Lean Isolation Workstations David Suzuki Biofuels are not a panacea
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The Definitive Source For Lab Products, News And Developments
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Lean glove boxes deliver process isolation for more reliable, accurate results
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Cannabis Labs look to unlock scientific and commercial potential
Gas Chromatograph Mass Spectrometer
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CONTENTS 10
Power Plant
Will growing our fuels drive us to a cleaner future?
Lean Isolation Workstations Increase Empirical Success
By Hermione Wilson
By David Suzuki
Swapping fossil fuels for biofuels may bring us a host of new environmental issues.
By Ed Sullivan
Seeking simpler, more reliable isolation alternatives to the large complex glove box.
Anandia Labs is delving into the DNA of the cannabis plant.
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Photo credit: Goya Ngan
standards
Do the flip!
to read how Manchester united in its life sciences identity.
guest editorial 5
feature
Cannabis research gains momentum 14
Canadian news 6
Cannabis oil offers options for patients and producers 19
Biofuels are not a panacea
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The DefiniTive Source for Lab ProDucTS, newS anD DeveLoPmenTS
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September/October 2016
moments in time
Canadians allowed cannabis for medicinal purposes but CMA calls for more research 23
septeMBer/oCtoBer 2016
Lean glove boxes deliver process isolation for more reliable, accurate results
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Championing the Business of Biotechnology in Canada
Manchester United
Lab ware 20 moments in time 23
LaW
Lean IsoLatIon WorkstatIons DavID suzukI
on twitter at @biolabmag
City unites in transformation from industrial Capital to life sCienCe innovator
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suzuki matters
Cannabis Labs look to unlock scientific and commercial potential
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Robert Price
I’
d like to propose a two-step formula for Twitter outrage. First, target your outrage. Remember, the more open to polite disagreement the issue is, the more you can moralize. If you can’t find a topic, choose an old standard: mainstream media, police, elites, burkinis, The West, and so on. Second, tweet. Inject snark (like so) and attach a) clever, ironic gifs, and b) quotes from Martin Luther King Jr. or another civil rights leader whose wisdom can be generalized to any topic. Regardless of where you focus your outrage, what’s most important is that you signal your virtue. But seriously, is there a meaner place than Twitter? Generally, when I come across a Twitter crusader, I treat their tweets with suspicion. Surely this tweep’s tweets are meant to affirm the tweeter rather than to educate Twitter. Then again, some outrage turns out to be warranted. Take the Turing Pharmaceuticals debacle. If you’ve forgotten that black mark on the pharma industry, a quick reminder: In 2015, under the leadership of arch scoundrel Martin Shkreli, Turing jacked the price of the HIV drug Daraprim by more than 5,000 per cent. The outrage that blossomed out of the increase was appropriate on a number of levels. Not only did the increase push the drug beyond the reach for most patients, it blackened the reputation of the pharmaceutical industry and confirmed the beliefs of underfed conspiracy theorists who believe Big Pharma invented AIDS, owns world governments, and wants to subjugate humanity. Given the bad PR that followed Turing’s questionable moves, we might want to take to Twitter and, outraged, ask why the late stage cancer drug Xtandi has to cost $90 per pill, or $129,000 for a year of treatment. And why is Xtandi’s producer, Medivation, blocking Biolyse Pharma from producing a generic version of Xtandi? Why not let Biolyse produce a generic that costs $3 per pill, or $4,400 for a year’s worth of treatment? It’s easy to get outraged over Xtandi – especially after learning that Pfizer announced it will purchase Medivation for $14 billion, largely on the performance of Xtandi. But easy outrage is part of the problem with how we talk about difficult issues. As ugly as the profit motive sounds in drug discovery, it remains a powerful – dare I say essential – motive for producers. Allowing Biolyse to manufacture cheap generics may produce a social good – and profit for Biolyse. But that generic only exists because Medivation and the drug’s creators sunk so much time and money into engineering Xtandi. Would they have undertaken these efforts if wealth wasn’t waiting for them down the road? Probably not. And it must be said that Medivation wouldn’t find itself in such a lucrative position had the U.S. government not funded part of the drug discovery through public university. Both sides have a strong case. Yes, companies that invent new drugs deserve to profit from their labour. And yes, life is sanctified and patients should always have access to affordable medication. How do we find a middle ground between what seem like incompatible approaches to health care? Here’s one idea: give governments and philanthropists shareholder rights. When a drug firm sells itself, each early stage funder (and not just venture capitalists) takes a share of the profit. Governments and philanthropists can direct profit back into early stage discovery. So we should celebrate Pfizer’s purchase of Medivation. Good on Medivation for turning a profit. But we could all celebrate a little louder if public funders received a cut of that $14-billion, and if the public’s not insignificant cut was used to fund early stage research business isn’t ready to fund. If what I propose is redundant, unworkable, or stifling, please, cue the outrage.
