Laboratory Focus March 2010 by Promotive Communications

P h a r mac e u tical

C li n ical

C h e mical

food

w w w. b i o s c i e n c e w o r l d . c a

Air-cushion Pipette Influence of physical parameters

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environment

MARCH 2010 Volume 14, Number 2

The Canadian Light Source

A Leading Light for Macromolecular Crystallography

Page 12

R&D News.......................... 1 Pharma Notes..................... 6 Appointments..................... 7 New Products................... 14 Calendar........................... 17 Career Spotlight............... 18

New study of Walkerton victims leads to PI-IBS breakthrough A team of researchers from McGill and McMaster universities have been studying the victims of the tainted drinking water tragedy in Walkerton, ON. Their research has led the team to discover DNA variations in genes that increase the risk of developing post-infectious irritable bowel syndrome (PI-IBS). This was a unique opportunity to study the origin of the disorder, given the scale of infection and the recording of the health of Walkerton’s citizens. PI-IBS is a functional bowel disorder that has an acute onset after an episode of gastroenteritis. “These patients suffer from chronic abdominal pain, discomfort, bloating and disturbed defecation in the absence of any detectable structural or biochemical abnormalities,” said John K. Marshall, a gastroenterologist. “After the exclusion of known organic disorders, like Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis, such patients are diagnosed with PI-IBS.” “Although the exact cause of PI-IBS remains unknown, we now know for the first time that, in addition to the environmental trigger, genetic factors are also playing a critical role in the development of this disease,” explains McGill PhD Alexandra-Chloé Villani, who led the team under the direction of principal investigators John K. Marshall (McMaster) and Denis Franchimont (formerly of McGill). Stephen Collins (McMaster) also collaborated. Almost 10 years ago, the mu-

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nicipal water supply of Walkerton was contaminated with E. coli and Campylobacter jejuni, leading to a public health disaster. Seven people died and 2,300 suffered symptoms, including bloody diarhea. Of these 2,300, 36 per cent developed PI-IBS, giving the town the highest incidence of PI-IBS ever reported.

UBC to receive $10.3 million in funding for Strategic Networks Researchers at the University of British Columbia have received $10.3 million in funding from the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council (NSERC) to lead and coordinate two Strategic Networks in machining and biomaterials technology. Part of $56 million in grants for 11 Strategic Networks, the NSERC grants fund large-scale, multidisciplinary research projects that could significantly enhance Canada’s economy, society and environ-

ment within the next decade. “We are grateful to NSERC and the Government of Canada for their continued investment in research collaborations that will generate new and immediately applicable knowledge to some of the most pressing and intriguing technological questions of our day,” said John Hepburn, UBC vice president, Research and International. “UBC has a stellar track record of multi-disciplinary research and the addition Continued on page 2

March 2010 Laboratory Focus www.bioscienceworld.ca

news Continued from page 1 of two new NSERC Strategic Networks hosted here will further enhance our capacity to contribute to research excellence in Canada.” The NSERC Canadian Network for Research and Innovation in Machining Technology Feb2010.LabFocus.pdf

2/10/10

(CANRIMT) will be led by mechanical engineering professor and NSERC-P&WC Industrial Research Chair professor in Virtual Machining, Yusuf Altintas. CANRIMT aims to develop the world’s most advanced Virtual Machining Technology and a state-of-the-art five-axis

mezzo milling machine. The NSERC Biomaterials and Chemicals Strategic Network will be led by Wood Science professor John Kadla, and aims to develop technologies to better utilize lignin, one of the primary components of wood.

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PUBLISHER/EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Terri Pavelic staff writer Shawn Lawrence intern Tim Bryant CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Kornelia Ewald Matthew Dalzell NATIONAL ACCOUNT MANAGER Patricia Bush

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news

CLS-Aided research could limit acid run-off and CO2 Composite map of different types of sulphur in a microbial pod (a) obtained at the ALS, along with a comparison of spectra from the various forms of sulphur compared to reference standards from the CLS (b). K. Norlund, McMaster University.

Panoramic view of the CLS, overlooking the BMIT, HXMA and SXRMB beamlines. Photo: Canadian Light Source Inc. Researchers from McMaster University have found that two species of bacteria isolated from a mine tailings pond in northern Ontario limit the amount of acid produced by working together to share the sulphur in the tailings as an energy source. The researchers made the discovery using two beamlines at the Canadian Light Source (CLS) and a third at the Advanced Light Source (ALS). The discovery is significant because it could limit the effects of acid mine drainage (AMD), a process caused when sulphur in mine tailings reacts with water and oxygen in the environment to

produce sulphuric acid. It is a major environmental issue concerning lake acidification and water quality. According to the Canadian Light Source, AMD is also implicated as a climate change culprit as the sulphuric acid dissolves carbonate minerals in the underlying rock, liberating carbon dioxide; a process known as acid rock weathering. Kelsey Norlund a PhD student made the discovery along with her advisor Lesley Warren and synchrotron researcher Adam Hitchcock. The findings demonstrate how bacteria can modify their environment and could

also lead to a rethink of the amount of atmospheric carbon produced by acid weathering that is included in global models by as much as 26 million tonnes. The Canadian Light Source article states that the bacteria, strains of Acidithiobacillus ferrooxidans and Acidiphilium spp., work together to form microscopic pods, with A. ferrooxidans on the outside and Acidiphilium on the inside. While both microbes can use elemental sulphur as an energy source, Norlund and Warren found that only A. ferrooxidans makes use of the raw sulphur, producing different chemical forms that

were then metabolized by the Acidiphilium cells, producing sulphur compounds that, in turn, could be reused by A. ferrooxidans. The result: a microscopic geochemical reactor, in which each species of microbe feeds off the sulphurcontaining by-products of the other, rather than competing for the same chemical food source.

