Bioscience Technology articles from January 2008

Bioscience Technology archives from January 2008

Cell-based safety assessment: ready for its close-up?(Cover story)
January 1, 2008... [FIGURE 1 OMITTED] Everyone knows the dismal statistics: of about 10,000 to 20,000 new drug compounds screened, only five enter human clinical trials and only one will be approved by the Food and Drug Administration. Some 40% to 60% will...

Snapshot.
January 1, 2008... Types Of Software Most Frequently Used In Automated Labs Database Management 47.5% Bioinformatics 46.5% Data Acquisition & Analysis 41.1% Statistics 39.6% Data Mining ...

Complexity.(Editor's Note)
January 1, 2008... Conduct an online search on topics related to the number of blockbuster drugs coming off patent, and more importantly, the inability of the pharmaceutical industry to bring new blockbusters to market, and you will get a lot of hits. News...

Antibodies to cell surface receptors.(January's Innovations)
January 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Anti-NTB-A-PE and CD226 (DNAM-I)-PE IOTest reagents are monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) to cell surface receptors for NK (natural killer) cell studies, which provide important information in disease research. The flow...

Automated media preparation.(January's Innovations)
January 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] The compact MEDIA JET Petri dish filler provides walk-away operation, and uses a proven mechanical dish guidance system that is monitored by a set of sensors throughout the filling process. Operational downtime and...

Microfluidic live-cell imaging.(January's Innovations)
January 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] The BioFlux 200 system (Fluxion Biosciences, San Francisco, CA) facilitates high-throughput live-cell imaging in applications such as cell adhesion and microbial biofilm studies. The automated system's microfluidic...

Thermal insert for cell culture stage.(January's Innovations)
January 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] The TB-3 CCD platform, for cell culture and tissue work on the NanoScanZ stage (Prior Scientific, Rockland, MA), is optimized for 35 mm cell culture dishes and RC-40 Quick Change Imaging Chambers. An integral water...

Digital X-ray system.(January's Innovations)
January 1, 2008... Digital X-ray Specimen 4000 and 4000 Pro systems deliver greater than 25 line pairs per millimeter with no geometric magnification. A cooled 4 mega-pixel KODAK CCD camera combines with phosphor screen technology and a 10x zoom lens to...

High content analysis software.(January's Innovations)
January 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] ASSAYbuilder (Carl Zeiss) is a suite of high content analysis (HCA) tools that can be added to any microscope with a digital imaging package, including Zeiss's AxioVision microscope. Leveraging the power of research...

Biomatrica and Cal State, Los Angeles study sample presevation in forensics.(Research News)
January 1, 2008... Biomatrica has announced a partnership with California State University, Los Angeles, to test Biomatrica's SampleMatrix product in the field of forensics. Preservation of crime scene samples are fundamental to DNA analysis since testing...

Model enables comparison of biosensor performance.(Research News)
January 1, 2008... Researchers have developed a new modeling technique to study and design miniature "biosensors," a tool that could help industry perfect lab-on-a-chip technology for uses ranging from medical diagnostics to environmental monitoring. The...

Millipore Corp., Novozymes to supply animal-free cell culture supplements.(Research News)
January 1, 2008... Millipore Corp. and Novozymes have announced an agreement to develop, market, and sell new, animal-free cell culture supplements for biopharmaceutical manufacturing. The new products, to be marketed under the brand name CellPrime, will be...

Biomedical shape-memory polymers.(Research News)
January 1, 2008... Researchers at the Georgia Institute of Technology are developing unique polymers, which change shape upon heating, to open blocked arteries, probe neurons in the brain and engineer a tougher spine. The so-called shape-memory polymers can be...

Illumina introduces DNA analysis chips.(Research News)
January 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Illumina, Inc. has introduced two new products for DNA analysis: the Infinium HD Human1M-Duo (two samples/chip) and the Human610-Quad (four samples/chip, pictured), featuring up to 2.3 million single nucleotide...

MicroRNA labeling methods directly influence the accuracy of microarray expression profiles: direct alkylation chemistry is based on an aromatic nitrogen mustard reactive group and facilitates the direct covalent attachment of Cy3 or Cy5 labels onto miRNAs.(Biochemicals & Kits)
January 1, 2008... MicroRNA (miRNA) expression profiling is commonly used to assess the relative levels of individual miRNAs in specific tissues. To achieve accurate results using microarray detection strategies, it is important that all sample miRNA species are...