Robert Price is the former Managing Editor of this publication. Follow him @pricerobertg. www.labbusinessmag.com
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Canadian NEWS Federal Government Funds Mineral Exploration Initiative
Companion Diagnostic Test Offered for Keytruda Treatment Dynacare recently announced the nationwide availability of a new Health Canada-approved companion diagnostic, the PD-L1 IHC 22C3 pharmDx assay by Dako. It assesses the eligibility of metastatic non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients for treatment with pembrolizumab (Keytruda), Merck’s anti-PD-1 therapy. The new test has the ability to detect cancer cells disguised as healthy cells in non small cell lung cancer patients. It determines whether a patient has tumorous cells that are avoiding attack by T-cells through the expression of PD-L1.
Largest single investment in Laurentian University’s history will fund mining research. (CNW Group/Laurentian University)
Researchers Share Organic Farming Science
aurentian University is launching an unprecedented research effort to help the mineral industry make lower risk exploration investments in Canada and abroad and reverse the current lower discovery rates of new mineral deposits. This seven-year initiative, named Metal Earth, received a boost of $49 million over seven years from the Canada First Research Excellence Fund (CFREF). The announcement was made in September. Twenty-two partners from academia, industry and government are providing $55 million in cash and in-kind contributions to this $104 million effort. CFREF helps Canadian postsecondary institutions excel globally in research areas that create long-term economic advantages for Canada. The inaugural competition led to five awards totaling $350 million in 2015. The federal government announced that $900 million would go to 13 universities out of 51 applicants. A third competition is expected to be launched in 2021-22. Funding decisions were made by a high-profile selection board following peer review based on scientific merit and demonstrated capacity to lead on an international scale, strategic relevance to Canada, and the quality of the implementation plan. “This is the largest funding announcement in Laurentian’s 56CFREF helps Canadian year history and the largest exploration postsecondary institutions excel research program ever undertaken in globally in research areas that Canada,” says Laurentian University create long-term economic President and Vice-Chancellor Dominic advantages for Canada. Giroux. The inaugural competition led to Laurentian University also received a five awards totaling $350 million $10 million gift from the Harquail family in 2015. intended for its Department of Earth Sciences, which is being renamed the Harquail School of Earth Sciences. David Harquail is the President and CEO of Franco-Nevada Corporation, a gold-focused royalty company listed on the Toronto and New York stock exchanges. Metal Earth will involve researchers from Laurentian and its partner institutions and the recruitment of more than 35 post-doctoral fellows, research assistants, technicians and support staff, more than 80 graduate and 100 undergraduate students and numerous subcontracts. It will lead to the hiring at Laurentian of a Research Chair in Exploration Targeting and three additional faculty members in Precambrian Geology, Earth Systems Modelling and Exploration Geophysics.
“Sharing research that grows organic” was the theme of the second Canadian Organic Science Conference, held recently in Montreal-Longueuil. The event gave researchers and organic producers the opportunity to share knowledge and consisted of two days of conference presentations and a field day of visits to Quebec organic farms. Worldrenowned international and Canadian scientists presented their research in all aspects of organic agriculture, including crop and livestock production, soil science, and value chain development.
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Cord Blood Stem Cells Delivered to Canadian Patient
Canadian Blood Services’ Cord Blood Bank has delivered a cord blood unit for the transplant of stem cells to its first Canadian patient. Rich in stem cells, cord blood is collected from the umbilical cord and placenta of volunteer donors shortly after birth. As of today, Canadian Blood Services has collected more than 11,200 cord blood units from mothers across Canada and has banked more than 1,400 units which are available for searching and matching.
Worldwide NEWS University of Lyon Uses Both Old and New Methods to Study Paleothermometry
T
he University of Lyon in France used the Linkam THMS600 temperature stage for the study of Brillouin spectroscopy of fluid inclusions and temperature controlled microscopy. In September, Linkam Scientific Instruments in Tadworth, UK, reported on the use of their worldleading THMS600 h e a t i n g /c o o l i n g stage for the study of water anomalies by looking at the Brillouin spectroscopy of fluid inclusions proposed as a paleothermometer for Emmanuel Guillerm using the Linkam THMS600 stage in his PhD subsurface rocks. studies in paleothermometry under the supervision of Véronique Frédéric Caupin, a Gardien and Frédéric Caupin at the University of Lyon 1. Professor in the Liquids and Interfaces Group at the Institute of Light and Matter CNRS at Using the small bubbles trapped during Université Claude the formation of minerals, they find Bernard Lyon 1, studies indications to the ambient temperature the research of water anomalies. Water, the when they were formed. In situations most common liquid, is where a bubble is not present, they shine also the most anomalous a laser on one of the drops and analyze due to its complex light after its interaction with the liquid. hydrogen bonded network. Using the small bubbles trapped during the formation of minerals, they find indications to the ambient temperature when they were formed. In situations where a bubble is not present, they shine a laser on one of the drops and analyze light after its interaction with the liquid. The experimental work for this was performed using a Linkam THMS600 stage. Describing the set-up, Professor Caupin says, “The Linkam stage was ideal as a turnkey solution to apply the wide thermal cycles necessary to our study while providing easy optical access to perform the spectroscopic measurements.” Having established that the Brillouin and traditional bubble-based method are in excellent agreement, the group is now going to apply the both techniques to samples that are relevant for paleothermometry, to understand temperature in ancient times.