“We were able to see how these different bacteria organize the different types of sulphur,” says Norlund. “It’s a highly organized, cooperative ecological partnership. The waste products of one strain are food for the other, but they aren’t just using the leftovers – they’re actually regenerating each other’s food source.” The cycling of sulphur compounds in this manner markedly reduces the amount of sulphur available to form sulphuric acid, dissolve carbonate rocks and release CO2. Norlund estimates that between 40 and 90 per cent less carbon is released into the atmosphere because of this cycling than has been predicted based on the sulphur chemistry alone.

system which boosts the heart rate and the parasympathetic system which slows it by releasing acetylcholine. “There are other mouse and rat models of heart failure, but what we haven’t had before is a model where we spe-

cifically target this chemical messenger, acetylcholine,” says Marco Prado, a professor in the Departments of Physiology & Pharmacology and Anatomy & Cell Biology. “One striking finding in this study is that heart dysfunction

in these mice could be corrected by treating the animals with an existing drug which increases acetylcholine levels. Although it requires further study, this could provide a novel opportunity for treating failing hearts.”

Western scientist’s team up to study heart failure Scientists at the University of Western Ontario, in collaboration with researchers in Brazil have used a unique, genetically-modified mouse line to reveal a previously unidentified mechanism contributing to heart failure. The research shows how the decreased release of the neurotransmitter acetylcholine, a chemical messenger which slows cardiac activity, contributes to heart failure. The study was led by Marco Prado, Robert Gros and Vania Prado of Western and Silvia Guatimosim of Brazil. “Lots of people have studied the system that increases the heart rate and that has been the hallmark; we know there’s an increase in the sympathetic nervous system

in people who have heart failure,” explains Gros, a cardiovascular researcher and assistant professor in the Departments of Physiology & Pharmacology and Medicine at Western’s Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry. “What we’re now showing with this mouse model is that even if you have a functional sympathetic nervous system, if the other system, the parasympathetic system is dysfunctional or works less optimally than normal, you still end up with a sick heart. This opens up a whole new avenue that people have missed in the past.” Cardiac output is controlled using two opposing divisions of the autonomic nervous system: the sympathetic nervous

March 2010 Laboratory Focus www.bioscienceworld.ca

news

York opens new muscle health research centre

York University has officially launched its Muscle Health Research Centre, the first of its kind in Canada. The MHRC conducts collaborative research, with scientists from the School of Kinesiology & Health Science and the Department of Biology. “This centre is unique in that we’re zeroing in on skeletal muscle and its relationship to health, with

a strong focus on what exercise can do,” said director David Hood, a professor in the School of Kinesiology & Health Science, Faculty of Health. “We’re looking for new discoveries on how exercise can benefit Canadians through adaptations in the metabolism and structure of muscle.” “Like all research centres at York, the MHRC has an interdisciplinary mandate – that is, enabling researchers from different departments and disciplines to work together towards a common goal,” said Hood. Scientists from the MHRC are investigating topics such as muscle metabolism, muscle development and muscle adaptations to exercise, metabolic disease, and cancer. Professor Tara Haas and colleagues in the MHRC recently identified a cell-signalling process that stimulates blood vessel growth and may help individuals with diabetes to exercise and thereby improve their health.

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he Chemical Institute of Canada and the Canadian Society for Chemical Technology are presenting a two-day course designed to enhance the knowledge and working experience of chemical technologists and chemists. All course participants receive the CIC’s Laboratory Health and Safety Guidelines, 4th edition. This course is intended for those whose responsibilities include improving the operational safety of chemical laboratories, managing laboratories, chemical plants or research facilities, conducting safety audits of laboratories and chemical plants. During the course, participants are provided with an integrated overview of current best practices in laboratory safety.

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NRC-IFCI and CANMETENERGY partner for cleaner energy

Maja Veljkovic, Director General, NRC-IFCI and Hassan Hamza, Director General, CanmetEnergy A new partnership between the Department of Natural Resources Canada’s CanmetENERGY and the National Research Council Institute for Fuel Cell Innovation (NRC-IFCI) was formed through the signing of a memorandum of understanding in Devon, AB. The partnership addresses the need to reduce energy intensity and green house gasses. “By combining our complementary expertise in the traditional and clean energy sectors we can help green oil refining processes, significantly reducing energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions” said Maja Veljkovic, NRC-IFCI director general. “This strategic partnership applies NRC’s core fuel cell capabilities to the development, demonstration and commercialization of integrated clean energy solutions.” NRC-IFCI is already collaborating closely with CanmetENERGY with

funding from NRCan’s Program of Energy Research and Development (PERD) to develop novel materials and catalysts that can improve the quality of heavy oil upgrading products, and to improve understanding of hydrocarbon chemical and thermophysical properties of the oil sand diesel fuels. “This partnership will allow us to explore new more cost effective ways for CO2 capture through development of novel materials,” said Hassan Hamza, director general of CanmetENERGY. CanmetENERGY conducts cuttingedge research and development on oil sands and heavy oil extraction, processing and upgrading, with an emphasis on environmental technologies. NRC-IFCI is a recognized world leader for research, development and testing of fuel cells and related clean energy technologies.

