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Clinical & life sciences

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page 3

Industry News

Bio-skin to treat diabetic wounds

Karl Conlan (production associate) on the left and Dr. Paul Gratzer on the right in DeCell’s lab. Image courtesy of Paul Gratzer

Halifax-based DeCell Technologies has come up with a better way to produce skin grafts for wound treatment. With an equity investment from Innovacorp, Nova Scotia’s early-stage venture capital organization, DeCell will complete the development and human testing of its first product for the treatment of diabetic foot ulcers.

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The $250,000 seed funding will finance DeCell’s next phase of product development and validation.

“Our current focus is to address the unmet need of treating chronic foot ulcers, a common ailment of diabetics that can take months to heal, is prone to infection, and can lead to An example of DermGEN, the company’s decellularized human dermis product. Image courtesy of Paul Gratzer.

amputation,” said Paul Gratzer, DeCell co-founder and president.“However, our platform technology can also

provide healing solutions for other chronic wounds, burns, and surgical reconstructions.”

DeCell’s technology uses donated human skin to produce a biological dressing that is free of bacteria and viruses, has no chance of being rejected by the patient, and actively promotes tissue regeneration when applied to the wound.

The company’s early studies indicate that its first product, DermGen, offers improved healing with fewer complications and at a reduced cost compared to other competitive products currently in use.

DeCell was co-founded in 2012 by Dr. Gratzer, a biomedical engineer at Dalhousie University, and vice-president Sean Margueratt, an engineer with extensive experience in tissue banking.

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page 4

Global recognition for Montreal researcher

Dr Gray received the Marcus Wallenberg Prize from His Majesty, King Carl XVI Gustaf of Sweden.

Scientist Dr. Derek Gray recently received the prestigious Marcus Wallenberg award – considered the ‘Nobel Prize’ for forestry – in recognition of his cutting-edge research on nanocrystalline cellulose (NCC) fibre during his career with McGill University and FPInnovations.

The prize was awarded by His Majesty the King of Sweden at a ceremony held in Stockholm in late September.

NCC is being hailed as a wonder material that could be used in everything from plastic car parts, to bone replacement and teeth repair, to additives for paint, pigments, inks and cosmetics based on its iridescent optical properties.

The work by Professor Gray and his colleagues helped result in a pioneering NCC pilot project at the FPInnovations lab in Montreal and in the opening of a world first commercial plant, Celluforce, in Windsor Quebec in 2012.

December 2013 Microscopy

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page 5

Industry News

Mississauga lab opens automated line

CML Healthcare recently celebrated

e installation of a new laboratory

tomation system at its Kennedy lab

Mississauga with a ribbon-cutting

remony attended by Mississauga

ayor Hazel McCallion.

The laboratory services provider in-

alled two BD Kiestra Total Laboratory

tomation (TLA) systems, which use

barcode tracking system to identify

mples and perform correct inocula-

ns. The systems automate what previ-

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oculation and incubation of the micro-

Wendy Gilmour and Tom Wellner providing a tour of the Kennedy Road laboratory to Mayor Hazel McCallion who attended the festivities.

ology platforms.

McCallion was given a tour of the facility by CML’s president and CEO,Tom Wellner,

d Wendy Gilmour, the firm’s senior vice-president, laboratory operations.

The company says it is the first laboratory services provider in North America to

ploy this TLA system.

December 2013

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Mining research centre to open at SNOLAB

A new mining and exploration data centre is being created by the Centre

for Excellence in Mining Innovation (CEMI) in the SNOLAB location at the Vale Creighton Mine near Sudbury.

The new Mining Observatory Data Control Centre (MODCC) will help mining companies collect, filter and analyze mining and exploration data. The project was recently awarded with $750,000 in funding from the Ontario government.

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page 6

SNOLAB is an underground science lab specializing in neutrino and dark matter physics situated two kilometres below ground. While the lab has collected a great deal of data with its neutrino research, other mine-related data produced at mines around the world could be stored and made available for use.

