six degrees of freedom, a fully enclosed structure for easy cleaning, and 12.5 m/s high-speed motion. The robots are suitable for a wide variety of industrial and clean-room applications, including material handling, palletizing, pick and place, and machine loading/unloading.
All Staubli robots come equipped with the CS8 controller for complex process control, which uses the VAL3 programming language.
For more information, visit www.staubli.com.
Specialized Imaging
Technical Report: Visualizing Nanoscale Biomedical Events
According to Specialized Imaging, a new technical report demonstrates the utility of a simultaneous framing and streak camera system in visualizing nanoscale biomedical events. The report describes research carried out by the University of Michigan using a SIM8–02 Ultra Fast Framing Camera (from Specialized Imaging) and an Optoscope SC-10 Streak Camera (from Optronis) in a single package. Using this setup, performance levels never before achieved with a dual camera system are demonstrated.
For more information, visit www.specialised-imaging.com, e-mail
Sterilin Limited
Silicone Device Catalog
Sterilin's new 30-page catalog features its range of Silicone Device products along with an extensive technical information section, which includes details on the chemical resistance of rubbers and in-depth information on silicone, from temperature ranges and gas permeability to storage and shelf life.
For more information, visit www.sterilin.co.uk, e-mail
Symyx Technologies
Research Services for Life Sciences
Symyx now offers a client-directed and collaborative research services for life sciences that allow clients to access Symyx's installed base of parallel experimentation and testing capabilities through packaged offerings for solubility studies, polymorph screening, salt selection, co-crystallization, API stability in liquid and solid formulations, excipient compatibility, organic synthesis, and process optimization.
For more information, visit www.symyx.com.
Benchtop Systems
Benchtop Systems is the first Symyx Tool developed at the company's European headquarters in Geneva, and combines powder-handling technology with the liquid-handling expertise of the Symyx Core Module.
Benchtop Systems is a self-contained, software-driven, system for automating multiple steps of experimental procedures, and can increase testing capacity by 10–100 times.
Current applications supported by Benchtop Systems include analytical sample preparation, coatings characterization, crystallization studies, excipient compatibility studies, forced degradation/stability testing, optimizing liquid formulations, powder dispensing, and solubility testing.
Benchtop Systems includes miniaturized materials preparation capabilities (dual dispensing capabilities for both liquids and powder), sample processing capabilities (heating, cooling, mixing, and filtration), and sample analysis capabilities (weights, pH, imaging)—all combined with automated instrument control, and powered by Symyx Software.
For more information, visit www.symyx.com.
Powdernium Workstation
According to Symyx, its Powdernium workstation is an automated powder dispensing system that provides unmatched levels of performance, significantly increasing productivity and saving valuable sample preparation time. At the heart of this workstation is a robotic system coupled with proven Powdernium powder dispensing technology. Combining accurate balance weighing, an advanced software algorithm, and GMP compliant dispensing heads, Powdernium technology enables laboratories to precisely dispense and record the transferred weight of a very wide range of materials from low density to free-flowing, cohesive, micronized materials and more. The technology also prevents segregation of the powder and avoids mechanical stress on the particles.
Designed to provide unmatched versatility, the Powdernium workstation enables precise, traceable, and reproducible dispensing of submilligram (0.05 mg) to gram quantities of materials into a wide range of containers including capsules, bottles, vials, tubes, microplates, reactor blocks, and crucibles. Up to 200 powders can be stored on the machine online.
For more information, visit www.symyx.com/powder.
Syrris
Custom Lab Reactor Systems
Syrris now offers custom laboratory reactor systems from 10 mL to 100 L. Designed and built to customer specification, complete systems including reactors, stirrers, circulators, RTDs, pumps, balances, sensors, etc., can be configured using virtually any manufacturer's apparatus. Manual control or total automation can be selected using the flexible and easy-to-use Atlas PC Software.
Each customized system offers a range of benefits, such as safe performance, wide reactor volume ranges (10 mL to 100 L) in glass, stainless steel, or Hastelloy, and dosing of gas, liquid, or powder, with fully automated or manual control. Additionally, the system includes high torque stirring and measurement, and can be integrated with pH and liquid control.
The custom reactor systems can also use pressurized reactions, so fully controlled hydrogenations and carbonylations can be performed. Highly flexible modular apparatus is coupled with easy-to-use software and an intuitive graphical interface that provides drag and drop icons that enables recipes to be created, edited, and run quickly and accurately. The automatic data-logging feature of the software allows responses such as temperature, stirrer speed, pH, etc, to be monitored and logged to one csv file. As a result, the new custom laboratory reactor system can provide a highly adaptable, efficient solution for any chemistry laboratory.
For more information, visit www.syrris.com.
Atlas Calorimetry System
According to Syrris, for Heat Flow Calorimetry and Power Compensatory Calorimetry measurement, this new high-performance, low-cost, and easy-to-use system, can generate power and enthalpy graphs at the click of a button. This, combined with the simple configuration of reaction temperatures, dosing quantities and alarms provide chemistry laboratories with an easy, safe, and accurate calorimetry system.
For more information, visit www.syrris.com.