McMaster and Feds sign agreement on CANMET Lab The Government of Canada has reached an agreement with McMaster University, which is related to the upcoming relocation of the CANMET Materials Technology Lab (CANMETMTL) from Ottawa to Hamilton’s McMaster Innovation Park. CANMET–MTL is the largest research centre in Canada Minister Raitt Unveils Design of Government of devoted to metals Canada Research Lab in Hamilton and materials fabrication, pilot-scale and metals-manufacturing sectors. processing and evaluation. The lab’s McMaster University President, Pescientific and technical staffs provide ter George, said the synergies that will materials solutions for Canadian industry in the energy, transportation Continued on page 5

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Laboratory Focus March 2010

news Continued from page 4 result from the relocation cannot be overstated. “The proximity of CANMET–MTL to our research community and facilities will build a critical mass of expertise that is without parallel,” he said, adding that “the collaborative research and development agreement

MUN receives nearly $10 million in federal funding Dr. Christopher Loomis, president and vice-chancellor pro tempore at Memorial University in St. John’s, NL, boasted that his university is poised to become the world leader in diverse research activity, ranging from medical genetics to fishing technology, thanks to a major investment from the federal government. The recently announced $9.6 million in funding for research and development projects at the university was received by the Faculties of Medicine, Engineering and Applied Science, along with the Marine Institute under Round VII of the Atlantic Innovation Fund. C-CORE, a separately incorporated entity of Memorial also received significant funding. “As the most successful university in Atlantic Canada in securing AIF funding, Memorial takes pride in partnering with businesses which rely on research and innovation to advance their competitiveness, productivity and access to their respective markets,” Dr. Loomis said. “This includes working closely with technology-based industries to successfully commercialize the innovations emerging from our laboratories, as well as assisting in the growth of business-led research and development in the province. The AIF has become an indispensable program in achieving these goals.”

guarantees Hamilton’s status as a world-class materials innovation centre and will help guide the next generation of research scientists.” The relocation project includes a budget of $40 million for laboratory construction and equipment and $6 million per

year for operational expenses. Construction is almost complete, and staff relocation will begin in spring 2010. “This research agreement with McMaster University builds on Canada’s proud innovation history and is an important step in establish-

ing a world-class capability for innovation in strategic and commercially important research areas,” said the Natural Resources Minister Christian Paradis. “It includes the development of materials required for clean energy technologies and infrastruc-

ture, a field important to help Canada reach its climate change goals. Collaborative partnerships like this one with other universities and stakeholders will help develop a cluster of expertise, spurring innovation and fostering competitiveness.”

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Pharma Notes

Dalton Pharmaceutical Services (Toronto, ON) has successfully completed its most recent Health Canada audit. The company has received a ‘Compliant’ rating following the regulator agency’s inspection of Dalton’s GMP manufacturing facility. The Establishment License issued by Health Canada will enable Dalton Pharma Services to continue to manufacture, test and ship sterile commercial products for its existing clients. In addition, Dalton’s solid dose manufacturing suites were also inspected and found to be compliant for formulation, granulation and encapsulation of drug products. In separate audits, Dalton Pharma Services was also found to be compliant with GMP API manufacturing, sterile filling and testing standards for pharmaceutical products in the European Union. “These successful inspections will allow us to continue to execute on our vision to accelerate drug development for our clients’ pharmaceutical products globally,” said Peter Pekos, president and CEO of Dalton Pharma. “Dalton’s ability to carry out commercial manufacture of sterile, solid dose pharmaceuticals and API provides integrated drug development and manufacturing solutions. Dalton’s reputation for its ability to complete complex drug manufacturing projects in GMP-compliant facilities enhances our clients’ success in

bringing the medicines of the future to the market.” Novozymes and ProMetic Life Sciences Inc. (Mount-Royal, QC) have entered into an alliance regarding proprietary albumin purification technology based upon a synthetic-ligand affinity adsorbent developed by ProMetic’s UK subsidary, ProMetic Biosciences Ltd. The purification technology has been designed for the rapid and cost-effective development of Novozymes’ albufuse(R) albuminfusion molecules.Under the terms of the co-marketing alliance the companies will jointly promote the use of a new synthetic-ligand affinity adsorbent, marketed under the trade-name AlbuPure® , as a platform approach for the purification of albumin and albumin-fusion proteins. ProMetic will be the exclusive manufacturer and supplier of AlbuPure®, however both parties will retain ownership of their respective technologies and both Novozymes and ProMetic will have the right to market AlbuPure®. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has advised YM BioSciences Inc. (Mississauga, ON) that it may begin enrolling patients at its U.S. clinical sites in two ongoing randomized double-blind Phase 2 trials of its lead product nimotu-