At the announcement, l-r: Nigel Smith, SNOLAB; Damien Duff, CEMI; MPP Rick Barlolucci, who announced the funding; Douglas Morrison, CEMI; Andrew Dasys, Objectivity; and John McGaughey, Mira Geosciences.

“SNOLAB is delighted to be partnering with CEMI on the MODCC project, where the application of data management techniques used within astroparticle physics may afford new insights into rock mass studies,” said Dr. Nigel Smith, SNOLAB’s director.“The developing connections between these two leading innovation groups will provide new opportunities which will benefit the local mining communities, and further strengthen the reputation of Sudbury as a major research centre.”

The project is scheduled to be completed by December 2015.

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Product Videos

Reproducible isolation of high-quality RNA

Video demonstrates a solid phase extraction microplate method for reproducible, high-throughput isolation of high-quality DNA-free total RNA. Shows researcher using a VIAFLO 384 handheld 384-channel electronic pipette in conjunction with vacuum manifold, 96-well solid phase extraction (SPE) microplate and RNA isolation kit to reproducibly extract high-quality total RNA from cultured cells and bacteria.

Integra >>> Watch this video on youtube.com

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page 7

Faster protein precipitation sample prep Video shows how the MicroShake orbital shaker can be used to accelerate sample preparation when using Porvair’s p3 protein precipitation plates. The compact, reliable and quiet unit will fit on any bench, in any fume hood or even the deck of a liquid handler.

With a simple adjustment it can be used with any standard footprint microplate.

Porvair >>> Watch this video

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Enhancing protein purification

Two videos show how a new sample pump and fraction collector are designed to enhance GE Healthcare’s ÄKTA™ pure, a modular chromatography system that offers flexible, reliable and intuitive protein purification.

Sample pump provides fast, automated loading of up to seven samples while the fraction collector supports combinations of collection vessels from deep-well plates to 250ml bottles.

GE Healthcare >>> Watch fraction collector video

Watch this video

Watch sample pump video

Watch this video

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page 8

Series explores crystallization’s benefits Four new videos on crystallization help prospective users visualize the benefits of using process analytical technology to improve crystallization for enhanced control of critical process parameters. This enhanced control in turn helps users improve yield, increase purity and shorten cycle times for faster process scaling and lowered manufacturing costs.Free crystallization white papers and on-demand webinars are also available.

Mettler Toledo >>> Watch this video

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CANCER LISTENER Futuristic device will use high-frequency sound waves to detect abnormal cells.

Dr. Michael Kolios, a physicist and Canada Research Chair in Biomedical Applications of Ultrasound at Toronto’s Ryerson University, is researching a cancer-detecting device that will help him ‘listen’ to the sounds produced by normal and abnormal cells in the blood. This research could eventually be used for the early detection of cancer.

An international expert in ultrasound and photo-acoustic imaging, Dr. Kolios recently received a grant worth $170,000 from the Canadian Cancer Society to develop the technique and test the futuristic device.

Using a customized microscope that combines ultrasound and laser

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page 9

Dr. Michael Kolios is testing a technique that will allow him to listen to cancer cells.

Image courtesy of CNW Group/Canadian Cancer Society (National Office)

technology, Dr. Kolios and his team will eavesdrop on the sounds of cells by firing ultrasound and laser waves at drops of a patient’s blood. When hit with laser light, the cells produce a high-frequency squeal allowing researchers to take pictures of the sound waves and create sound profiles for different cells in the blood.

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The group will then test the technique on cells inside the body by running the device over superficial veins, akin to the fictional tricorder used in the TV series Star Trek.The challenge is to distinguish the sounds of cancer cells from the normal cells, which will be done using a series of very complex calculations.

Dr. Kolios and his colleagues will be the first to use a laser to create sound waves and to use very high frequency ultrasound detection.