The Imaging Source
LED Lighting Modules
The Imaging Source offers new series of cost-effective LED lighting modules that seamlessly integrate with The Imaging Source USB, FireWire and GigE cameras. The series features very bright LEDs; direct connections to the cameras; and parameters that can be set via the shipped software, IC Capture, and IC Imaging Control or by custom-built software.
For more information, visit http://tinyurl.com/5rd32x.
Thermo Fisher Scientific
Technical Poster: ICP-MS for Multielemental Analysis of Environmental and Geological Samples
A new technical poster from Thermo demonstrates the capability of collision of cell-based inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) to perform complete multielemental analyses of environmental and geological samples.
According to Thermo, ICP-MS is the traditionally preferred technique in routine environmental laboratories, due to its wide elemental coverage, high sensitivity, and increased speed of analysis. The use of the powerful collision cell methodology in conjunction with ICP-MS has made it possible to minimize spectroscopic interferences and improve sample throughput. Using a universal gas mixture for all analytes, the Thermo Scientific XSERIES 2 collision cell-based ICP-MS analyzer offers maximum flexibility and performance for the analysis of a variety of common environmental and geological sample matrices.
This technical poster demonstrates how the addition of methane to the nebulizer gas considerably improves sensitivity for analytes with a high ionization potential such as Be, As, and Se, which are often present at lower concentrations in environmental samples. Additionally, through the use of a segmented flow sample introduction system (FAST, Elemental Scientific Inc.), which decreases uptake and washout time, sample throughput is increased while matrix deposition on the ICP-MS interface is significantly reduced, leading to increased first-time passes during QC analyses and uninterrupted operation for a longer period.
For a free copy of the poster, visit www.thermo.com/cct-poster. To view a Webinar related to this topic, visit www.spectroscopynow.com/thermowebinars.
Stem Cell Excellence Program
Thermo's newly expanded Stem Cell Excellence portfolio now includes HyClone AdvanceSTEM reagents, kits, and stem cell lines as well as the Dharmacon Accell siRNA reagent for gene silencing and Nunc cell culture inserts for cell-based assays. These products are intended to address the needs of researchers conducting stem cell collection and preparation, expansion and differentiation, characterization and analysis, as well as storage and transport.
The AdvanceSTEM range of products serves a wide range of stem cell applications and includes HyClone AdvanceSTEM Serum Replacement to support the growth of undifferentiated embryonic stem cells with minimal or no requirement for fetal bovine serum supplementation; HyClone AdvanceSTEM Low Osmo DMEM, featuring an optimized osmolarity (osmo) approximating that of murine embryonic tissue; and HyClone AdvanceSTEM ES-Screened Fetal Bovine Serum to aid the rapid growth of ES cells while retaining their pluripotent abilities.
Other HyClone AdvanceSTEM tools include mesenchymal stem cell and amniotic epithelial stem cell expansion kits, osteogenic, adipogenic, and neural differentiation kits (developed to support human bone marrow), adipose-derived mesenchymal stem cells as well as multipotent cord blood unrestricted somatic stem cells and mesenchymal stem cells from Wharton's Jelly, and amniotic epithelial stem cells from Cellular Engineering Technologies. Murine embryonic stem cells, B6N and 129/X1 mouse ES cell lines from Primogenix are also available as vital tools for the modeling of human disease and the understanding of gene function.
The Dharmacon Accell small-interfering RNA (siRNA) product line has also been adopted for use within the Thermo Scientific Stem Cell Excellence program. The Accell siRNA enables uptake by stem cells and other difficult cell types without the use of viral or lipid-based delivery systems, which can be toxic to cells. This innovative capability greatly simplifies RNA-interference applications by eliminating the barriers associated with previous cellular delivery methods.
New products launched within the Nalgene and Nunc high-quality life-science labware product family include the Nunc cell-culture inserts. These are available for use with 24-, 12-, and 6-well multidishes and 96-microwell plates. The inserts are treated and tested for cell attachment and growth and allow researchers to culture cells in conditions that promote more natural cellular environments than ordinary tissue culture dishes and plates.
For more information, visit www.thermo.com/stemcell.
HERAcell i Series of Cell Culture CO2 Incubators
According to Thermo, combining iCAN touch-screen user interface for simplified operation with ContraCon contamination control technology, the HERAcell i Series provides a reliable, easy-to-use system for cell cultures. The ContraCon system uses a highly effective moist heat process to completely decontaminate the chamber overnight, without the need to remove components, and the HERAcell i Series is available with either noncorrosive electropolished stainless steel interiors, or with 100% pure copper antimicrobial surfaces to minimize contamination.
Operational prompts, performance feedback, and graphical displays are provided by the iCAN door-mounted touch-screen control, providing the information necessary to achieve optimal culture conditions while minimizing the risk of user error. Superior parameter recovery times are achieved via an efficient mechanical convection system and in-chamber sensors allow sample humidity recovery to be obtained five times faster than ordinary chambers. This short recovery time assures optimal growth conditions and protection against sample desiccation.
Available with a 150- or 240-L capacity chamber, the HERAcell i Series also provides a range of options and accessories, including a choice of either thermal conductivity or dual-beam IR CO2 sensors, and segmented inner doors for selective access. Users also can choose to incorporate precise oxygen control capabilities for hypoxic or hyperoxic conditions.