zumab. One of the two trials is in non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients who are ineligible for curative treatment and being treated palliatively and the other in patients with brain metastases from NSCLC. Current NSCLC palliative treatment and treatment for brain metastases is radiation alone. YM BioSciences announced on August 10, 2009 that its wholly-owned subsidiary, YM BioSciences USA Inc. received a license from the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) that lifted the limitation on the development of nimotuzumab in the U.S. for patients with solid tumor cancers. The Phase II study that is examining the effects of nimotuzumab when added to palliative radiotherapy to treat intrathoracic disease from NSCLC, has a target enrollment of 128 patients and is being conducted internationally. Patients diagnosed with Stage IIb or III NSCLC ineligible for curative treatment, or Stage IV NSCLC patients with progressive disease within the chest, are eligible to enroll into this study. Palliative radiotherapy is effective for improvement of symptoms resulting from lung disease, improvement in quality of life in one third of the patients, and improvement of survival. Completed Phase I studies executed in Canada and Korea have demonstrated that nimotuzumab has the

prospect of optimizing palliative care in this indication with initial stimulating results in this population. The primary objective of the trial is to evaluate the difference in Overall Survival between the arms with secondary endpoints being the differences in Time to Progression, Response Rate, Quality of Life, and Progression-Free Survival. Isotechnika Pharma Inc. (Edmonton, AB) announces its wholly owned subsidiary, Isotechnika Labs, has amended its agreement with Paladin Labs Inc. (Montréal, QC) concerning its remaining stake in the revenue stream from the Isodiagnostika business sold to Paladin on June 18, 2009. Under the agreement, Isotechnika Labs was entitled to receive a revenue stream equivalent to 88 percent of the net profits of Isodiagnostika through to June 18, 2016. This amendment results in a one time up front payment of $1.65 million with an additional amount up to $350,000 payable by January 31, 2011, based on Isodiagnostika sales in 2010. Thallion Pharmaceuticals Inc. (Montréal, QC) and LFB Biotechnologies have signed a definitive development and commercialization agreement for Shigamabs®, Thallion’s product candidate for the treatment of Shiga toxin-producing E. coli, or STEC, infections. Thallion has granted LFB, an affiliate of the Laboratoire francais du Fractionnement et des Biotechnologies of Les Ulis, France, an exclusive license for the commercial rights to Shigamabs® in Europe, South America and other territories of strategic interest to LFB, including Russia, Turkey, China, South Korea and Northern African countries. Thallion retains commercial rights for the rest of world, including North America. The agreement follows the binding Letter of Intent signed in December 2009 between the two parties. Spectral Diagnostics (Toronto, ON) has received investigational device exemption approval from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for Toraymyxin™. Spectral Diagnostics and BioMS Medical Corp. (Edmonton, AB) have also entered into a services agreement whereby BioMS will assist Spectral, as required, in its commercialization of Toraymyxin™, a therapeutic hemoperfusion device for the treatment of severe sepsis. This approval permits Spectral to initiate its planned pivotal trial for Toraymyxin™ in the U.S.

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Laboratory Focus March 2010

The Resverlogix board of directors has elected Arthur J. Higgins, CEO of Bayer HealthCare and chairman of the Bay HealthCare Executive Committee, to its board. Higgins joined Bayer in 2004 as chairman of the Bayer HealthCare executive committee and in 2006 was named chairman of the board of management of Bayer HealthCare. Mr. Higgins has played a key role in driving the success of Bayer HealthCare through a combination of strong organic growth and key acquisitions, including the 17 billion euro acquisition of the German pharmaceutical company Schering AG, in 2006. Higgins represents Bayer in the Executive Committee of the Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America (PhRMA), and is also a member of the Council of the International Federation of Pharmaceutical Manufacturers and Associations (IFPMA). From May 2007 until December 2009, Higgins was president of the European Federation of Pharmaceutical Industries and Associations (EFPIA). Dr. Michael Gresser has joined the board of directors of Trillium Therapeutics Inc., a biopharmaceutical company developing innovative immune-based biologics. “It is a great pleasure to welcome such an experienced biotech executive as Dr. Gresser to the Board,” said Dr. Michael Moore, Trillium chairman. “His widely acclaimed contribution to drug discovery and development in the immune-inflammatory field will greatly benefit Trillium. We are building a leading company in the immunology space. With his years of drug development experience, Dr. Gresser is an ideal director to assist in achieving Trillium’s goals,” added Dr. Michael Cross, a member of Trillium’s board of directors and Partner, GrowthWorks Capital. Trillium’s overall strategy is to build and solidify its reputation as a premier immunology company, by creating a broad and innovative pipeline of proprietary biologic product opportunities. The company has already captured long-term value and de-risked some of its projects through a series of partnerships with multinational companies. Trillium also has a demonstrated ability to identify and access promising earlystage technologies, and is on track to announce the

in-licensing of additional projects in the near future, strengthening its existing immunology franchise. There is a growing team at Vineland Research and Innovation Centre, and they are rapidly establishing research teams that will add value to Canadian horticulture. They recently announced five new team members: Michael Kauzlaric, Horticulture Technology Scout; Travis Banks, Research Scientist, Bioinformatics; Dr. Rumen Conev, Research Scientist, Plant Breeding; Dr. Ben Campbell, Research Scientist, Horticulture Economics; Dr. Rose Buitenhuis, Research Scientist, Biological Control. “It is a pleasure to announce the addition of new staff to the Vineland team. These individuals bring their knowledge, commitment and enthusiasm to partnerships with our Canadian horticulture stakeholders and will help in building a stronger, more competitive industry,” said Dr. Jim Brandle, CEO of Vineland Research and Innovation Centre. “Vineland has received significant support from both the federal and provincial governments. As our research capacity grows we also enhance our ability to partner effectively with research departments in both levels of government, industry and with academia and other research institutions,” said Donal Ziraldo, chair. “Together with these partners we are building a stronger research network that is accessible and responsive to the needs of Canadian horticulture industry from grower through to retail.” MedMira Inc. announces that its board of directors was elected