Combined together, these innovations provide greater sensitivity and specificity for detecting abnormal cells.

When he first proposed this research idea, Dr. Kolios was told it couldn’t be done and was too risky to attempt. However, his intuition and his sense of curiosity told him otherwise.

“I said I’ll take the risk because that’s what the science tells me I should do,” says Dr. Kolios, a physics professor at Ryerson University and Canada Research Chair in Biomedical Applications of Ultrasound.

If successful, this new device could be used to detect cancer cells in the blood during routine blood tests. Currently, a separate test has to be ordered. By listening to and interpreting the sounds cells make, doctors might be able to tell, before symptoms occur, whether the patient is healthy or if an illness is developing.

Dr. Kolios’ ultimate goal is to develop an automated instrument to detect blood cancers as early as possible as well as differentiate cancer cells that are in the process of metastasizing.

“Dr. Kolios’ project epitomizes the kind of risky, but potentially rewarding Visit us online www.labcanada.com Index

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page 10

research we’re supporting through our Innovation Grants,” says Dr. Siân Bevan, the director of research for the Canadian Cancer Society.“He is opening up new opportunities to detect blood cancers earlier and spot those cancers that have broken free from their initial site in the process of spreading.”

To see a video of Dr. Kolios discussing his work view link below.

Watch this video on youtube.com

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Microscopy

Photo credit: Adam Schuetze, Advanced Microscopy Facility, University of Victoria

MassiveMicroscope

New scanning electron holography microscope (STEHM) is the world’s largest microscope and it’s garnering worldwide attention for the University of Victoria.

By Rebecca Reid, Lab Product News

T

he University of Victoria is now home to the world’s largest microscope, significantly bolstering the school’s research capabilities by enabling scientists to view the previously unseen world.

The team led by Rodney Herring, director of UVic’s Advanced Microscopy Facility, and professor of mechanical engineering, says the results produce

by STEHM will kick start a new era of scientific research.

Located in the university’s Bob Right Centre, the scanning transmission electron holography microscope (STEHM) from Hitachi stands 4.5 metres tall and weighs seven tonnes. It took Hitachi’s team a year to assemble the device, and it has been up and running since June.

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page 11

With 65 lenses, STEHM is vastly more powerful than conventional electron microscopes, which only have 18 to 20. In a nutshell, STEHM can do everything that a conventional electron microscope can do but it can do a lot more—and a lot better, Herring noted. It has the ability to determine the number and types of elements present, is highly stable and provides superior imaging.

“Electron microscopes have always suffered from aberrations in their imaging,” Herring explained.“This is the first microscope that corrects both the spherical and chromatic aberrations in forming a small electron probe.” Plus, you can see more of your specimen at high resolution.

“The field of view of the high-resolution image is 10 times larger than the next best microscope,” he added.“Usually in these high-resolution images the field of view is about 10 nanometres (nm).This one goes out to 1,000 nm.”

Gold atoms were viewed by Herring at a 35-picometre (pm) resolution. By comparison, the best image previously taken was at 49 pm, and was captured at the Lawrence Berkely National Laboratory in California.

Another major benefit is that the microscope is very, very stable, which is beneficial for recording images of samples that are beam-sensitive.

“For some types of specimens, like biological specimens and plastics – things that are beam-sensitive – it has to have a low-dose condition so the specimen doesn’t degrade when you’re recording the image,” Herring said.

“With this microscope, it is so stable that in recording images, they can be recorded for hundreds of seconds – even at atomic resolution – where other microscopes have to record images in half a second or two seconds.”

>>> December 2013 Microscopy

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Microscopy

Herring said the low-dose imaging is a great benefit to the life sciences, medical sciences and chemistry users, and for fuel cell development.

In fact, Ned Dijali, one of UVic’s professors of mechanical engineering says STEHM “opens up entirely new possibilities in fuel cell technology.” Dijali has been working with the National Research Council, Vancouver-based Ballard Power Systems and Mercedes-Benz on fuel cell research.