For more information, visit www.thermo.com/incubators.
Hypersil GOLD HPLC Columns
Hypersil GOLD columns, packed with 1.9-μm particles, are now available in two new dimensions. According to Thermo, these new additions are designed to increase productivity for users in HPLC and Fast LC analyses, and are considered ideal for rapid quantitative separations. The new Hypersil GOLD 1.9-μm Javelin HTS column takes is a shorter 10-mm column that can achieve analysis times as rapid as 8 s. It is considered ideal for fast, simple applications such as dissolution tests, reaction monitoring, and main band assays. The Javelin HTS column format uses ultra-low dead volume and direct-connect hardware to minimize dispersion.
In addition, the 1.9-μm Hypersil GOLD media is now available packed into a high-pressure column 50 mm long with a 4.6 mm internal diameter. Traditionally, a 1.9-μm column is used on ultra-high-pressure liquid chromatography (UHPLC) instruments. However, by producing less backpressure, this new wider column is attainable to users of conventional systems where pressure limits are often in the 6000 psi/400 bar region, ensuring fast
chromatography without the need for extensive instrument optimization. This column can also be used on UHPLC instruments, including the Thermo Scientific Accela High-Speed LC.
For more information, visit www.thermo.com/columns.
OXSAS Software for ARL 4460 OES
According to Thermo, it has increased the analytical capacity and flexibility of its ARL 4460 optical emission spectrometry (OES) metals analyzer with the addition of new OXSAS analytical software. Developed for primary metals producers, the ARL 4460 allows users, from routine use to metals research, to maximize productivity and produce metallurgical products of the highest quality.
The OXSAS provides simple one-click routine analysis launch as well as access to recent analyses for on-screen comparison and full traceability. It allows users to run a variety of analyses, including the development of new analytical methods and calibrations and rapid high-quality routine analyses. It features a new 32-bit software platform, a simple graphic user interface, and a triple navigation style including grids and tree views.
For more information, visit www.thermo.com/oes, e-mail
ARL SMS Version 6
To strengthen its automation software solutions, Thermo has introduced the ARL SMS version 6. On the basis of the OXSAS analytical software for Thermo Scientific OES and X-Ray Fluorescence spectrometer, the ARL SMS version 6 features a common software platform covering both the instrument and automation solution. The new graphic user interface is designed for ease of use and features common audit trail, system monitoring software, and integrated contextual help. This novel standardized system ensures that minimal training is required for users in the metals, mining, and cement industries.
For more information, visit www.thermo.com/oes or www.thermo.com/xray, e-mail
Finnpipette
Two new flagship models are now available within Thermo's Finnpipette product family. According to Thermo, its Finnpipette F1 and F2 Series products include variable- and fixed-volume single-channel models covering 0.2 μLto 10 mL for assured versatility. Multichannel models are available for both series and include 8-, 12-, and 16-channel pipettes covering 1–300 μL for even greater flexibility.
The Finnpipette F1 Series incorporates ergonomic features to prevent repetitive strain injuries. The soft handle contours to the shape of the user's hand, and the improved 120° horizontally adjustable wide-supportive finger rest allows users to relax their hands between pipetting actions. Each color-coded pipette also offers a patented soft-touch mechanism to lower tip-ejection forces. In addition, a unique triple-action pipetting hat prevents accidental volume alteration. The Finnpipette F1 Series features an antimicrobial plastic polymer grade, which offers protection against the growth of microbes and prevents sample contamination from the pipette.
For more information, visit www.thermo.com/Finnpipette.
Proteome Dynamics
Proteome Dynamics is an integrated portfolio of proteomics solutions, including reagents, sample preparation kits, and protocols, mass spectrometers and application-specific bio-software designed to work together to facilitate the identification, quantitation, and characterization of proteins. New introductions include Automated Phosphopeptide Workflow—a complete, protocol for the automated analysis of phosphopeptides; SIEVE 1.2—a major upgrade to the label-free differential analysis software used to measure and identify changes in proteins and peptides based on the comparison of LC/MS data sets; and ProSightPC 2.0—which extends the capabilities of the industry-leading top-down identification software to now support the identification and characterization of proteins from all high-mass accuracy tandem mass spectrometry experiments.
For more information, visit www.thermo.com/proteomics, e-mail
NanoDrop 1000 Spectrophotometer
According to Thermo, its new NanoDrop 1000 spectrophotometer offers unique benefits for human leukocyte antigen (HLA) typing laboratories dealing with donor tissue matching, and represents a growing trend of successful genome research tools finding their way to the clinical research setting. Specifically, the NanoDrop 1000 is used in the workflow as a replacement for traditional spectrophotometers. The NanoDrop 1000 is capable of carrying out full UV–Vis absorbance measurements with only 1 μL of undiluted sample, enabling HLA laboratories to significantly speed up analysis time. The NanoDrop 1000 has been integrated into tissue typing workflows through a validation process as set by the HLA typing community.