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APPoInTMenTS at MedMira’s 2010 Annual General Meeting of shareholders. Dr. James Smith, Hermes Chan, ShouChing Tang, Romano Robusto and Andre Archimbaud were joined by Markus Meile, CEO of Vitest AG, as directors of the company. “Our Board is very much looking forward to the coming year,” said Dr. James Smith, chairman of the board of directors. “Over the past twelve months, we have increased the strength of our board as a whole, through the extensive experience of its individual members, particularly in the diagnostic industry, international business and medical fields. Our new board is fully supportive of the Company’s management team and its go-forward strategy. On behalf of MedMira, I extend a welcome to all re-elected members and Mr. Meile to our team.” “The company’s strategic plan is one of organic growth through the development and commercialization of new products and technologies based on our proven and patented diagnostic technology platform,” said Smith. “In addition to this, our Partnership Investment Program is focused on identifying and nurturing key strategic partnerships with on-the-ground resources and connections within the global marketplace. This strategy has been proven to be a critical component of our success so far, and we look forward to realizing further progress through positive financial results in the upcoming quarters.” Enerkem Inc., a leading wasteto-biofuels and advanced chemicals technology company, today announces that Patrice Ouimet

has joined the company as VicePresident and Chief Financial Officer. Mr. Ouimet brings a wealth of knowledge to Enerkem’s current

seasoned team of executives, with substantial experience in corporate strategy, corporate development and investment banking. Prior to joining Enerkem, Mr. Ouimet was vice-president, Corporate Development and Enterprise Risk Management for Gildan Activewear, an international apparel manufacturer and marketer. As a Chartered Accountant, Mr. Ouimet began his career with Ernst & Young. He later worked in the investment banking sector, where he provided strategic and financial advice on mergers and acquisitions as well as capital markets transactions to a diversified client base, primarily in the industrial and paper & forest products sectors. Mr. Ouimet was Director, Mergers and Acquisitions at Lazard and Director, Investment Banking at CIBC World Markets.

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March 2010 Laboratory Focus www.bioscienceworld.ca

feATure inflUenCe of phySiCal parameterS on the diSpenSed volUme of

korneLIA ewALd ePPendorf Ag, hAMBurg, gerMAny

air-CUShion pipette SUMMARY Physical parameters play an essential role for dispensing with air-cushion pipettes. Results of analysis are directly impacted by the density of the pipetted liquid. Also, parameters like vapour pressure, viscosity and, in particular, temperature differences have to be regarded as well.

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Laboratory Focus March 2010

Feature Figure 1: Physical data of liquids (relevant examples) Substance Formula Boiling point (°C)

Density mg/µl (20 °C)

Vapour pressure hPa (20 °C)

Viscosity mPas (20 °C)

2-Propanol (Isopropanol)

C3H7OH

82.4

0.78

42.5

2.2

Acetic acid

CH3COOH

118

1.06

15.4

1.53 (25 °C)

Acetone

C3H6O

56.5

0.79

233

0.32

Ammonia 25%

NH3

37.7

0.91

500

Butanol

C4H9OH

117.2

0.81

6.7

189

1.6

Chloroacetic acid

CH2ClCOOH

Chloroform

CHCl3

61.7

1.47

213

Ethanol

C2H5OH

78.5

0.79

1.2

Formic Acid

HCOOH

100.7

1.23

1.8

Glycerol

C3H8O3

290

1.26

Hydrochloric acid

HCl

213

Hydrofluoric acid

112

1.13

Methanol

CH3OH

0.79

128

0.597

Nitric acid

HNO3

121.8

1.41

1.49 (40 °C)

181.4

1.06

1.15

Phenol

C6H5OH

Phosphoric acid

H3PO4

1.71

Potassium hydroxide Solution

KOH

1.29

Sodium hydroxide Solution

NaOH

1.33

Sulphuric acid

H2SO4

1.84

Trichloroacetic acid

CCl3COOH

Factors

Density of liquid

As piston-stroke pipettes are mainly used to pipette aqueous solutions, they are adjusted using distilled water as the test medium. Expansion of the air volume via the liquid varies, depending on the density of the liquid (Fig. 1). This means that when pipetting liquids that are denser than water, the volume of liquid aspirated into the tip is typically less than the set volume. As the density and vapour pressure of the liquid can also differ with a change in liquid, the sole influence of density can only be estimated on a theoretical basis. For example, when using a pipette with a nominal volume of 1000 μl, a deviation of +2.022 μl (+0.2 %) results for methanol (r = 0.79 mg/μl), and a deviation of –7.810 μl (–0.78 %) results for concentrated sulfuric acid (r = 1.84 mg/μl).1 This deviation depends on the hydrostatic pressure of the liquid (height of liquid column) and the dead volume. Due to the increase in the dead volume the relative deviation that occurs with small pipetting volumes is greater, thus with a 100 μl pipette, the relative

196

error with a 10 μl pipetting volume is greater than it is with 100 μl volume. This influence can be disregarded in the case of aqueous solutions. Dense liquids can be dispensed properly with adjustable volume pipettes if the error of density is compensated for example by conscious correction of the digital indicator setting. This correction then only applies to this individual value and not over the entire volume range of the pipette. Modern fixed-volume pipettes can also be corrected. In practice, the deviations described are not generally problematic as work is not often performed under such extreme conditions. Dispensing systems with positive displacement can be used instead or the error for the method or dispensing process can be tolerated.