STEHM has given UVic greater international visibility, garnering interest and visits from researchers from around the world, with the first being from Dr. Vincenzo Grillo from the Istituto Nanoscienze Consiglio Nazionale Delle Figure 1

STEHM Au Sample

STEHM BaTi03 Sample

Left: Atomic resolution image of single crystal gold. Right: Resolution image of barium titanate. Note the high contrast of the atomic columns that have a large spacing. Barium titanate exhibits ferroelectric properties as a ceramic and is an excellent photorefractive material and has piezoelectric properties. As a semiconductor barium titanate exhibits a positive temperature co-efficient of resistivity (PTCR) enabling it to exhibit an increase in resistivity at the Curie temperature.

Barium titanate is most often used as a thermistor in thermal switches.

Photo credit: Dr. Rodney Herring, Advanced Microscopy Facility, University of Victoria.

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Richerche in Modena, Italy.

It has also been a boon for the university’s reputation.

UVic was ranked top university in the comprehensive category by Maclean’s Magazine in its 2014 University Rankings.

“A lot of that evaluation depends on the research capabilities and projects,” Herring said.“This is the largest infrastructure on campus and it would have contributed a lot to this evaluation.”

And it will help attract students because they want to attend schools that have excellent capabilities, he added.

However, the microscope didn’t come cheap. It came with a $9.2 million price tag and was supported by the Canadian Foundation for Innovation, the BC Knowledge Development Fund, UVic and Hitachi.

Yet with the insight it will provide, STEHM was well-worth the cost as both industry and pure research will benefit from the investment.

Photo credit: Adam Schuetze, Advanced Microscopy Facility, University of Victoria

page 12

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KEEPINGCLEAN Contamination of pharmaceutical products is a major concern as it can slow a product’s time to market, lead to product recalls and compromise consumer safety. It is therefore critical to prevent contamination events and improve control in the product manufacturing process.

By Reiner Hedderich and Yvonne BerghĂśfer-Hochheimer

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page 13

C

ompanies can take a variety of prevention measures to identify contamination earlier in the production process. These include strengthening quality control (QC) microbiology programs and incorporating faster and more effective technologies for environmental monitoring, sterility testing, and media fills.

QC Microbiology Programs An optimal QC microbiology program is one that incorporates knowledge of microbiology and aseptic processing, leverages well-trained operators, incorporates established and robust technology and systems, and implements thorough validation programs. The program should take into consideration: • A formal risk-assessment program • Intimate knowledge of the product and processes • An effective operator-training program • Standard operating procedures • Validation protocols • Environmental monitoring trending data • Corrective Actions/Preventative Actions (CAPA) and investigation protocols • Personnel with microbiological experience or training • High-quality products that are manufactured to the highest specifications A robust QC microbiology program should encompass all of these requirements to increase control in the product manufacturing process and ensure products are manufactured to the desired specifications.

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Clinical & Life Sciences

Environmental monitoring is an essential component of any QC microbiology program and is used to determine the microbial and particulate content of air and surfaces. When applied in a timely manner, environmental monitoring and sterility testing can improve quality assurance and help identify conditions contributing to excessive microbial and particulate levels, and alert personnel to conditions exceeding classification. A number of products are available to help pharmaceutical companies more effectively manage their QC microbiology programs.

Surface monitoring Surface monitoring is conducted to determine the presence of viable microorganisms on a variety of critical surfaces, including laminar airflow workbenches, floors, laboratory personnel and difficult-to-reach areas such as the interior of tubing and filling needles.

Contact Plates Contact plates are used for sampling flat or convex surfaces.These 50mm diameter plates are filled so the solid media protrudes, usually tryptic soy agar (TSA), a general purpose medium, or Sabouraud dextrose agar (SDA), suited for the growth of yeasts and moulds.The agar surface is then pressed against the surface to be tested and incubated to determine the number of colonies, if any, present on the surface.