Siemens Healthineers to Build Diagnostics Manufacturing Facility in China Siemens Healthineers announced that it will expand the company’s existing manufacturing operations in Shanghai, China to include a new in vitro diagnostics facility. The China manufacturing facility will enable in-country manufacturing capabilities for clinical chemistry and immunoassay reagents. China is the second -largest market for Siemens Healthineers. This project will strengthen Seimens’ ability to support Chinese healthcare reform and address the evolving needs in the Chinese market and in healthcare markets across the globe. Siemens Healthineers expects to employ hundreds of additional employees once the project is complete.
Growing Plants for Mars Challenging
While there appears to be no major obstacle to plant growth in space, large-scale tests for food production in reduced gravity are still lacking, and a number of viable technologies for space agriculture need to be developed. Selecting the right crops, watering and nutrientdelivery systems, and working with the effects of microgravity are some of the challenges that researchers have to face. The long-term effects of the space environment on plant growth and reproduction are not yet well known, showing all that researchers are working to overcome before feeding the Mars mission.
UV5Nano Wins 2016 Red Dot Award Mettler Toledo’s micro-volume spectrophotometer UV5Nano was awarded the prestigious Red Dot for Product Design in Schwerzenbach, Switzerland. Its design competed against 5,200 products from 57 countries for their degrees of innovation, formal quality, functionality, and ecological compatibility. The company says the UV5Nano micro-volume spectrophotometer stood out with its FastTrack technology, LockPath technology for micro-volume measurements, and user interface. The UV5Nano spectrophotometer was lauded by the jury for its functional and clear design language.
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Worldwide NEWS Udit Batra: CPhI’s CEO of the Year
POW
POW
3 holes 2 holes
electrical conductance
1 hole 0 holes
Illustration: ©Johan Jarnestad/The Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences
Typology. Ilustration credit: Johan Jarnestad/The Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences
Nobel Prize in Physics, Chemistry 2016: Exotic States of Matter and the World’s Smallest Machines
T
he Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences has awarded the Nobel Prizes in Physics and Chemistry. One half of the Nobel Prize in Physics 2016 was awarded to David J. Thouless, and the other half to F. Duncan M. Haldane and J. Michael Kosterlitz, for their theoretical discoveries of topological phase transitions and topological phases of matter. Topology is a branch of mathematics that describes properties that only change step-wise. Using that as a tool in the early 1970s, Kosterlitz and Thouless overturned the theory that superconductivity or superfluidity could not occur in thin layers, demonstrating that superconductivity could occur at low temperatures. In the 1980s, Thouless was able to explain a previous experiment with very thin electrically conducting layers in which conductance was precisely measured as integer steps. Around the same time, Haldane discovered how topological concepts can be used to understand the properties of chains of small magnets found in some materials. Over the last decade, this area has boosted frontline research in condensed matter physics, not least because of the hope that topological materials could be used in new generations of electronics and superconductors, or in future quantum computers. Also awarded was the Nobel Prize in Chemistry 2016 to Jean-Pierre Sauvage, Sir J. Fraser Stoddart and Bernard L. Feringa for the design and synthesis of molecular Topology is a branch of machines. They have developed molecules mathematics that describes with controllable movements, which can properties that only change stepperform a task when energy is added. wise. Haldane discovered how The first step toward a molecular topological concepts can be used to machine was taken by Jean-Pierre understand the properties of chains Sauvage in 1983, when he succeeded of small magnets found in some in linking two ring-shaped molecules materials together to form a chain, called a catenane. In 1991, Stoddart developed a rotaxane, threading a molecular ring onto a thin molecular axle and allowing the ring to move along the axle. Feringa was then the first person to develop a molecular motor. In 1999, he got a molecular rotor blade to spin continually in the same direction. 2016’s Nobel Laureates in Chemistry have taken molecular systems out of equilibrium’s stalemate and into energy-filled states in which their movements can be controlled. Molecular machines will most likely be used in the development of things such as new materials, sensors and energy storage systems.
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MilliporeSigma announced that CEO Udit Batra was named CEO of the Year for 2016 by CPhI Pharma for his commitment to furthering life science innovation globally. The company also won two other CPhI Pharma Awards – one for excellence in excipients and formulation development and another for regulatory procedures and compliance. CPhI announced the awards at the organization’s annual awards gala on Oct. 4 in Barcelona, Spain.
New DNA Sequencing Facility Opens in Toronto Eurofins MWG Operon LLC., a Eurofins Genomics company, opened a new DNA sequencing Laboratory in Toronto in October. This new sequencing facility will provide fast, high-quality DNA sequencing services using the Sanger method to researchers all over Canada. Launched to directly address the growing needs of the scientific community in Canada, the lab will be delivering overnight DNA sequencing services to researchers in the Toronto area and elsewhere in Canada. Support will be offered in English and French.