For more information, visit www.nanodrop.com, e-mail
Class II, Type B2 Biological Safety Cabinet
Designed for working safely with gases and volatile chemicals in cell cultures, the Thermo Scientific 1300 Series B2 total exhaust biological safety cabinet offers advanced DC motor technology, increased user safety, and sample protection from contaminants. According to Thermo, it also exceeds the highest quality and safety standard recommendations from NSF/ANSI 49 for use of volatile toxic chemical and radionuclides in cell-culture applications. The cabinets also meet the current recommendations of the National Institute for Operational Safety and Health Alert for Hazardous Drug Preparation. Available in four and five foot-wide models, the 1300 Series B2 is designed to maximize safety and improve workflow sterility while maintaining ease of use.
For more information, visit www.thermo.com/1300B2.
Thermo Fisher Scientific and Sage-N Research
SORCERER Enterprise Software
The SORCERER Enterprise software product, available from Sage-N Research, is a scalable software suite for fully automated, high-volume proteomic analyses on high-performance Linux systems, including blade servers and conventional Linux clusters. It is designed for data centers in biopharmaceutical companies and centralized laboratories that must process rapidly increasing amounts of proteomics data from mass spectrometry experiments in research areas such as cancer, stem cells, and neurodegenerative diseases.
The SORCERER Enterprise platform can be used as the main standalone data analysis system to support hundreds of proteomics researchers using a Web interface. It can also seamlessly interface with the recently introduced Windows-based Proteome Discoverer software from Thermo Fisher Scientific. High-throughput proteomics laboratories can use these two complementary products as an integrated system that allows customized back-end analytical tools and infrastructure interfaces on the SORCERER platform and a customizable front-end interactive environment on the Proteome Discoverer platform.
For more information, visit www.SageNResearch.com or www.thermo.com, e-mail
THK America
CGL15N/CGL20N Actuator
According to THK, its new CGL15N/CGL20N Actuator's is considered ideal for clean-room environments. For low-particle generation, it features a seal mechanism and a full size cover. AFE-CA grease (designed for clean rooms) is used to reduce dust. Its ball screw and LM guide are THK AP-C treated for high corrosion resistance. The incorporation of THK-caged technology results in long-term maintenance-free performance.
THK-caged technology uses a synthetic resin cage with a patented curvature that cradles each ball and separates it from the next one. The spaces between the rolling elements retain grease and act as a lubrication system. The CGL15N/CGL20N not only provides low-dust generation, but also high-speed capabilities. It is compliant with ISO 14644–1 Class 4 (equivalent to FED209D Class 10) at 2000 (mm/s).
For more information, visit www.thk.com, e-mail
SBK Ball Screw
THK's new SBK Ball Screw achieves high-speed feed rates 2.2 times faster than conventional ball screws. A recirculation structure where balls are picked up in the tangential direction and the lead-angle direction by end caps makes the SBK suitable for high-speed operation at a DN value of 130,000. The incorporation of THK-caged technology further enhances the performance of the SBK.
For more information, visit www.thk.com, e-mail
SRS5M/WM Miniature LM Guide
With the introduction of the SRS5M/WM, the benefits of caged technology are available for the first time in a miniature LM Guide. THK-caged technology uses a synthetic resin cage with a patented curvature that cradles each ball and separates it from the next one. The spaces between the rolling elements retain grease and act as a lubrication system. According to THK, the incorporation of its caged technology in this new LM Guide eliminates the need for frequent lubrication and results in long-term maintenance-free performance. The low-particle generation of this design makes the SRS5M/WM ideal for precision equipment applications including medical, semiconductor equipment, and measuring instruments.
The ultra-compact SRS5M/WM features minimal rolling resistance and four-way equal load ratings. Heights range from 6 to 6.5 mm; block widths are from 12 to 17 mm; and block lengths range from 14.2 to 19.4 mm (16.9–22.1 mm with end seal). It is dimensionally interchangeable with THK's RSR5 LM Guide.
For more information, visit www.thk.com, e-mail
Light LM Guide
Significantly lighter in weight than conventional LM guides, THK's new Light LM Guide enables high-speed operation. Featuring a cold drawn hollow rail and an aluminum block, the Light weighs approximately 40% less than conventional guides (calculated for a 1000 mm rail length with one block). To ensure a long service life, the Light includes the same hardened steel raceways as those used in conventional models. The use of THK-caged technology in the LM Guide provides smooth movement even during high-speed operation. The Light is available in sizes SSR15XW, SSR20XW, and SSR25XW.
For more information, visit www.thk.com, e-mail
LG Linear Guide Ball Bushing
New from THK, the LG Linear Guide Ball Bushing offers high accuracy, smooth motion, and high load capacities. The LG's rotation prevention function, where four rows of circular arc grooves are arranged on the shaft, is included to ensure precise movement. This circular arc groove design allows for increased load carrying capability. The LG is dimensionally interchangeable with a linear bushing.
For more information, visit www.thk.com, e-mail
TTP LabTech
RAPid 4
RAPid 4 is the latest addition to TTP LabTech's portfolio of screening products. Using novel resonant acoustic profiling technology, the RAPid 4 is a flow-based analysis system that performs label-free interaction analysis. According to TTP LabTech, the detection of molecular interactions through acoustic technology offers substantial advantages over optical biosensors. It reduces the need to purify samples and generates accurate kinetic, affinity and concentration measurements from complex biological mixtures, such as blood, serum, cell-culture supernatants, and periplasmic extracts. RAPid 4 is considered highly suitable for use in life science and pharmaceutical laboratories, for biotherapeutic development and protein expression analysis.
