News
New test diagnoses Lyme disease within 15 minutes
A team led by Sam Sia, professor of biomedical engineering at Columbia Engineering, has developed a rapid microfluidic test that can detect Lyme disease with similar performance as the standard 2-tiered approach (STT) in a much shorter time -- 15 minutes.
"Antibiotic Never Events": The ideal target to reduce antimicrobial exposure
Several antimicrobial stewardship strategies are aimed at improving the quality of antibiotic use, including the provision of guidelines for optimal antibiotic selection, de-escalation of therapy, reduction of prolonged duration of therapy, and conversion of antibiotic treatment from an intravenous to an oral route.
New treatment may reverse celiac disease
Results of a new phase 2 clinical trial using technology developed at Northwestern Medicine show it is possible to induce immune tolerance to gluten in individuals with celiac disease. The findings may pave the way for treated celiac patients to eventually tolerate gluten in their diet.
Scientists may be getting closer to creating a universal flu vaccine
We already have vaccines that prevent influenza, but there is a catch. Specialists have to keep creating vaccines that target specific flu strains if they want this preventive strategy to be effective. Can scientists create one flu vaccine to rule them all?
Your lab needs its own disaster plan
In mid-October, California was dealing with wildfires and cautionary blackouts that could last up to six days. A month earlier, Hurricane Dorian had meandered up the east coast triggering evacuations. Life sciences labs in these regions know from experience that their organization’s disaster contingency plans are only the starting point.
Embattled scientist sharpens plans for gene-edited babies
Rebrikov was a well-regarded but little-known geneticist across town at the Pirogov Russian National Research Medical University when a June news article in Nature revealed his controversial plan to alter the DNA in human embryos with CRISPR, the powerful genome editor, and then implant them so they could develop into babies.
How real-world data could advance clinical trials, precision medicine
Real-world data has the potential to enhance clinical trials and precision medicine, but researchers will need to ensure data is accurate and valid to truly impact patient care.
Proposed medical waste incinerator worries residents of southern Alberta county
A group of concerned Rocky View County residents say they want more consultation over a proposal to build a nearby medical waste incinerator.
Machine learning's next frontier: Epigenetic drug discovery
Machine learning's powerful ability to detect patterns in complex data is revolutionizing how we drive, how we diagnose disease and now, how we discover new drugs. Scientists at Sanford Burnham Prebys Medical Discovery Institute have developed a machine-learning algorithm that gleans information from microscope images.
We need your help to grow this newsletter! Please pass along the subscription link to any colleague you think would benefit from hearing about med lab news.