Launching Science of the Future The Hydro-Quebec Science Fairs launched in October, taking place across Quebec. Students at every school in the province are invited to be part of the science fairs and the various rounds of competition: the local, regional and Quebec finals, the Canada-Wide Science Fair, and even international finals. The fairs are organized by Réseau Technoscience with support from Hydro-Quebec. They also receive financial support from the Ministère de l’Économie, de la Science et de l’Innovation du Quebec, through its NovaScience program; as well as Merck Canada Inc., which supports the Science Fairs’ Experimentation category of projects; Alcoa Foundation; and Publications BLD. Approximately 15,000 talented students take part every year.
By David Suzuki with contributions from Ian Hanington
Will growing our fuels drive us to a
cleaner future? T
Dr. David Suzuki is a scientist, broadcaster, author, and co-founder of the David Suzuki Foundation. Ian Hanington is Senior Editor, David Suzuki Foundation. Learn more at www.davidsuzuki.org.
he shift from fossil fuels to renewable energy is occurring mainly at the power plant level. But what about transportation? Can we significantly reduce greenhouse gas emissions by switching to cleaner fuels? Or is this just an attempt to keep 20th century technology chugging along while trading one set of environmental problems for another? Biofuels aren’t new and they aren’t used solely for transportation. Power plants can burn wood, for example, and many of the first autos, including Ford’s Model T, ran on ethanol or peanut oil. But they’re now seen as an alternative to fossil fuels for transportation. Biofuels offer several advantages over fossil fuels. Most are less toxic. Crops used to produce them can be grown quickly, so unlike coal, oil and gas that take millions of years to form, they’re considered renewable. They can also be grown almost anywhere, reducing the need for infrastructure like pipelines and oil tankers and, in many areas, conflicts around scarcity and political upheaval. The main biofuels are ethanol and biodiesel. Biomass like wood can also be burned directly for fuel, although that usually produces more greenhouse gas emissions to produce the same amount of energy as burning fossil fuels. Biofuel greenhouse gas emissions are offset to a great extent because plants absorb and store carbon dioxide while they're growing and sometimes in roots left in the ground, so CO2 emissions are roughly equal to or less than what the crops store. Despite the advantages, numerous problems have led many to question whether biofuels are a green alternative. Andrew Steer and Craig Hanson of the World Resources Institute noted in the Guardian that biofuel has three major strikes
against it: “It uses land needed for food production and carbon storage, it requires large areas to generate just a small amount of fuel, and it won’t typically cut greenhouse gas emissions.” Producing biofuel with crops like corn often requires converting land from food to fuel production or destroying natural ecosystems that provide valuable services, including carbon sequestration. Crops also require fertilizers, pesticides and large amounts of water, as well as machinery for planting, growing, harvesting, transporting and processing. If forests are cleared for fuel crops, and if the entire lifecycle of the fuels is taken into account, biofuels don’t always reduce overall greenhouse gas emissions. Palm oil, used for biodiesel, is especially bad, because valuable carbon sinks like peat bogs and rain forests are often destroyed to grow palms. Using better farming methods and more efficient feedstocks and growing fuel crops on land that isn’t good for growing food can reduce land use and climate impacts. For example, fast-growing grasses, agricultural and forest-industry wastes, and even household wastes can be used rather than crops like corn that are normally considered food. Some feedstocks are more efficient at producing energy than others. Ethanol from canola and sugarcane is better than from corn, as it delivers more energy compared to what’s required to produce the fuel. Cellulosic materials, including switchgrass and agricultural and forestry wastes, are even more efficient than sugar – and starch-based fuel stocks. They produce fewer greenhouse gases and don’t normally displace food crops, but the process of converting cellulose to ethanol is more difficult than turning starch and sugars from corn or sugarcane to fuel. Some studies show switchgrass ethanol can produce 540 per cent more energy than that required to produce the fuel, compared to just 25 per cent more for corn-based ethanol. Experimental biofuels made from biomass like algae, as well as genetically synthesized organisms, show a great deal of promise, as they’re efficient and can be produced without large land bases. Biofuels can play an important role in reducing greenhouse gas emissions, especially for applications like long-haul trucking and possibly air travel. Biodiesel and gasoline mixed with ethanol are already widely available. Research into new types of biofuels is also important, but the massive amounts of land, biomass and water required to produce conventional biofuels mean they aren’t a panacea. We can get further in transportation by focusing on fuel efficiency and conservation, increased public transit and other alternatives to private automobiles, and shifting to electric vehicles, especially as clean electricity sources become more widely available. LB
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Lab PROFILE
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September/October 2016 Lab Business
Lab PROFILE
Anandia Labs is unlocking the genetic secrets of the notorious cannabis plant
Power
Plant story by
Hermione Wilson
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Anandia Labs uses plant tissue culture to archive and protect unique cannabis strains. Photo credit: Goya Ngan
hen you go to the grocery store to buy apples, you’ll notice that there is a diversity of types to choose from. Golden Delicious, Honeycrisp, McIntosh, Gala... the list goes on. Each one has a different taste and different properties, for example, in terms of eating, cooking and baking. The same is true of cannabis, says Jonathan Page, President and CEO of Anandia Labs, a cannabis testing facility. Unfortunately, the classification of different types of cannabis is not as simple as it is with apples. “There’s been a lot of confusion around different names of different strains [of cannabis] in the medical world,” he says. “Sometimes the same plant is called by a different name and sometimes the same name is used for different plants.” Anandia Labs was established to cut through that confusion. Page is also an adjunct professor with the University of British Columbia’s Department of Botany. In 2011 he co-led a team, along with Timothy Hughes of the University of Toronto, which did the first genome sequence of cannabis. Consequently, Page has been in the cannabis genetics business for some time now. He co-founded Anandia Labs in 2013 to delve deeper into the genetic makeup of the unique plant.