For more information, visit www.ttplabtech.com.
Velocity11
Technical Poster: Automated Serial Dilution Protocol
A new technical poster from Velocity11 describes an efficient, accurate, and precise automated serial dilution protocol using the Bravo Liquid-Handling Platform. According to Velocity11, many laboratory protocols require the serial dilution of reagents, compounds, or cells. Standard curves can be generated by serial dilution of a given stock solution. IC50 assays are commonly used to evaluate drug efficacy. Serial dilution, however, is a cumbersome process to automate.
The technical poster explores parameters for serial dilution protocol. The mix parameters are essential for a robust serial dilution task. Using the Bravo Liquid-Handling Platform, the poster illustrates an effective way of isolating the parameters of mixing (mixing speed, mix height, mix cycles, and dynamic tip movement during a mix step), which in turn leads to faster, accurate, and precise serial dilution operations.
For more information, visit www.velocity11.com/files/File/P013.pdf.
Technical Data Sheet: A Novel High-Throughput Automated Stem Cell Culture and Screening System
A new technical data sheet describes how an automated platform was developed with a Velocity11 customer who wanted to use stem cells as the basis of its high-throughput screening assays and drug discovery programs, with the goal to increase throughput and potentially find more promising lead compounds. To successfully automate these sensitive assays required an automated system with a controlled environment that would provide the best conditions for cell growth.
Using the Filtered Plus BioCel automation platform, the system is designed to maintain a temperature of 37 °C (±0.1 °C) inside the BioCel system, and to filter air inside to a Class 100 specification, creating an optimized environment to meet stem cell-culture requirements for plate-based cell maintenance and cell-based assays. With a novel method for controlling air velocity and using ultra-low penetration air filters, the system is able to achieve an increased turnover in filtered air resulting in a reduced number of foreign particles and reduced cell contamination.
The automated procedure used is described in the data sheet. This involves seeding plates from a bulk culture, adding compounds to cell plates, and transferring supernatant or cell lysate to an assay plate. The automated system ensures that all processes are accurately managed for reliable and repeatable results. The Filtered Plus BioCel automation system is shown to provide fast, efficient transfer of cells, minimal exposure to contaminants, and optimal growth of stem cells.
For more information, visit www.velocity11.com, e-mail
Reference Guide for Optimal Thermal Microplate Sealing
According to Velocity11, as an increasing number of laboratories look to gain the productivity benefits of storing samples in automation-friendly multiwell microplates, the need to optimize the plate sealing process to safeguard sample integrity has become paramount. Achieving an optimal microplate seal depends on many factors, including microplate design, construction material, batch-to-batch plate production consistency, microplate features, sealing parameters, and the type of seal used.
This new guide includes a microplate sealing tips section, information on how to optimize sealing parameters when thermal sealing, a comprehensive FAQ section, and an electronic PDF form designed to facilitate the capture of key information helpful when requesting technical and applications support.
For more information, visit www.velocity11.com/sealer.
BenchCel R Platform
According to Velocity11, the all new BenchCel R Platform is a fast and compact automation workstation for applications ranging from simple microplate processing tasks to sophisticated applications such as PCR preparation. The BenchCel R Platform can handle more integrations, rack styles, types of labware, and capacity options than any other compact automated workstation. Features include the ability to integrate more instruments per side; the flexibility to work with lidded microplates, deep-well plates, and tip boxes; and a choice of two-, four-, or six-rack configurations.
For more information, visit www.velocity11.com, e-mail
Viscotek
New Technical Data: Low Angle Light Scattering
According to Viscotek, new technical data demonstrates how its Low Angle Light Scattering (LALS) detector achieves results not possible using traditional light scattering technologies. Operating at an angle of only 7°, LALS is the only GPC detection method proven to provide absolute molecular weights without extrapolation or correction. Unlike other multiangle light scattering techniques that can only determine molecular weight by extrapolation, the Viscotek LALS directly measures molecular weight. The benefits of using LALS detection to calculate molecular weight is particularly evident when studying large synthetic polymers or biomolecules where traditional light scattering instruments give sizeable data fitting errors.
For more information, visit www.viscotek.com, e-mail
Wld-Tec
SteriMax
WLD-TEC considers its electrical sterilization system SteriMax ideal for the sterilization of inoculation loops, needles and instruments in laboratories and safety cabinets where the use of gases and open flames is not permitted or unavailable. The sterilizing tube into which the items are inserted is made of wear-resistant quartz glass, and reaches its optimal temperature of 900 °C (1650 °F) after only a few minutes. To sterilize the inoculation loop, simply insert it into the quartz tube. After 5–7 s, the inoculation loop is sterilized.
For more information, visit www.WLD-TEC.com.
Ziath
OpenLabAuto Project
The Ziath OpenLabAuto project is an open source project targeted at the laboratory automation community. The project objective is to produce software to control an installation of interconnected laboratory automation equipment. As the project is open source, the application will be free to use and the code can be downloaded for inspection. More than 10 volunteers from both the user and vendor sectors are contributing to this project. For example, Ash Biotech is contributing a motion control API for driving motorized stages, and will be open sourcing the drivers for its linear translation stages, which will be built on the Open Lab Automation serial port driver framework.
