An international research led by the UGR shows that 90 % of store and supermarket receipts are made of thermal paper containing bisphenol A (BPA). BPA is a well‑known endocrine disruptor that alters hormonal balance in people exposed to it, and it leads to hormonal diseases such as genitourinary malformations, infertility, obesity and cancer in hormone‑dependent organs.

Leica Microsystems has launched a new class of instruments for high-speed, high-quality imaging of a large diversity of samples.

In order to expand its capacities and modernise its packaging line, those responsible for the location of a large biotechnology firm in the Netherlands were looking for a new system to pack vials and pens in different configurations. Automating this small-component packaging task would open up the possibility of increasing efficiency and saving production costs. At the same time, the chosen packaging solution needed to offer a high level of flexibility and precise handling.

Gold nanoparticles can be used in a variety of ways, i.e. as active ingredient carriers in medicine. Although their synthesis is already very successful today, it is difficult to predict how the particles interact with the environment and humans. Scientists are therefore intensively investigating the behaviour of nanoparticles in order to make them more efficient and safer.

Researchers at Aalto University, Finland, have developed anticancer nanomaterials by simulating the volcano-induced dynamic chemistry of the deep ocean.

Agilent Technologies expanded its portfolio of instruments for molecular diagnostics with the introduction of the AriaDx Real-Time PCR System.

When influenza viruses enter our body, the immune system recognises them as being foreign by means of various receptors and starts a defence programme.Scientists of the Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research (HZI) in Braunschweig and of the Otto von Guericke University Magdeburg recently studied the detailed role of a certain receptor in this first line of defence. They discovered that the receptor activates natural killer cells, which use messenger substances to activate other immune cells and then eliminate body cells that are infected by viruses.

Merck launched its new Cellstream benchtop flow cytometry system — a compact, customizable flow cytometer that uses a camera for detection. According to the manufacturer, its unique optics system and design provide researchers with unparalleled sensitivity and flexibility when analyzing cells and submicron particles.

Bremen and MS — both linked by a tradition extending over many years. No surprise, then, that one of the most outstanding MS technologies in recent history has made its way in the world from there. Where will this journey take us next?

Much better treatment options now exist for many illnesses compared to what was available ten years ago. Their effectiveness depends, however, on early detection. Laboratory diagnostics create a highly dynamic bond between scientific progress and medical applications.