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Lab PROFILE Anandia Labs scientists perform LC-MS analysis of the chemical composition of cannabis samples. Photo credit: Goya Ngan
In the world of cannabis research, he explains, when people use the term ‘genetics’, they’re usually referring to seeds and cuttings of the plant, but Page defines cannabis genetics as “the study of the genetic basis for the traits in cannabis, the properties of the plant, and the genes that govern those traits.” The lab is located on the UBC campus in a building available for commercial activities at an unspecified location, for security reasons. There, in the 2,400 square-foot facility, Page and his colleagues are busy genotyping cannabis and studying the genetic differences between cannabis varieties and strains, including medical cannabis types and hemp types, which are grown as crops in Canada. “What we’re doing is using genomics... to try to figure out how
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different types of cannabis are related to each other and how that also relates to their medical use, so why patients prefer certain types versus other types for treating different conditions,” Page says. The team is also looking at what genetic traits “govern highvalue properties of the plant” he says. “We’re using a combination of DNA sequencing and chemical analysis in order to find genetic markers that can be related to different optimal qualities or optimal properties and then we can use those genetic markers for fast-track breeding.” The Anandia Labs facility has a basic wet lab for molecular work like DNA isolation, PCR and plant extractions. There is a cultivation and tissue culture area which Page says is unique to
Lab PROFILE The cannabis diversity collection at Anandia Labs includes plants sourced from across the world. Photo credit: Goya Ngan
What we’re doing is using genomics... to try to figure out
how different types of cannabis are related to each other and how that also relates to their medical use – Jonathan Page, President and CEO
Anandia Labs
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Lab PROFILE
facilities like his which grow a high concentration of cannabis plants for genetic work in a small amount of space. “We’re not growing giant Christmas trees of plants,” he says. “We go with very high-density plantings in a micro-culture environment so that we can have large numbers of plants in a reduced space footprint.” The facility is also set up for liquid chromatography mass spectrometry (LC-MS) for doing chemical analysis of the plant, as well as contaminant testing and other activities. A strategic partnership with Waters Canada has also given Anandia Labs the use of a supercritical CO2 separation module (UPC2 ), “a new technology for separating molecules such as cannabinoids or terpenes from the [cannabis] plant,” Page says, as well as a Waters’ LC Mass Spectrometry machine with a UV detector, which is the “heart and soul of our analytical program.” The team is currently looking at the LC Mass Spec’s plant analysis capabilities. Surprisingly, the genetic testing facility doesn’t own is its own DNA sequencers. Page says UBC’s on-campus DNA sequencing facilities meet his needs quite well. “I’m not a believer in buying DNA sequencers, I more so believe in using core facilities and that’s been my approach to all the genome projects I’ve been involved in,” Page says. “You get the newest instrumentation with the highest throughput and the highest quality in dedicated lab facilities, and more and more those are accessible in Canada and elsewhere. Compare that to the service contracts and all the other [issues] of having it in-house.” Another feature of the lab facility is its secure storage, essentially a vault with “extra levels of security to prevent intrusion” where samples are stored. Part of the work Anandia Labs does, besides the DNA sequencing and chemical analysis of the cannabis plant, is acting as a testing facility. It performs quality control and genetic testing on samples sent in by Licensed Producers (LP), a small group of producers authorized by Health Canada to produce and sell or provide dried marijuana, fresh marijuana or cannabis oil to the public. Anandia Labs charges for its testing services to LPs, authorized patients and clinical researchers. It is also developing new cannabis strains which will go to market in the coming years. The lab itself has a Dealer’s License from Health Canada which allows it to operate as a testing facility and receive materials from LPs. “We can bring in... dried cannabis destined for patient use and do testing, but we also have cultivation activities under our Dealer’s License, so we can grow cannabis and do analysis; do our science on our own material as well,” Page says. The lab also actively supports a number of clinical researchers who are working on cannabis and need to know more about the
One of the projects Page co-supervises involves the microscopy analysis of the cannabis plant, specifically the little hairs on the surface of the plant, called trichomes.