DNA Walking kit.(PCR Focus)
January 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] DNA Walking SpeedUp identifies unknown upstream or downstream sequences lying adjacent to a known sequence in the range of Taq DNA polymerase amplifies. The kit is based on proprietary DNA walking (DW)-ACP (Annealing...

PCR enhancing reagent.(PCR Focus)
January 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] PCRboost reagent improves sensitivity and specificity during amplification of genomic DNA or RNA templates. Simply replace the water in a standard PCR or RT-PCR reaction and use your own cycling conditions and...

PCR Competent Cells.(PCR Focus)
January 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] ExCyto PCR Competent Cells constitutively express a thermostable DNA polymerase, offering a reliable way to screen transformed colonies. The cells are transformed using any E. coli vector plate incubated overnight....

DNA Polymerases.(PCR Focus)
January 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Bullseye DNA Polymerase enzymes are offered for primer extension, amplification, and other molecular biology applications. This enzyme line includes master mixes that have been precisely developed and optimized to...

One-step RT-PCR.(Product News)
January 1, 2008... QuantiFast Probe RT-PCR Kits provide a real-time, one-step procedure with sequence-specific probes, such as TaqMan probes. A fast RT-PCR buffer containing the additive Q-Bond reduces denaturation, annealing, and extension times. The buffer also...

Semi-solid media for cell cloning.(Product News)
January 1, 2008... CloneMedia-HEK and Clone-Media-CHOK1 are offered for semi-solid cloning of suspension-adapted, serum-free HEK293 and CHOK1 cells, respectively. These products enable the cloning of transfected HEK293 and CHOK1 cell lines in a rapid, one-step...

Thermostable Polymerase.(Product News)
January 1, 2008... Cloned from a thermophillic phage that infects boiling hot springs thermophiles, PyroPhage 3173 DNA Polymerase is available as a Wild Type enzyme and as an Exonuclease Minus mutant. Efficient reverse transcription activity enables single-tube,...

gDNA Blood Purification.(Product News)
January 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] iPrep PureLink Kit (Invitrogen Corp., Carlsbad, CA) produces high yields of pure genomic DNA from up to 350 [micro]l of fresh or frozen blood. Offered for use with the iPrep Purification Instrument using Dynabeads...

MicroRNA assay.
January 1, 2008... This assay allows rapid and reproducible miRNA expression. By developing a high-density expression array with content from the miRBase Sequence Database, this tool will help researchers better understand the role microRNAs (miRNA) play in...

Semi-solid media.(Product News)
January 1, 2008... CloneMedia semi-solid media products for mammalian cell cloning--CloneMedia-HEK and CloneMedia-CHOK1--are offered for the semi-solid cloning of suspension-adapted, serum-free HEK293 and CHOK1 cells, respectively. The products enable the cloning...

Copy Number Variation analysis tool.(Product News)
January 1, 2008... Exemplar Analytics 4.0.8 provides Copy Number Variation (CNV) analysis for the Illumina family of arrays. Copy number variation analysis is a widely used method for identifying insertions and deletions in the genome. The identification of these...

MicroRNA assay.(Product News)
January 1, 2008... FlexmiR Select allows researchers to create customized miRNA panels for efficient and focused miRNA analysis. Application-specific subsets of miRNAs, which usually consist of fewer than 50 miRNAs, can be used to analyze larger numbers of...

Trimerization of secreted proteins.(Product News)
January 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Trimer-Tag technology takes advantage of the C-prodomains of collagen proteins, which are capable of efficient self-trimerization. Collagens are the most abundant and naturally occurring proteins secreted by mammals,...

Human Cancer Biomarker Panel.(Product News)
January 1, 2008... Beadlyte Human Cancer Biomarker Panel includes a Fiveplex containing the biomarkers Macrophage, Migration Inhibitory Factor (MIF), Prolactin, CA-125, Leptin and Osteopontin (OPN), as well as a Single Plex IGF-II assay. Each of the biomarkers...

Microparticles isolate biotinylated PCR products.(Product News)
January 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Sera-Mag SpeedBeads, streptavidin-coated microparticles, can selectively bind and separate anything that is biotinylated, incIuding PCR products. Since streptavidin-biotin is a universal capture system, the biotin...

Protein purification kit.(Product News)
January 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] The PAGE-Perfect kit removes interfering agents from protein solutions, allowing the samples to be reproducibly resolved on SDS-polyacrylamide gels with high band visibility and protein resolution, and no band...