Recent advances have made the use of contact plates safer and more effective. First, contact plate media containing only non-animal origin substances has been developed.This minimizes the potential to transmit animal sponVisit us online www.labcanada.com Index

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page 14

giform encephalopathy (TSE/BSE), a risk associated with the use of the animal-derived TSA. Additionally, when coming into contact with test surfaces, contact plates can pick up residues of the sanitizing agents used for cleaning or disinfecting.

Hundreds of different sanitizers are used in pharmaceutical facilities around the world.These different sanitizing substances can inhibit the growth of contaminants on the contact plate.

To counteract the growth-inhibiting properties of these sanitizers, neutralizers have been added to the culture media. Appropriate combinations of lecithin, polysorbate 80, histidine and sodium thiosulfate are believed to neutralize up to 80% of the sanitizers typically used. However, some of the remaining substances, such as polyhexamethylene biguanides, have proved difficult.

To cover a larger proportion of the sanitizers, a new neutralizing mixture was recently introduced called Neutralizer A. It has proved successful in neutralizing all sanitizers tested so far, with recovery rates all above 50% compared to control plate counts.1 In addition, residues of antibiotics previously produced in the pharmaceutical facility, for instance β-lactam derivatives, are also able to inhibit microbial growth on contact plates. However, a combination of a new cephalosporinase and penicillinase provides inactivation of a broad spectrum of β-lactam antibiotics, including cephalosporins of the third and fourth generation.

Swabs For irregular surfaces such as equipment recesses, nooks, crevices,

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Clinical & Life Sciences

tubing and filling needles, contact plates are impractical. Instead, premoistened swabs may be used to validate cleaning and sanitation procedures and to verify that a required hygiene level has been reached.

The swab head is the most critical component of the swab. It needs to be lint-free and extremely low in non-volatile residues and particulates. Swab heads can be made of various materials, including polyester, polyurethane, nylon and cotton, and these materials can be structured or knitted in different ways. The type of material determines the extent to which abrasion may occur, and some materials may be degraded by aggressive solvents and subsequently leave residues. The swab’s shaft also requires consideration. It needs to be flexible and long enough to reach difficult-to-reach locations, such as tubing interiors.

Air Monitoring There are several standard ways of monitoring airborne potential contaminants. Passive air sampling uses solid media settle plates exposed to the air for a pre-determined period of time. Active air sampling utilizes an instrument that draws ambient air and then directs the air stream at an attached agar plate or strip for collection. Particle counters are used to quantify potential contaminants in the air.

Settle Plates Settle plates usually contain TSA or SDA, and they are placed throughout the test area with their lids removed. After exposure, the plates are closed Visit us online www.labcanada.com Index

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page 15

and incubated. The number of colonies is then counted and the microorganisms are identified. For safe and efficient documentation, pre-barcoded culture media plates are used, enabling each plate to be fully traceable back to its date of use and the location of sampling.

A major drawback when using settle plates is that they lose water due to evaporation when exposed, leading to an increasingly dry skin on the agar surface. This can cause poor growth of certain microbes on the media and thus an underestimation of the proportion of these organisms in the air.

Over a typical four-hour exposure period in a unidirectional airflow cabinet, TSA plates have been found to lose up to 16% of their original weight.

However, when such plates were inoculated with typical contaminants and subsequently incubated, all recovery rates were above 70%.2 Active Air Samplers There are several ways to help avoid contamination when using active air samplers in critical areas, including isolators and RABS. First, it is important that the air flow is not severely disrupted by the instrument’s operation, placement or removal, as disturbance makes it easier for contaminants to attach to instrument housing. To minimize air flow disruption in isolators and other confined areas, as well as to save space, manufacturers have developed variants of their instruments. For example, their air ducting is directed from the sampling points outside the controlled area where all electronic and moving parts remain. To analyze the disruption propensity of an instrument in use, companies can

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Clinical & Life Sciences

conduct smoke studies that visualize the movement of air in decommissioned cleanrooms. Some air samplers are specifically designed with rounded edges and other features to minimize air flow disruption.