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plant and its chemistry. Page says he can’t go into detail about these clinical trials because they are currently under ethics review. “Various researchers, mainly in BC right now, are digging in to try to get some funding around clinical trial work and so we’re helping them with that,” he says. The testing facility is maintained by a staff of eight who specialize in analytical chemistry, plant molecular biology and tissue culture. In addition to regular staff, because of its location on the UBC campus and Page’s relationship to the university, the lab has a number of students who help with day to day work and conduct academic projects. One of the projects Page co-supervises involves the microscopy analysis of the cannabis plant, specifically the little hairs on the surface of the plant, called trichomes. The cannabis trichomes are where the cannabinoids are produced and stored. “It’s a fascinating plant to work on,” Page says. “It has a history of use going back thousands of years; it’s really the only plant that you can guarantee that every week it’s going to be on the front page of The Globe and Mail or something... and there are lots of outstanding scientific questions because research has been inhibited by prohibition.” That could change as the Liberal government moves, slowly but surely, toward legalizing and regulating access to marijuana. “It’s going to be an interesting couple years in this cannabis world with those changes coming,” Page says. “One of the concerns is that with a push toward legalization for recreational use or elective use... is that the medical properties of the plant will be pushed aside.” Cannabis is a highly valuable plant with immense commercial and scientific potential, Page says. What’s more, he says, when it comes to clinical work that has been done on cannabis and marijuana, Canadian researchers are steps ahead of the U.S. “There’s really a chance for Canadian science and Canadian business to lead in cannabis, both in the biotech world and the pharmaceutical world, and science and evidence-based regulation of adult use... but we really need to allow scientists to get on with that work.” LB
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Application NOTE
Lean Isolation Workstations Increase Empirical Success Lean glove boxes deliver process isolation for more reliable, accurate results, saving time and effort while avoiding delays, risk and cost story by
F
Ed Sullivan
or R&D laboratories in cutting-edge research, securing grants and delivering required results demands consistent, repeatable, experimental measurements. While careful application of the scientific method is critical, the effectiveness of isolation to eliminate contaminants and other noise is also essential. Experiments often require using isolation and containment systems able to provide special atmospheres to establish and maintain specified conditions or protect experimental specimens from environmental contamination. This may require a clean, aseptic or controlled atmosphere to provide hypoxic, inert or dry conditions. While this level of isolation is routine in sealed containers such as flasks or test tubes, when testing or additional physical manipulation is needed, it may require the use of a more complex containment or glove box system. The typical controlled atmosphere approach for decades was a heavy, automated glove box chamber. This featured a spacious chamber with solid metal walls, thick tempered glass and sophisticated sensors and control systems. While massive, sophisticated isolation systems may deliver high purity atmosphere containment under ideal conditions, results are often disappointing in the lab. These large, complex machines are a major departure
from the simplicity of work in a test tube or flask, and they can be overkill. When not essential, this large, complex isolation technology is a critical distraction. Such excess technical infrastructure generally comes with challenges for the researcher. These include more work and reduced reliability as it is generally more susceptible to malfunction and error, and requires more maintenance, setup, cleaning and calibration. As a result, leading researchers seek simpler, more reliable isolation alternatives to the large complex glove box. The best of these “lean� isolation systems avoid much of the size and complexity, yet still ensure fail-safe isolation that meets experimental requirements. In doing so, they can eliminate the extra technological burden and greater risk of error, while avoiding distraction from their primary research goals. This can lead to quicker, more accurate experimental results. Isolator Options for R&D There are many types of large automated isolators, and lean isolation ranges from a simple flask to complex, automated benchtop glove boxes. With so many options, selecting a suitable alternative can be challenging. At the lower end, glove bags are disposable containment devices of simple design that can be effective for simple process applications. Composed of inflatable plastic (e.g.
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Application NOTE
PVC or PE) with built-in gloves, this approach can meet basic isolation needs if the lack of solid walls and pressure control are permissible. Compared to hard-walled workstations, glove bags are generally much easier to use and far less expensive; disadvantages include instability, reduced visibility and control issues. Among lean glove box options are compact, portable benchtop models. Although they vary in size and weight, some are built with a clear, polymeric top with ports for a single pair of elastomeric gloves. Additional accessories and attachment options for items such as premixed or regulated gases may be part of the design. The most basic of these isolator glove boxes simply act as a physical barrier. However, controlled atmosphere and clean units offer pressure control, displacement purge and fail-safe specimen protection for work in aseptic, inert and special gas mixtures. Controlled atmospheres, clean or aseptic applications require positive pressure inside to protect the work specimen and inside atmosphere, while toxic or biohazardous work requires negative pressure containment to protect users and the community/ environment. While benchtop models cost less and have a smaller footprint than large, highly automated glove box chambers, many still feature greater layers of complexity in instrumentation and controls than required for the target process. This has opened the door for new, leaner models with all required functionality for most research demanding a special atmosphere with a small fraction of the maintenance, footprint and operational complexity. These lean glove box systems have already drawn the attention of a wide range researchers with technical and schedule challenges. Those isolation requirements vary from experiments on hypoxia in human diseases to those requiring aseptic containment for studying cures for the Ebola virus. From the University Lab to West African Bush “Several hypoxia chambers are available for research; however, their costs limit their availability to academic research facilities,” explains Aqeela Afzal, MS, PhD, MBA, Research Assistant Professor, Neurological Surgery at Vanderbilt University in Nashville, TN. Afzal’s research interests include Ischemic Stroke and Diabetic Retinopathy. “Our basic area of study is stroke, which is caused by an Ischemic event in the brain. To study the effect of stroke on various cell types in the brain, we needed to culture the cells in a
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September/October 2016 Lab Business
Researchers are seeking out and discovering suitable alternatives in the form of “leaner” isolator and containment systems like the Posi-Dome seen here. hypoxic environment,” says Afzal. Since at least the 1960s, researchers have reported differential effects of culturing cells in reduced oxygen (hypoxia), and many researchers now routinely grow tumors, stem cells and embryos for in vitro fertilization under hypoxic conditions. Afzal was also concerned about maintaining a sterile, humidified and warm environment for primary cells to be cultured long-term for the research. In an effort to find an alternative to expensive digital isolator and containment workstations, Afzal’s team studied a variety of alternative chambers and found the Posi-Dome workstation would fit into their budget and matched their requirments for the study. “In research, it’s always nice to have all the bells and whistles, the toys that are shiny and new,” says Afzal, referring to larger, more complex glove box chambers. However, these supernumerary items are not only not necessary for most research, they can actually be an interference. “We were able to obtain reliable hypoxia data and never had a problem with contamination,” she concluded. Alistair Bolt, a pharmacist from England’s Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital, recently traveled to Sierra Leone, Africa, to play a vital role in the fight against Ebola in a trial run by Oxford University. In a recent trial during his stay in Sierra Leone, Bolt also
Application NOTE
Leaner glove box isolators and containment systems, like the Posi-Dome, offer several advantages beyond the basic ability to produce reliable research results.