Cell Migration Assay.(Product News)
January 1, 2008... The Oris Cell Migration Assay--Collagen Coated kit offers the same level of reproducibility, sensitivity, and flexibility as the original Otis Cell Migration Assay, with the addition of a collagen coated assay plate. This collagen coating...

Protein-DNA binding assay.(Product News)
January 1, 2008... This assay eliminates the need for radioactive labeling and gel electrophoresis, since it uses sensitive, quantitative, chemiluminescent ProLabel[TM] detection, and can be performed in a 96-well plate. A small (~6 kDa) ProLabel tag is fused to...

Full-length cDNA cloning.(Product News)
January 1, 2008... ExactStart Full-length cDNA Library Cloning Kit provides strong selection for cDNA clones derived from normal, full-length RNA, allowing for the identification of the precise 5' and 3' ends of both coding and noncoding transcripts. The kit is...

Genotoxicity testing kit.(Product News)
January 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] The gTox Flow Kit mouse micronuclei assay is used to evaluate the ability of a compound to cause chromosomal damage. It detects micronuclei formed from chromatin that are displaced as a result of chromosomal...

Protein standards.(Product News)
January 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Precision Plus Protein Western C standards are recombinant pre-stained protein standards that can be visualized directly on a Western blot. The strep-tag sequence is inserted into the sequence of every protein band,...

Lentiviral shRNA libraries.(Product News)
January 1, 2008... These lentiviral shRNA libraries enable genome-wide knockdown of human or mouse genes. The Human Library includes 50,000 mRNAs/genes silenced per library, the Mouse Library 40,000 mRNAs/genes silenced per library. Three to four shRNAs/gene to...

Enhanced environmental control of live cell microscopy advances breast cancer recurrence research: environmental control is vital to the use of live cell video microscopy as a prognostic tool for early-stage breast cancer recurrence.(Instruments & Systems)
January 1, 2008... As the average stage of breast cancer at diagnosis decreases due to improved screening techniques, the study of early stage breast cancer (stages I and II) via microscopy becomes all the more significant. Environmental controls that are often...

Modular assay platform.(Plate Reader Focus)
January 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] The PARADIGM Detection Platform is a modular system that can be quickly and easily configured. A selection of cartridges can be interchanged in less than five minutes to meet different assay needs, making the...

Multi-detection microplate reader.(Plate Reader Focus)
January 1, 2008... Synergy 4 multi-mode reader combines filter-based and quadruple monochromator-based fluorescence detection technology to perform an unlimited number of microplate-based assays. This Hybrid Technology provides for flexibility in current and...

Nanoliter dispenser.(Plate Reader Focus)
January 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Multidrop Combi nL bulk reagent dispenser provides high-throughput dispensing across a volume range of 50 [micro]L to 50 [micro]L. It can be used to dispense all common reagents, diluents, buffers and solvents as...

Multi-label Reader.(Plate Reader Focus)
January 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] EnVision Multilabel Plate Readers incorporate both filter and monochromator technologies. Detection method can be chosen on the fly. Assays showing wide emission spectra are best captured with optimized filter...

LED light source.(Product News)
January 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] The precisExcite filly-cooled LED light source, for fluorescence microscopy, provides stable, completely controllable, and thermally cooled light, making it useful in live cell imaging, photobleaching, fast...

Web-based development tool.(Product News)
January 1, 2008... Nexxis 4.0 Web-based development tool platform is at the core of Nexxis applications such as Nexxis ELN, CAL, CIM, ST and BDS (Labtronics, Inc.). This release provides validation groups with detailed IQ and OQ documents that reduce the amount...

Microbial identification system.(Product News)
January 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] The EN III Microbiology System identifies more than 1,000 species of gram negative and gram positive bacteria using a single test panel. No Gram-stain, pre-tests or follow-on tests are required, and set-up consists...

Metabolite identification software.(Product News)
January 1, 2008... MetWorks 1.1.0 (Thermo Fisher Scientific) facilitates automated acquisition, processing and reporting of LC/[MS.sup.n] data in support of biotransformation studies. The software is compatible with all mass spectrometers capable of performing...

100 kV biomedical TEM.(Product News)
January 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] The CENTRA 100 transmission electron microscope provides up to 100 kV accelerating voltage. The compact instrument offers resolution down to 0.2 nm. Fast specimen exchange makes the microscope suited for biomedical...

Multi-application imaging and analysis.(Product News)
January 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] G:BOX Chemi XT16 automated chemiluminescence and fluorescence imaging and analysis system features a light-tight darkroom. A 16-bit camera with an f 0.95 variable aperture lens makes it possible to produce accurate...