Viscosity Difficult wetting and flow behavior can be seen through the formation of droplets when dispensing liquids. This may cause a considerable volume to remain in the tip. In addition to high viscosity (e.g., glycerol), surface-active substances (e.g. surfactants, proteins) may often be re-

1.099 (100 °C) 2

19 0.0016

26.9

1.62

sponsible for such problems as well. In such cases another frequent problem is the formation of foam. The best ways to counteract this are to use a very slow aspiration and discharge speed as well as reverse pipetting technique.2

Pre-wetting (pre-moistening) Pre-wetting (filling and emptying) of the tip – when pipetting water or aqueous solutions – increases the water vapour saturation level of the air in the tip and in the interior of the pipette.1 If a measurement series is started without previously wetting the tip, the volumes dispensed will increase in the course of the measurement series until an equilibrium value is reached. This increase is due to the rise in the relative humidity in the tip and interior of the pipette with the number of pipetting steps. To raise the humidity of the interior of the pipette the first tip should be pre-wetted several times at the start of the measurement series. When subsequently changing tips with aqueous solutions it is then sufficient to pre-wet the new tip once to minimize evaporation.

Dispensing systems with positive displacement can be used instead or the error for the method or dispensing process can be tolerated.

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Feature Figure 2

Relative humidity

Influence of hand temperature on pipetted volume with a 100-μl pipette with inadequate heat insulation 1

Holding the pipette continually: warming effect

From this point on gloves were worn for better heat isolation. The pipette was taken out of the hand during weighing: the pipette temperature adjusts itself to the room temperature.

Despite pre-moistening of the pipette tip the volume pipette depends on the humidity of the ambient air to a marked extent [1]. If the relative humidity of the ambient air falls from 80 per cent to 20 per cent, the volume dispensed falls by:

tip

2.1 per cent to 3.5 per cent for 10 μl pipettes

tip

0.3 per cent to 0.6 per cent for 200 μl pipettes with a yellow pipette tip (low dead volume)

Vapour pressure Time in minutes

Systematic measuring deviation in %

Figure 3

Figure 4

Systematic measurement deviation (inaccuracy) at different liquid temperature; calibration at 22 °C

Temperature of liquid in oC

Systematic measurement deviation (inaccuracy) at different altitudes (air pressure). Calibration at 0 m above sea level

When using air-cushion pipettes, liquids with a high vapour pressure, such as solvents (see Fig. 1) cannot be dispensed with the accuracy and precision specified for distilled water. When pipetting such liquids, evaporation influences make themselves particularly noticeable for the following reasons: the vapour pressure is higher than it is with water, and the air volume present in the tip is entirely unsaturated at the start.1 To ensure the highest possible saturation level in the interior of the pipette with the vapour phase, the tip should be pre-wetted for a very long period (1 min or longer). The pipetted volume will nevertheless always be lower than the nominal volume.

System temperature, temperature differences and temperature gradients The dispensed volume is virtually independent of the system temperature as long as there is no temperature difference within the pipette-liquidambient air system.1 On the other hand, due to the high thermal coefficient of air expansion minor temperature variations of the air cushion while the pipette tip is immersed in the liquid may result in relatively large errors. Such temperature variations are caused by different temperatures of the pipette, the liquid to be pipetted and the ambient air. If the pipette is warmer than the liquid and the ambient air, then the air taken in during aspiration of the liquid is heated through contact with

tip

0.9 per cent to 1.2 per cent for 1000 μl pipettes with a blue pipette tip (high dead volume).

However, the relative errors specified per percent of the change in humidity should not be viewed without reservation.

the warmer pipette, causing it to expand. While the pipette is immersed in the liquid, liquid is displaced from the tip, ultimately reducing the volume aspirated and, thus, also the volume dispensed. Conversely, with an opposite temperature gradient a greater volume is observed. As any increase in the pipette temperature might result in a drastic reduction in the volume dispensed, the transfer of heat from the user’s hand to the pipette piston must be prevented by means of design measures. This problem has been more or less solved with modern pipettes by creating sufficient spatial distance between the piston and the handle as well as thermal shielding or insulation (Fig. 2). If the room temperature increases while the temperature of the pipette and liquid remains constant, the pipette volume will increase. The effect is, however, much less pronounced than with variation of the pipette temperature. If the temperature of the liquid increases while the temperature of the pipette and the room temperature remain constant, the pipetted volume will increase (Fig. 3). This initially seems to entirely contradict what has just been stated. One would expect the air cushion to become warmer during aspiration, resulting in its expansion and displacement of part of the liquid - and as long as pre-wetting is not carried out, this assumption is correct. While a pre-wetted tip results in an increase in the volume dispensed, the exact opposite is true for a pipette tip which is not pre-wetted.