Active air sampling is also used to identify microbial contamination in compressed gasses, which come into contact with sterile product at numerous points in any production process.

Microbial contamination can exist in the valves or lines that are used to feed gas and air into critical, aseptic manufacturing environments. When testing compressed gasses, it is important to ensure constant air flow and consistent air sampling for accurate and reliable sampling. Some compressed gas monitors provide automated operation and conversion of the compressed air or gas sample, which can be at pressures of up to 5 bar (73 psi), to atmospheric conditions. Automated operation and short-duration, high-volume sampling reduces the time and effort required for monitoring and validating aseptic conditions.

The portable APC SmartTouch airborne particle counter system.

Particle Counters Particle monitoring of ambient air is conducted to quantify non-viable contaminants in the air and to determine the quality of air in controlled environments. Quantitative particle data often also provides an indication of the status regarding viable contaminants because most airborne microbes adhere to particles.

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page 16

When selecting an air particle monitoring system, pharmaceutical companies must choose either pre-installed or portable particle counters – there are pros and cons to both types. In many pharmaceutical production facilities, the particle counters are pre-installed at specified locations.

When the infrastructure of the facility allows for pre-installed particle counters, the systems have proved very convenient.

However, many pharmaceutical companies opt for the flexibility of portable particle counters. For example, the EMD Millipore’s APC SmartTouch can be programmed from a touchscreen and is able to display a visual representation of a cleanroom’s sampling locations, thus reducing the likelihood of human error.

Media Fill Trials Media fill trials simulate the actual filling process as closely as possible, using media in place of the liquid pharmaceutical ingredients. They are performed to help validate or revalidate the robustness of aseptic manufacturing processes, demonstrating whether a product is likely to become contaminated during the filling process.

In these trials, the media comes into contact with the same production line components that the pharmaceutical product will eventually touch.

Using material guaranteed to be free of BSE/TSE is therefore pivotal, and the use of non-animal origin media fill is increasing. Like animal-based peptone media, these vegetable media allow growth of a similarly broad range of microorganisms. In quantitative tests of 20 Gram positive

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Clinical & Life Sciences

and 8 Gram negative bacterial strains as well as 8 fungal strains, the growth-promoting properties of vegetable peptone broth were found to be similar to those of tryptic soy broth (TSB).3 Conclusion To protect product integrity, pharmaceutical companies must take measures to identify contamination events faster. A more robust QC microbiology program can increase control in the product manufacturing process and ensure products are manufactured to the desired specifications. Additionally, new technologies for environmental monitoring can help detect contamination events earlier and prevent future instances. Programs that are timely, comprehensive, and effective will minimize risk and increase consumer safety.

About the Authors Dr. Hedderich is head of the Research & Development Department and is also responsible for the quality control of raw materials at heipha Dr. Mueller in Germany. He has a Ph.D. in microbiology. Dr. Berghöfer-Hochheimer is product manager at heipha. She holds a Ph.D. in molecular biology.

Notes 1. Hedderich R. and Klees A. (2012): Neutralization of Disinfectants by Culture Media used in Environmental Monitoring in Environmental Monitoring – A Comprehensive Handbook, Volume 6: 159-180 2. Sandle, T. (2011): Microbial recovery on settle plates in unidirectional airflow cabinets. Clean Air and Containment Review 6/2011.

3. Mueller R. and Hedderich R (2009): Growth Promoting Properties of a Vegeterian Peptone Broth in Comparison to Tryptic Soy Broth (TSB). PDA’s 4th Annual Global Conference on Pharmaceutical Microbiology, Bethesda, MD, USA (poster presentation) Visit us online www.labcanada.com Index

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Instrument & Equipment News

page 17

Solution neutralizes corrosive chemicals

Despite the best safety efforts, serious injuries to skin and eyes still occur from exposure to corrosive chemicals. Prevor Diphoterine is a sterile active washing solution that can help prevent or minimize damage. It provides a quick response to splashes to the skin and eyes. The solution identifies, captures and absorbs acidic or basic molecules, bringing them back into the safe physiological range.