The Ziath OpenLabAuto project is actively seeking more volunteers to contribute to the project and financial contributions to assist in running costs. To volunteer or contribute, Ziath CEO and OLA Founder Neil Benn at
For more information, visit the OpenLabAuto Google group at http://groups.google.com/group/open-lab-automation, or the Sourceforge project page at https://sourceforge.net/projects/openlabauto.
Zinsser Analytic
DryPette Varix
According to Zinsser, its new DryPette Varix is a fast, handheld and lightweight powder pipette that reproducibly and accurately dispenses solids and difficult powders (statically charged materials and other materials that tend to stick) efficiently. The DryPette Varix also stores powder-handling parameters, such as volume, aspiration, and dispense speed in the electronic controller for reproducible results.
For more information, visit www.zinsser-analytic.com.
REDI Super
According to Zinsser Analytic, this new option for automated workbench systems provides a solution for the need to accurately transfer larger amounts of solid material, such as powders, seeds, beads, crystals, or extrudates from 100 mg to 100 g. Multiple REDI Super tools can be installed on a single platform for high-throughput operations.
For more information, visit www.zinsser-analytic.com.
More News
Accelerated Technology Laboratories (ATLs) announced a reciprocating sales alliance with the Institute for Consulting and Data Handling (iCD). iCD will provide local technical support for ATL's LIMS clients and will market and implement ATL's LIMS solutions to clients in Europe. Initially, this partnership will cover Germany, Austria, and Switzerland. ATL will provide local technical support for iCD's LIMS clients and will market and implement iCD's LIMS solutions to clients in North America.
Adept Technology announced its expansion in India for its products, and the signing of Menzel Vision and Robotics of India as an exclusive distributor in western and northern India.
Adept Technology named John Dulchinos chief executive officer to succeed Robert Bucher, who has been named executive chairman of its board of directors. Mr. Dulchinos remains president of Adept and also serves as a member of the company's board. Michael Kelly, Adept's current chairman of the board, continues to serve on the board in the position of lead independent director.
American Peptide Company announced that its parent company, Ito Life Sciences will be acquired by Otsuka Chemical Company, part of the Otsuka Group.
ARTEL and IonGate Biosciences partnered to support the application of IonGate's drug discovery technology. The German biotechnology company will leverage ARTEL's local infrastructure, customer relationships, and market knowledge to increase exposure and use of its discovery systems and assay development services in North America. The partnership focus is on IonGate's SURFE2R Technology.
ARTEL opened an office in Montréal, Canada, to provide technical support and training to help laboratories in the region optimize their pipetting and automated liquid-handling operations, and improve data quality.
Bigneat completed installation of a LABS biological safety enclosure for cancer research at the Queen Alexandra Hospital in Portsmouth, U.K. The installation satisfied protection levels required in processes involving live cells, which previously could only be provided by smaller Class II cabinets.
BioTek Instruments received Transcreener Far Red FP Certification from BellBrook Labs for its Synergy 4 and Synergy 2 Multimode Microplate Readers. This certification ensures that BioTek's microplate readers are validated to strict standards in instrument setup and assay performance.
BioTek Instruments and Gyrasol Technologies announced a co-marketing arrangement to jointly promote the application of the Gyrasol Sensor fluorescence-based assay platform on BioTek's Synergy 4 with Hybrid Technology Multimode Microplate Reader.
ESA Biosciences received the 2008 Frost & Sullivan North American Technology Innovation Award in the field of integrated metabolomics systems.
The Supervisory Board of Evotec elected Dr. Flemming Ornskov to the position of Supervisory Board Chairman. Prof. Dr. Heinz Riesenhuber, who served as a member of the Evotec Supervisory Board since 1994 and as its Chairman since 1997, became Honorary Chairman.
FaraPack Polymers invested in a Radleys Lara Controlled Laboratory Reactor to more rapidly and reproducibly scale-up production of custom and specialty polymers developed for contract customers.
FEI Company and Imago Scientific Instruments jointly announced that Chalmers University installed Imago's LEAP 3000X HR atom probe in the university's Applied Physics Microscopy and Microanalysis facility for atomic-scale, three-dimensional imaging and analysis.
Fluxion Biosciences entered into an exclusive distribution agreement with Bucher Biotec. Bucher will handle sales and service in Switzerland of Fluxion's BioFlux research tools for live cell-image analysis in drug discovery.
Franek Technologies welcomed John Pickert to its business development and consulting staff. Pickert came to Franek from the City of New York's Office of the Chief Medical Examiner Forensic Biology Laboratory where he was the technical administrator and new building project manager for its new $250 million DNA Laboratory. At Franek, Pickert will use his business and scientific experiences as an end-user criminalist and laboratory project manager to assist genomic/proteomic clients in selecting power protection systems.
Fujiflim Life Science entered into a collaborative agreement with Dr. David Myszka and Biosensor Tools for the development of new applications and proof of principle testing of Fujifilm's new high-throughput surface plasmon resonance (SPR) system, the AP-3000. Fujifilm installed one if its new AP-3000 systems at Biosensor Tools so that Dr. Myszka and his company may experiment with new applications in the field of label-free biomolecular interactions by high-throughput SPR.