Ion trap mass spectrometers.(Product News)
January 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] The LCQ Fleet LC-MS system is offered for toxicological screening, peptide identification and routine analytical lab analysis. This ion trap mass spectrometer features fast cycle times and excellent [MS.sup.n]...

Automated RNA prep workstation.(Product News)
January 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] The ArrayPlex application for automated target RNA preparation is a turnkey application that includes automated instrumentation, software and protocols on the Biomek FX or Biomek 3000 Laboratory Automation...

SPE Workstation.(Product News)
January 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] The Zephyr SPE Workstation automates Solid Phase Extraction and features a 96-well plate format and easy-to-use, SPE-specific software interface. The workstation increases efficiency and streamlines the sample...

LIMS, chromatography DA interface.(Product News)
January 1, 2008... LimsLink CDS (Labtronics Inc., (Guelph, Ont.) is an embedded LIMS interface for Chromeleon CDS (Dionex Corp., Sunnyvale, CA) that enables analysts to interact directly with their LIMS without having to leave their CDS client. There is no...

Multi-color TIRF microscopy.(Product News)
January 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] AM TIRF MC (Multi-color, Total Internal Reflection Fluorescence) system allows the entire fluorescence excitation spectrum to be used for real-time visualization of live cell dynamics. The scanner sensor...

Temperature gradient gel electrophoresis.(Product News)
January 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Biometra TGGE Peltier-based electrophoresis system is offered for rapid mutation analysis during the screening of PCR fragments. Gradient set-up is quick, and separation conditions are reproducible. The system...

Microporation System.(Product News)
January 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] OneDrop MicroPoratorSystem is a hand-held device that consists of a pulse generator, safety chamber and MicroPorator pipette. Pre-sterilized microporation tips are supplied as disposables. The non-viral method can be...

Radiometer/photometer.(Product News)
January 1, 2008... The AccuMAX Series of digital radiometer/photometers provide accurate readouts for UV irradiance, visible illuminance and luminance light readings. The units are calibrated for use with a full line of interchangeable sensor detectors. When...

Power supplies.(Product News)
January 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Small footprint power supplies PS200-HC and PS300-B come with four sets of outputs, constant voltage or constant current and variable timer. The 300 volt unit is offered for most electrophoresis techniques; the 200...

Multiplex analysis system.(Product News)
January 1, 2008... Bio-Plex Manager 5.0 suspension array multiplex analysis system permits the simultaneous analysis of up to 100 different biomolecules, such as proteins, peptides, or nucleic acids, in a single microplate well. It integrates instrumentation,...

Water immersion objective.(Product News)
January 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] New 25x, NA 1.05 water immersion objective for 2-photon applications offers a wide field of view, flexibility for patch clamping and cover slip use, and a deep-imaging correction collar for imaging far below the...

NMR, FTIR, Raman services.(Product News)
January 1, 2008... Analytical Services program provides for-fee analytical measurements using NMR, FTIR and Raman spectroscopy. * Bruker BioSpin 978-667-9580 www.bruker-biospin.com

Real-Time PCR System.(Product News)
January 1, 2008... LightCycler 480 Real-Time PCR System integrates support for high-resolution melting (HRM) based mutation scanning, enabling economical analysis of genetic variations. A new DNA dye and Gene Scanning software tool helps create melting curves...

Manual GPC sample clean-up.(Product News)
January 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] This system is designed for manual post-extraction clean-up of interfering substances from environmental samples and animal tissue by gel permeation chromatography (GPC) prior to analysis by GC, GC/MS, HPLC or LC/MS....

Microplate handling system.(Product News)
January 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] R-Series BenchCel (Velocity11, Menlo Park, CA) microplate handling system features enhanced positional accuracy, increased payload, reduced installation time and simpler user adjustments compared to its predecessor....

Electrochemical detection of sulfur-containing compounds.(Product News)
January 1, 2008... This assay automatically assesses the concentration, integrity and overall quality of purified RNA samples, and runs in a microfluidic chip format on the Caliper Life Sciences LabChip 90 instrument. The test measures the integrity of purified...

High-throughput cellular analysis.(Product News)
January 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Beckman Coulter, Inc. (Fullerton, CA) has integrated its Cell Lab Quanta SC MPL cytometer into a fully automated "seed and feed" cell culture system. The integrated system provides data and cellular growth parameters...

Biosafety Cabinets.(Safety Cabinet Focus)
January 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Purifier Logic Class II Biosafety Cabinets include an LCD information center located inside the cabinet at eye-level to keep users safe and alerted to current cabinet conditions, including the percent of filter...