Levitt-Safety www.chemicalsplashsolution.com

Yeast, mould test results in two days Conventional agar testing methods for yeast and moulds require a five-to-seven day incubation period. In contrast, the Petrifilm Rapid Yeast and Mold Count Plate enables detection in as little as 48 hours with the flexibility of incubation at 25째C or 28째C. Has a three-step process and contains technological enhancements to prevent colonies from spreading or overlapping, providing superior interpretation.

3M Food Safety www.3m.com/foodsafety December 2013 Microscopy

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Instrument & Equipment News

Vortexer quickly heats and cools samples Many labs need to mix, and heat or cool liquids simultaneously. With a compact footprint, temperature-controlled Accutherm Microtube shaking incubator vortexer uses Peltier technology to heat and cool samples rapidly. Large colour display allows users to program and view temperature, time and speed settings while eight interchangeable aluminum blocks accommodate PCR plates and tube sizes from 0.2 ml to 15 ml.

Labnet International www.labnetinternational.com

Circulator maintains temperature stability

Many labs need to mix, and heat or cool. Precise cooling enhances electrophoresis separations. High-performance Advanced Digital Refrigerating AD07R-20 circulator is compact, easy-to-use and combines touch-pad operation with automatic or user-adjustable fluid optimization. Also offers ±0.1°C temperature stability to maintain buffer solutions at optimum temperatures even under varying electrophoresis voltages. Features -20°C to 200°C working temperature range, a 3.75-in. display and variable-speed pressure-suction pump.

Polyscience http://www.polyscience.com/en/category-refrigeratingcirculators-baths.php#!/category6-tab20 Visit us online www.labcanada.com Index

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page 18

Protocol improves samples for HPLC

Drying HPLC purification fractions, principally comprising water and acetonitrile, is a routine yet essential task in many pharmaceutical labs.

Samples must be dried to a powder form, so they can be accurately weighted, easily sub-sampled and redissolved. The SuperCool 75 condenser chills to -75째C and, combined with high throughput evaporator, improves results for the lyophilisation methodology for preparing powdered samples from HPLC fractions.

Genevac www.genevac.com

Peristaltic pumps are maintenance-free

Reducing the need for maintenance is important to maximize uptime. Allegro series peristaltic pumps provide maintenance-free, continuous flow pumping in forward or reverse direction.

The units can be configured for specific flow profiles using an intuitive touch-screen interface. Three models are available with varying flow rates and channels.

KD Scientific http://www.kdscientific.com December 2013 Microscopy

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Raman spectrometer offers better sensitivity Low-noise Raman spectrometers provide better results. Delivering high performance spectral images with the lowest possible optical aberrations, the PPO 785 Raman spectrometer provides real-time quantitative analysis of chemical compositions with high throughput and low noise. Suitable for applications in quality control, pharmaceuticals, forensics, polymers, and hazardous material identification.

P&P Optica www.ppo.ca/spectrometers/ppo-785-raman

Safety glasses double as safety goggles Convenient anti-fog safety glasses-to-goggle eyewear is designed for those who need the benefits of both safety glasses and goggles in their work environment. The Swap line provides the comfort and style of a safety spectacle but with goggle-like protection. It easily fills both roles with a simple switch of the temples for the goggle head strap, which is included with each pair.

Gateway Safety www.GatewaySafety.com Visit us online www.labcanada.com Index

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Sensitive, flexible, imaging cytometer

Next-generation SpectraMax MiniMax 300 imaging cytometer enables both cellular visualization and first-of-its-kind stain free cell-based analysis on a fieldupgradable microplate reader.