utilized a lean bench-type isolator. It was portable and rugged enough to work in tough field conditions. Advantages of a Lean Glove Box Lean glove box isolators and containment systems offer several advantages beyond the basic ability to produce reliable research results. Benchtop model glove boxes are less complicated to install, use and maintain. Setup and training requires minutes, rather than weeks. The units are compact and portable so they can be quickly and easily moved from one work area to another or to distant field locations. Some workstations have a transparent, curved, monocoque dome structure and are therefore much easier to clean and maintain than units with corners, ridges and light fixtures inside. Purging systems are less automated, but simpler, more energy efficient and safer than typical high-vacuum purge units. For labs mindful of environmental impact, lean refers to the elimination of fans, heavy vacuum pumps and chemical treatment, reducing electrical demand while these smaller lighter units also have a much smaller carbon footprint. When all the factors are considered – the reliability, flexibility, portability, and ease of use – lean glove boxes have the potential to deliver better, cleaner and quicker experimental results compared to traditional heavy, complex glove box chambers. LB
Ed Sullivan is a Hermosa Beach, CA-based writer. He has researched and written about high technologies, healthcare, finance, and real estate for more than 25 years. For more information, contact Banthrax Corporation at (937) 221-7625 or sales@banthrax.com; or visit www.banthrax.com.
LIST OF ADVERTISERS & WEBSITES
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Lab WARE
Four-piston Diaphragm Improves Efficiency
QuattroFlow’s new QuattroTec Series Pumps feature a sealless design, selfpriming and dry run capabilities, compact footprint, high-suction lift and sanitize-in-place (SIP) abilities. The QuattroTec Series consists of three sizes – QT10, QT20 and QT30 – with maximum capacities of 180 lph (0.8 gpm) to 5,000 lph (22 gpm), allowing for the efficient transfer of liquids. The pumps feature wetted pump chambers made of 316 stainless steel, while the valves are made of EPDM and the diaphragms of Santoprene. www.quattroflow.com
In Vivo Scanning Images can be Shared on Mobile Devices
Bruker’s new SkyScan 1276 features advancements for in vivo scanning of small laboratory animals and in vitro biological samples in preclinical studies. With continuously variable magnification, including a smallest pixel size of 2.8µm and a short scanning cycle of 3.9 seconds, the imaging system gives researchers access to high-quality images at higher throughput. Its microCT system pairs with rapid helical scanning, and with InstaRecon technology has the ability to reconstruct images up to 8000x8000 pixels per slice. Researchers also have the ability to view and share images on any iOS or android mobile device. www.bruker.com/wmic
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September/October 2016 Lab Business
Dual Pumping Channels Enhance Flow Performance
Portable Brix Meter Brings Convenience
The Portable Brix Meter BX-1 is a handheld that allows either right or left-handed individuals to take measurements with one hand in just two seconds. It can run more than 30,000 measurements with its longlasting battery and comes equipped with a wide measuring range. The meter can be used for taking brix measurements for fruits and vegetables, alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages, foods, and seasoning sugars, proving both versatile and handy for the user. www.jmscience.com
Harvard Apparatus’ newest syringe pump features two independent pumping channels controlled by a touch screen interface. The Pump 33 DDS (Dual Drive System) accommodates syringe sizes 0.5 µl to 60 ml, improving flow performance from 1.02 pl/ min to 106 ml/min. The two channels are able to run using different directions, flow rates, volumes and syringe sizes, all while keeping the accuracy at ± 0.25%. The multi-purpose pump also adapts to USB, RS232, and TTL connectivity for convenience of the user. www.harvardapparatus.com
Lab WARE Measurements Start With One Keystroke
The SevenCompact Duo benchtop meter from METTLER TOLEDO provides high quality pH/mV and conductivity measuring technologies in one instrument. With the 4.3-inch colour display, the benchtop meter lets users immediately start measurements with one keystroke. Through the Intelligent Sensor Management (ISM) functionality, it is able to automatically recognize any ISM-sensor. Once measurements are complete, the GLP support functions, including GLP-printouts and PIN protected user modes, allow the data to be completely traceable and can only be viewed by authorized individuals. www.mt.com
Electric Rotary Valve Tackles Aggressive Fluids
