Month: October 2012

How to read microplates in zero-G

IT MAY be a problem faced by few laboratories, but any that need to cope with microplate readings in situations other than one standard Earth gravity need look no further than BMG Labtech’s Polarstar microplate reader.   Researchers at the University…

Concentrate biological samples quickly and safely

GENEVAC outlines the significant operational benefits that can be found when its miVac sample concentrator is used instead of a ‘blowdown’ evaporation system.   Blowdown evaporators remove solvent (as their name suggests) by blowing inert gas into open sample vessels. They…

Lab labels made faster and easier

A NEW printing system for laboratory labels uses drop-in supplies that make it possible to change materials in just 20 seconds. The Brady BBP33 label printer needs no adjustment or calibration when switching label type.   Brady says the new label…

More storage capacity from these 96-well plates

A NEW range of low-height, high capacity microplates allow more sample to be stored in a given volume, says Porvair Sciences.   These shallow 96-well plates are available with well capacities of 350ul, 270ul, and 220ul in a height of just…

weekly news: Loss of corporate memory in the laboratory

AMONG the many interesting observations this week at the Planet xMap symposium in Monaco was discussion of an industry trend by Tim Dehne, VP marketing for sponsoring company Luminex. The company’s microbead-based assays are being exploited in many new and…

Assessing the potential of next-generation sequencing

SINCE being introduced just seven years ago in 2005, next generation sequencing (NGS) has attracted much interest for providing a faster and more comprehensive method of genomic analysis. Now the full potential of the technology is discussed in a new…

xMap at 10: towards a future of precision medicine

THE TENTH annual Planet xMap conference, currently underway in Monaco, has addressed many of the topical issues in medical research and diagnostics including the outlook for the people of the poorest nations, the potential of neuronal stem cells, and the…

Winning micrograph image scores seal of approval

THE EUROPEAN Microscopy Congress, EMC2012, held last month in Manchester, UK, was used by Agar Scientific to host two competitions related to microscopy imaging.   The company supported the biennial International Micrograph Competition organised by the Royal Microscopical Society, which awarded…

Cooled CCD camera gives fast images in low light

A NEW CCD camera which exploits thermoelectric cooling to give rapid imaging in low light conditions, for use in Raman spectroscopy, chemiluminescence, and microscopy, has been launched by Artemis CCD.  The QS14 camera is designed primarily for imaging in very low…