Brightfield and fluorescence based green and red channel cellular image acquisition and analysis is made simple. System gives scientists now have more ways to compress their workflows and increase efficiency.

Molecular Devices www.moleculardevices.com/spectramax

Liquid level sensors are explosion-proof Where flammable and explosive atmospheres exist, specialized electrical sensors must be deployed. ELS-1150XP Series electro-optic liquid level sensors are designed and approved for these types of hazardous environments. At just 2-in in length, the rugged sensors have no moving parts and are suitable for monitoring the small, pressurized vessels found in oil, gas and petrochem environments.

Gems Sensors www.GemsSensors.com December 2013 Microscopy

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High-res 3D localization microscopy

Super-resolution is a major trend in light microscopy. The SR GSD 3D wide-field system offers both 2D and 3D super-resolution imaging of molecules and cellular structures. Based on ground state depletion technology, it attains resolutions down to 20 nm in the later and 40 nm in the lateral. Extremely low autofluorescence ensures a high signal-to-noise ratio, making it suitable for single molecule detection.

Leica Microsystems www.leica-microsystems.com

Bench-top pipettor can replace six robots

Speeding up processes is useful but only when the data tracking system can keep up. Hamilton Robotics’ Vantage platform can replace four to six other pipetting robots and provides the ability to prepare samples with precision and traceability, helping to ensure downstream data reliability. The space-efficient system covers a volume range from 100 nl to 1 ml. The benchtop device can be upgraded with a Logistics Cabinet that offers tip and plate shuffling from below the pipetting deck and customizable smart waste solutions.

A telescopic vertical Track Gripper can also be added to transport samples from below- or off-deck third-party devices.

Hamilton Robotics www.hamiltonrobotics.com/hamilton-robotics/vantage/ Visit us online www.labcanada.com Index

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Evaporator integrates with liquid handling robots

Automation is often crucial to increase productivity. The turnkey UltraVap Mistral robotcompatible automatic dry down station works with robotic liquid handling systems from many third-party suppliers. It features a new shuttle design that is capable of serving and retrieving microplates to and from the robot deck without further need for off-deck handling Porvair Sciences www.porvair-sciences.com/en/services-menu/ equipment/ultravap-rc-microplate-evaporator/

Flash instrument simultaneously measures 16 samples

The flash method is a fast, non-contact and efficient method for measuring the three fundamental thermophysical properties of thermal diffusivity, specific heat capacity and thermal conductivity. A new light flash apparatus, the LFA 467 HyperFlash, can carry out measurements from -100°C to 500°C with a single instrument set-up – without having to swap out either the detector or the furnace.

Netzsch www.netzsch.com/n75565 December 2013 Microscopy

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Data logger monitors indoor temperatures Suitable for recording temperature data in indoor environments, Onset’s Hobo UX120-014M data logger can accept up to four thermocouple sensors. The logger can be easily configured to sound an alarm for specific high or low temperatures and users can set up burst logging where the device records data under certain conditions.

Hoskin Scientific http://www.hoskin.ca/catalog/index.php?main_page= product_info&cPath=2_795_860_861&products_id=2653

Autosampler for use with XYZ robotic platform Automation is key in today’s laboratory environment. The new Flex Series GC Autosampler offers a new level of automation in the GC and GC/MS laboratory for both endusers and OEM customers. Designed with liquid injection capability with an upgrade path to headspace or SPME analysis, the Flex was designed to allow the user to unlock the true power of a fully functioning XYZ robotic platform.

EST Analytical www.estanalytical.com Visit us online www.labcanada.com Index

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Bench-top hematology analyzer has user-friendly features User-friendliness is often the hallmark of an effective instrument. The Abacus 3CT hematology analyzer has been enhanced to make it even easier to use. The compact bench-top, three-part differential analyzer with cap closed-tube sampling how has colour touch-screen technology, and a brand-new intuitive software interface.

Diatron www.diatron.com

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