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To rule out temperature variations in the air cushion during, pipetting, the temperatures of the pipette, the liquid and the room temperature should be the same. The smaller the temperature differences, the more accurate the results will be. However, the ideal case where the temperatures of the components involved are identical tends to be the exception in laboratory practice, in particular, when liquids that are chilled or at body temperature need to be pipetted during clinical or biochemical applications. It is recommended to calculate the resulting and frequently inevitable error by means of control measurements and taking this into account during the analysis.

Laboratory Focus March 2010

nal influences is determined during calibration. The availability of adjustment allows the correct and reproducible dispensing of materials with different densities.

For more details on the new Research Plus pipette and it’s novel secondary adjustment feature, visit our website at www.eppendorf.ca

newS

Source Eppendorf Userguide – Liquid Handling 3, No. 21

References

1996; 20, No. 7/8:. 430–440. 2. Ewald, K: Liquid Handling – Laboratory Practice. Munich; Germany:

1. Lochner K H, Ballweg, T, Fahrenkrog, H-H: Untersuchungen zur Messgenauigkeit von Kolbenhubpipetten mit Luftpolster. Lab Med.

Verlag Moderne Industrie; 2005.

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In a Pickle?

Air pressure and sea level The mean air pressure of a location depends on its height above sea level. If a pipette is adjusted e.g. in Hamburg but used in Munich, the differing sea levels result in an annual mean difference in air pressure of –63 mbar [1]. For a 1000 μl pipette for example, this results in a volume reduction of 0.064 per cent. For a 50 μl pipette the difference is –0.14 per cent. If the air pressure fluctuates by ±25 mbar due to major changes in the weather, this results in a further difference of ±0.024 per centwith a 1000 μl pipette and ±0.056 per cent with a 50 μl pipette (Fig. 4). When testing (calibrating) pipettes, it is thus important to take fluctuations in pressure into account.

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Feature

B y M att h e w Dal z e ll

THE CANADIAN LIGHT A Leading Light for Macromolecular

ver the last 20 years synchrotron light sources have become a valuable tool for understanding the structure and function of biological macromolecules, particularly in the fields of proteomics and pharmaceutical research. Located on the campus of the University of Saskatchewan in Saskatoon, the Canadian Light Source (CLS), Canada’s national synchrotron facility, is establishing itself as a leading light for macromolecular crystallography with its Canadian Macromolecular Crystallography Facility (CMCF).

Let there be synchrotron light Synchrotrons are, in the most general terms, particle accelerators that use radiofrequency waves and magnetic fields to accelerate charged particles around a ring. Originally used to accelerate particles in particle physics colliders – such as CERN’s Large Hadron Collider – synchrotron light sources like the CLS accelerate electrons close to the speed of light and then store them in a second ring, making use of the high intensity electromagnetic radiation produced as the path of the electron beam orbits inside the ring. The resulting synchrotron light spans the electromagnetic spectrum, from very long wavelength infrared light to high energy ‘hard’ X-rays with wavelengths less than 1 angstrom (or 0.0000001 mm) in size. Experimental beamlines are designed to use specific regions of

the spectrum, with the beam further tuned to a single – or monochromatic – wavelength of light. In addition to spectral range and tuneablility, synchrotron light is highly coherent and extremely bright: packing trillions of photons per second into spots smaller in width than a human hair. The high brightness, small spot size and tuneable properties of synchrotron X-rays make them ideal for macromolecular crystallography, particularly for obtaining structural information using X-ray diffraction and chemical information from X-ray absorption nearedge spectroscopy (XANES). Using synchrotron light, researchers are able to obtain diffraction information from smaller crystals with greater resolution and faster acquisition times than possible from conventional ‘bench top’ Xray sources. Spectroscopic techniques such as XANES allow investigators to determine the speciation of metal atoms within a macromolecule.

diseases at the molecular level. Many diseases, including cancers, diabetes and neurodegenerative conditions such as Alzheimer’s Disease, seem to be at least partially caused when a macromolecule (usually an enzyme or other protein) ‘misbehaves’ – either failing to turn off or turn on at the appropriate time, such as in cancers’ run away cell growth; or becoming misfolded, leading to the formation of plaques such as in Alzheimer’s. Other proteins are critical for the life cycles of viruses and microorganisms that cause disease, allowing them to invade us, evade our immune systems or replicate inside our cells. Such macromolecules are the targets of antiviral drugs such as Tamiflu® and Relenza® (both developed using synchrotron data). Other macromolecules are seen by many as candidates for the next generation of antibiotics to treat diseases like tuberculosis and malaria.