Heidolph Instruments and Radleys announced the formation of Heidolph U.K. to provide local technical,
sales and service support for the German manufacturersrange of laboratory equipment.
Hudson Control Group entered into a partnership with Guava Technologies to provide scientists with an automated sample acquisition system for Cellular Analysis Research. This integrated platform combines the Guava EasyCyte Plus Flow Cytometer with Hudson's PlateCrane EX microplate robot arm and micro10 High-Volume Liquid Dispenser. This benchtop flow cytometry system is capable of automating the setup and analysis of Guava's mix and read assays for continuous unattended operation for cell counting and viability analysis in a 96-well format.
Dr. Alan H. Katz joined Hudson Control Group as chief scientific officer.
IDBS announced that LS9 selected ActivityBase XE to provide a core data management platform for its data management requirements, including capture, store, secure, and share research data within a flexible environment. LS9 is developing cellular processes for the production of Renewable Petroleum products.
IDBS also announced that the School of Pharmacy at The University of Nottingham selected E-WorkBook to meet its data management requirements. The school sought a solution that could meet adherence to good governance procedures, IP protection and visibility, and effective management of research activities.
INTEGRA Biosciences announced that the installation of its MEDIAJET/MEDIACLAVE system reduced downtime and costs in the media production department at Deltamune in South Africa by providing an alternative to manual media preparation. Deltamune works with veterinarians to provide a comprehensive health service that extends into diagnostics, health, hygiene, and feed and food safety monitoring.
INTEGRA Biosciences and Viaflo entered into a strategic partnership in which Viaflo will undertake all sales and marketing activities for the INTEGRA Biosciences product range in the U.S. market.
India's International Centre for Material Science (ICMS) in Bangalore selected FEI Company and its Mumbai-based agent, Icon Analytical Equipment Private Limited, to develop a unique imaging facility that it says will be the most advanced electron microscopy facility in India. The ICMS Imaging Centre will include a suite of FEI electron microscopes, including the world's most powerful commercially available microscope, the Titan3 300 kV high-resolution Transmission Electron Microscope (TEM). Also included will be the Quanta 3D Field Emission Gun DualBeam system and the Tecnai 20 200 kV TEM. All will be network-connected and remotely controllable.
Innovation Matrix opened a new branch office in Kobe, Japan, to provide faster sales and technical response times to its customers purchasing and implementing automation equipment from the company's partners, which include Adept Technology, Precise Automation, and Inspx.
Lab21 Limited entered into a partnership with deCODE genetics to offer its clients in the U.K. and Ireland access to new tests from deCODE genetics for type 2 diabetes, myocardial infarction, atrial fibrillation, prostate cancer, and glaucoma. With this agreement, Lab21 now has licenses with three genetic test providers—deCODE, Myriad, and PGxHealth.
The LabVantage Solutions 2008 Training & Education Conference attracted a record number of customer and partner participants.
The LabVantage SAPPHIRE BioBanking Solution was licensed by Channing Laboratory, a multidisciplinary research division of Brigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard Medical School. According to LabVantage, the Channing Laboratory is known for its infectious disease and epidemiologic research. As part of a multiphase laboratory information management project, it will deploy SAPPHIRE in the Respiratory Epidemiology Genotyping Laboratory, replacing significant portions of the existing LIMS and other internally developed software packages.
The LabVantage SAPPHIRE BioBanking Solution also was licensed by the Genomics Consortium, National Cancer Institute, and the National Human Genome Research Institute to lead the Human Cancer Biospecimen Core Resource (BCR) component of The Cancer Genome Atlas Pilot Project. The SAPPHIRE BioBanking Solution will serve as a key informatics backbone supporting and maintaining the BCR.
Microscan was recognized by Washington CEO Magazine as one of “Washington's Best 100 Companies to Work For 2008.” Microscan was nominated in the category of medium-sized companies, and overall placed 16th.
A range of assays, kits, flow cytometry systems, and service plans are now available as part of an integrated benchtop flow cytometry portfolio from Millipore. Earlier this year, Millipore and Guava Technologies entered into a partnership to deliver optimized benchtop flow cytometry products and services to cell biologists, including stem cell researchers. All Guava assays, kits, and systems for flow cytometry that are included in the partnership are now available from Millipore to academic and government laboratories worldwide, and to pharmaceutical and biotech labs outside of Europe and North America. Guava Technologies retains exclusive rights to all of its products for biotechnology and pharmaceutical laboratories within Europe and North America. In addition, Millipore is the sole service provider for Guava flow cytometry instruments for all organizations worldwide.
Dr. Vivek Joshi, Senior Scientist in Millipore's Bioscience Division, was invited by the United States Pharmacopeia) to be a lecturer in its course, “Dissolution: Theory and Best Practices.”
NextGen Sciences and Expression Pathology signed a commercial agreement to provide protein biomarker services in formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded tissue samples. According to the companies, their new combined offering provides an improved, mass spectrometry-based alternative to the commonly used immunohistochemistry method for identification and analysis of tissue proteins, reducing drug development timelines, and providing accurate and quantitative measurement of protein biomarkers of disease progression, drug response, and toxicity.
Niro changed its company name to GEA Process Engineering.