Biological safety cabinet.(Safety Cabinet Focus)
January 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] The 1300 Series A2 Class II biological safety cabinet operates efficiently and offers safety and ergonomic benefits. Intelligent speed control automatically reduces blower speed to 30% when the window is closed. This...

Biological safety cabinet.
January 1, 2008... LabGard Series 50 Class II Biological Safety Cabinets incorporate the TOUCHLINK System, which utilizes a touch screen LCD and offers step-by-step on-screen instructions to aid personnel and certifiers in maintaining the cabinet by providing...

Infusion pump.(Product News)
January 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Model KDS 100 single syringe infusion pump combines precision with simplicity. Any single syringe from 10 [micro]l to 60 ml is all that is needed for ESI sample introduction. The pump is easy to use and has a simple...

Glassware washers.(Product News)
January 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Hotpack Vertical SpaceSaver Double Stack Washer provides up to four loading levels in two independently controlled washing chambers. The washer offers maximum throughput capability and flexibility in a unit with a...

Cytology funnels.(Product News)
January 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Fully compatible with the Shandon CytoSpin Centrifuge, these funnels can be used to deposit a thin layer of cells in a clearly defined area of a microscope slide. An integrated filter card absorbs any excess fluid....

Top-loading autoclaves.(Product News)
January 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Tuttnauer ELV/ELVC autoclaves provide chambers up to 85 L in volume and short batch times. Unit features include a fully integrated printer, an RS-232 interface, automatic locking doors, cooled exhaust steam, UL/CSA...

Nd-YAG laser.(Product News)
January 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] SGR (Super-Gaussian Resonator) series Q-switched Nd:YAG laser combines a Variable Reflectivity Mirror with an unstable resonator design to create a cavity with large TEM00 mode volume for excitation and energy...

Quartz-bottom microplates.(Product News)
January 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Krystal UV quartz-bottomed microplates provide low background and photometric performance down to 220 nm. Precision engineered and assembled using biocompatible adhesive in 96- and 384-well formats, the plates are...

Solid state lasers.(Product News)
January 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] MATRIX 355 solid-state lasers are air-cooled systems that combine consistent operation with high beam quality, low noise and exceptional lifetime. Two models are currently offered: the MATRIX 355-1-60 delivers over...

Syringe pumps.(Product News)
January 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] For accuracy at low microliter or nanoliter flow rates, the Push Pull family of syringe pumps maintains solution in organ cultures with accurate, continuous flow and allows continuous cycling. The pumps are also...

Stainless steel, overbraided PTFE hose.(Product News)
January 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Available in six variations, APFOS hose is constructed of a virgin PTFE core over-braided with series 300 stainless steel wire. The core provides non-restrictive flow and an inert surface. APFOS handles temperatures...

Dry baths.(Product News)
January 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] EchoTherm dry baths include the SC20XT, a simple digital unit, and the fully programmable SC25XT, which has a five-program memory. Both units offer a temperature range from -20 C to 100 C, and incorporate a variable...

Constant temperature glove box.(Product News)
January 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] This system incorporates heating and refrigeration modules that maintain a stable temperature between -25 and 120 F inside a fully integrated glove box, pass-through or desiccator chamber. The complete system...

Centrifugal protein prep.(Product News)
January 1, 2008... C18, C8 and C4 SpinTip kits are available for protein sample preparation. Mass Spectrometric Quality Assurance data is included. **Kits contain tips and reagents for reversed phase solid phase extraction of peptide and protein samples for...

Small animal ventilator.(Product News)
January 1, 2008... TOPO small animal ventilator, provides both volume and pressure control. It can ventilate multiple animals simultaneously. A built-in sensor prevents over pressurization of the lungs. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] * Kent Scientific Corp. ...

Water intake monitor.(Product News)
January 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] The BioDAQ collects bout-by-bout, moment-to-moment water intake data. It works with the same technology developed for food intake products, making it possible to record and analyze both food and water intake for...

Filter units validated for stem cells.(Product News)
January 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Millipore Corp. has announced an initiative to validate many of it's filter products for use with stem cells. The Stericup filter with Express PLUS membrane is the first product available under the initiative. After...

SPE develoment kit.(Product News)
January 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] This tool helps chromatographers develop and optimize solid phase extraction (SPE) sample preparation methods. The kit, is offered for users of Strata SPE products, which remove contaminants in samples prior to HPLC...