The Electric Rotary Valve (ERV) from BioChem Fluidics is specifically designed to work with aggressive or reactive fluids, using a tightly sealed interface, achieved by aligning orifices in a CTFE rotor and a PTFE body. An optoelectronic position sensor inside the valve provides the rotor’s position to the valve’s control circuit, and motion is provided by an optional stepper motor. It has a chemically resistant Teflon fluid path that is free of any metal parts. The valve is available in a number of flow configurations that match most common applications, such as the standard ¼”-28 UNF fluid port connections with stainless steel threaded inserts, and the NEMA 17 stepper motors for easy integration. www.biochemfluidics.com
Digital Panel Meter Programmable For Easy Use
OMEGA introduced its PLATINUM Series Universal Benchtop, MDS8PT, which showcases its 1/8 DIN digital panel meter. The panel meter has a large colour changing LED display that is programmable at any set-point or alarm point to meet a variety of application needs. It has the ability to handle 10 common types of thermocouples, thermistors, multiple RTDs, and several process (DC) voltage and current ranges. Additional features include universal input with dual alarm relays, optional RS232/RS485 MODBUS communication, and embedded Ethernet, making it convenient for lab use, food processing and engine testing. www.omega.ca
Lab WARE Fume Hood Offers Variety of Filtration Systems
Air Science’s new line of Ductless fume hoods includes a variety of filtration systems such as the Multiplex Filter and HEPA/ULPA filters. Carbon filters are available in more than 14 configurations for use with vapours or organic solvents, acids, mercury, and formaldehyde. The fume hoods are self-contained and do not require venting to the outside. Some selected models feature an electronic gas sensor, which monitors carbon filter performance to ensure the safety of the user. They are available in a variety of configurations, including mobile, polypropylene, downflow, classroom, ECO/green, nanoparticle containment and custom designed. www.airscience.com/ductless-fume-hoods
Dry Bath Makes Room for Two
Torrey Pines Scientific’s EchoTherm Model IC22 Digital Chilling/Heating Dry Bath uses two dry baths in one bench space to run two temperatures and two different sample blocks at the same time, chilling or heating biological samples from -10 C to 100 C. It has a built-in data logger, 30-day countdown timer with alarm, and RS232 interface which makes it compatible with robotic systems. It can be used with standard accessory sample blocks for 0.5ml, 1.5ml, and 2.0ml centrifuge tubes, PCR tubes and plates, 96-well and 384-well assay plates of all kinds, as well as vials and test tubes. It can be used for hybridizations, enzyme reactions and deactivations, ligations, maintaining 17 C for storing oocytes, incubating samples, and storing enzymes or DNA libraries. www.torreypinesscientific.com
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September/October 2016 Lab Business
Spectrometer Compacted Into a Single Package
Magnetic Particle Technology Increases Workflow
The KingFisher Presto from Thermo Fisher Scientific is a sample purification system that automates the isolation of target nucleic acids and proteins for biopharma, biotech and research projects in laboratories. It uses a liquid handler and robotic arm for efficient DNA/RNA/protein extraction, and is applicable for volumes from 50µL to 5mL. The system pairs with magnetic particle technology, increasing workflow, and allowing users to choose between 24- and 96- head magnets. Its small footprint allows for connection to several liquid handling instruments in a side-by-side or an on-deck configuration. The Thermo Scientific BindIT software accompanies the system, allowing users to create and modify their protocols and import Invitrogen and Applied Biosystems nucleic acid and protein purification kits. www.thermofisher.com/kingfisherpresto
The new Flame-CHEM research spectrophotometer system combines a compact Flame UVVis (200-850 nm) or Vis-NIR (350-1000 nm) spectrometer with a direct-attach light source and removable cuvette holder into one package. The pre-configured systems allow for regular absorbance and transmission measurements in teaching labs and research facilities. In addition, the spectrometer entrance slits can be switched out to adjust the resolution and throughput. Discrete sampling devices can be used in place of the directattach accessories, allowing customization for researchers and educators alike. www.oceanoptics.com
Moments in time
Sequencing
Pot I
n 2011, University of British Columbia botanist Jonathan Page was the lead investigator in the first-ever attempt to sequence the genome of the cannabis plant. The team Page led sequenced genomic DNA and RNA from a marijuana strain known as Purple Kush and found a transcriptome of 30,000 genes. The study, published in Genome Biology, compared Purple Kush’s transcriptome to that of the hemp variety Finola and found that the exclusive occurrence of delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinolic acid synthase (responsible for THC, the cannabinoid responsible for marijuana’s psychoactive effect) in Purple Kush is not present in Finola, where it is replaced by cannabidiolic acid synthase. This may explain why marijuana causes a “high” while hemp does not. LB
Photo credit: Goya Ngan
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