The PANalytical and Malvern Instruments U.S. teams celebrated the opening of their new headquarters. The sister companies now share facilities in Westborough, MA.
As part of the company's ongoing sponsorship of activities that stimulate interest in the sciences, PANalytical supported participation of two students in the 2008 Expedition to the Greenhouse World, an initiative of Utrecht University. Students competed for a place on the expedition, and the winning pair was Barbara Terlouw and Robin van der Bles. On the weeklong expedition to Spitsbergen, Norway, the students will look back 55 million years and explore the climate change that took place at that time.
PaR Systems announced that MML Capital Partners and PaR's management teamed to acquire the company from American Capital with senior financing provided by M&I Marshall & Ilsley Bank.
PerkinElmer announced an arrangement with The University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center to bring PerkinElmer's Array Comparative Genomic Hybridization (aCGH) to the cancer center. aCGH is analogous to traditional karyotyping, but with greater throughput, resolution and ease of use. A unique component to the arrangement is that PerkinElmer will train the facility's Molecular Genetic Technology students in the aCGH technique, and support two student research projects for presentation at genomics and cytogenetics conferences to increase the medical community's understanding of the utility of Array CGH.
SpectraCell Laboratories now measures functional levels of Vitamin C (ascorbate) using its proprietary functional intracellular analysis technology.
Syngene announce that its Dymension 2D image analysis software is being used by the Lombardi Comprehensive Cancer Center of Georgetown University Medical Center to rapidly assess molecular mechanisms of novel pro-drugs on breast cancer cells.
According to Symyx Technologies, Borealis implemented a Parallel Pressure Reactor research tool by Symyx Technologies as part of a project to drastically reduce the time taken to develop new materials. The first polymerization trials were successfully completed at BorealisInnovation Centre in Porvoo, Finland.
Symyx Technologies acquired Integrity Biosolution in an all-cash transaction to expand Symyx's Research Service offerings in life sciences into biologic formulations, complementing its existing chemical formulation services. According to Symyx, the combination of Symyx and IntegrityBio creates a differentiated set of large molecule formulation services for customers in the pharmaceutical and biotechnology industries by combining IntegrityBio's formulation expertise with Symyx's advanced high-throughput research and informatics capabilities.
Symyx Technologies signed a 1-year agreement with Bristol-Myers Squibb for the use of Symyx Research Services for solubility studies. Under terms of the agreement, Symyx will perform solubility studies for Bristol-Myers Squibb through until May 2009.
Thermo Fisher Scientific and AstraZeneca received a Microsoft Corporation 2008 Pharmaceutical and Life Sciences Innovation Award in the Discovery and Product Innovation category. In addition, five of Thermo Fisher Scientific's informatics and software solutions received 2008 ReadersChoice Awards across four categories from Scientific Computing: LIMS, bioinformatics, chromatography, and spectroscopy.
Veeda Clinical Research selected the Thermo Scientific Watson LIMS to automate its laboratory processes in its Bioanalytical Research facilities in Ahmedabad, India, and Oxford, U.K.
Princeton University is using the Thermo Fisher Scientific MALDI LTQ Orbitrap XL mass spectrometer for research on virus–host protein interactions in the laboratory of Dr. Ileana Cristea.
Thermo Fisher Scientific announced the integration of its mass spectrometry (MS) instrumentation and Genedata Expressionist to efficiently process and analyze large volumes of high-quality MS data, enabling researchers to process hundreds of gigabytes of data simultaneously. This capability is considered particularly beneficial for metabolomics researchers who need to classify samples and identify metabolic profiles related to important biological phenotypes.
Harvard Medical School is using a range of Thermo Fisher Scientific's mass spectrometry instrumentation for targeted proteomics applications. Scientists from North Carolina State and Harvard Universities, along with John M. Asara, Ph.D., director of the Mass Spectrometry Core Facility at the Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, a teaching hospital of Harvard Medical School, have used a Thermo Scientific LTQ linear ion trap and LTQ Orbitrap XL to extract and sequence tiny pieces of collagen protein from dinosaurs. The sequences from a 68 million-year-old Tyrannosaurus Rex and a 160,000–600,000-year-old mastodon are the oldest to ever be reported. The protein fragments were compared to peptide/protein sequences in existing databases, leading the researchers to propose a link between the T. rex and current day chickens and the mastodon with modern elephants. Recently the Harvard team was able to place the T. rex on the animal kingdom's phylogenetic tree using molecular evidence.
Thermo Fisher Scientific announced the success of its liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (LC–MS/MS) solution at Ameritox. By implementing Thermo's TSQ Quantum Access triple quadrupole mass spectrometer, combined with its Aria TLX-4 system, using TurboFlow and multiplexing technologies, Ameritox reduced the amount of time spent on sample preparation and increased its mass spectrometry throughput for forensic and specialty toxicology assessments.
The U.K. and Dutch Forensic Science Services are using Overlord2 from Process Analysis and Automation, with one socket, to transfer DNA dilution profiles to a Qiagen liquid handler from their LIMS. The Qiagen liquid handler performs the dilutions, and Overlord2 creates a data file that is transferred back to the LIMS.
Wyatt Technology announced that Intezyne Technologies selected the DynaPro Plate Reader to assess the stability of its chemically bespoke novel drug carriers.
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