Rational drug design

Canada’s MX tool box

This combination of techniques makes it possible for researchers to create detailed three dimensional models of proteins and nucleic acids. Such models are the basis of molecular biology and biochemistry, as well as rational drug design – developing drug molecules that interact directly with macromolecules involved with diseases, inhibiting their function or modifying their structure – essentially treating

The Canadian Macromolecular Crystallography Facility (CMCF) consists of two beamlines. Beamline 08ID-1 (CMCF 1) is a high performance, high resolution beamline optimized to conduct structural studies of single crystals as small as 20 micrometres and with large cell dimensions approaching 1000 angstroms. The beamline is supplied with high intensity X-rays by a small-gap in-vacuum undulator –

an array of magnets that manipulates the electron beam in the storage ring to provide a high flux of X-rays down the beamline – and a double crystal monochromator tunes the beam to the required wavelength. A CCD Xray detector collects the X-rays that have diffracted through the crystal. It is capable of performing MultipleWevelength Anomalous Dispersion (MAD) experiments. One of the first seven beamlines built at the CLS, CMCF 1 came online in 2006 and has been open to outside researchers and industrial clients since 2007. The second beamline, known formally as 08B1-1 and informally as CMCF 2, is designed to be a high throughput workhorse, screening large batches of crystals using a Stanford robotic automounter to handle crystals contained in standard UniPucks and position them in the beam. Since its inception, the beamline has been intended to be capable of remote operation and data collection over the internet. In addition to X-ray diffraction, the beamline is also capable of running MultipleWavelength and Single Wavelength Anomalous Dispersion (MAD and SAD) experiments including sulphur-SAD. Currently undergoing commissioning trials, CMCF 2 is designed to work as a complement to CMCF 1, carrying out the screening of crystals for candidates requiring higher resolution studies on the undulator beamline.

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Laboratory Focus March 2010

feATure in the near future, Canada’s premiere macromolecular crystallography facility will be one of the best quality and most flexible tools available for molecular biology, proteomics and rational drug design. For more information, visit www.lightsource.ca.

References: 1. Fodje, M. And Grochulski, P. Canadian Light Source Activity Report 2008, pp. 178-179. 2. Walter, R.L. et al. Canadian Light Source Activity Report 2009, in preparation.

getting TB off Steroids

HT SOURCE:

lar Crystallography Successes and Achievements

Open for business

Since 2006, users from over 35 laboratories in Canada, the United States and the United Kingdom have collected data at the CLS, publishing over 35 papers in high impact journals, with cover articles in the Journal of Molecular Biology and data featured in a paper in Nature. From 2008 to the end of 2009, 70 protein structures had been deposited in the Protein Data Bank. Research results have also garnered national and international media interest, including an article in London’s Daily Telegraph. The performance of CMCF 1 and its manual endstation compares favourably with other crystallography beamlines around the world. Resolutions as high as 0.9 angstroms have been achieved and a typical dataset can be collected in approximately 15 minutes1. One industrial client with extensive synchrotron experience, Shamrock Structures LLC of Woodridge, Illinois, reported collecting between 1.2 and 4.5 data sets per hour in screening mode, and/or screening as many as seven crystals per hour. They reported that this is on par with, or better than, data collection rates obtained at other facilities including those equipped with robotic automounters2. These rates will also increase as a Stanford robot has also been installed at CMCF 1 with full implementation of remote access and other automation expected in 2010.

Researchers can access CMCF 1 in a number of ways, consistent with the overall usage philosophy at the CLS. General users, such as researchers from academic or government research institutions intending to publish the results of their research can apply to use the beamline through a competitive peer review process that occurs four times annually. Emphasizing scientific excellence, experiments selected by peer review for beam time at CMCF can be conducted either by users personally at the CLS or through so-called “Mail-in crystallography,” with crystals shipped to the CLS for data collection by CMCF staff scientists. The CLS is recognized by the international synchrotron community as having the most responsive access mechanism for industrial clients: a fee for service model operating on a first come, first served basis. Up to a quarter of beam time at each of the CLS’s beamlines is reserved for industrial use, including the CMCF beamlines. As with peer reviewed access, industrial clients have the option to collect their data themselves or to ship crystals to the CLS for data collection by staff scientists.

The future is bright With the addition of automation and remote access capabilities to CMCF 1 and the commissioning of CMCF 2

For over 40 years, tuberculosis has been treated using a cocktail of antibiotics that must be taken for six months to a year. The long course of treatment is necessary to ensure that all of the Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb), the bacteria that causes TB, is killed off. Abandoned courses of treatment not only lead to relapses and further risk of spreading the disease, but also to the evolution of multidrug-resistant (MDR) and extensively drug resistant (XDR) strains, which now make up 20 and 2 per cent of all TB cases, respectively. A discovery recently reported in the Journal of Biological Chemistry by researchers from the Canadian Light Source and the University of British Columbia sheds light both on the source of the TB bug’s resilience and a new way to treat the infection. Reference: Capyk et al. 2009, Journal of Biological Chemistry 284, pp. 9937-9946. DOI: 10.1074/jbc.M900719200 Image: Molecular model of the KshA enzyme from Mycobacterium tuberculosis, a new target for treating TB. From Capyk, et al. 2009, J. Biol. Chem 284: 9937-9946.

Putting the Bloom on the diatom University of British Columbia researchers Michael Murphy and Angele Arrieta used the Canadian Light Source and the Stanford Synchrotron Radiation Laboratory synchrotrons to determine the molecular structure of ferritin, an iron storage protein recently discovered in a group of phytoplankton called pennate diatoms. The discovery, made by a team of scientists from the University of Washington and UBC that included Murphy and Arrieta, sheds light on how the ferritin contributes to the diatoms’ success and possible future implications for combating atmospheric carbon dioxide. The work was published in the journal Nature. Reference: Marchetti et al. 2009. Ferritin is used for iron storage in bloom-forming marine pennate diatoms. Nature 457, pp. 467470. DOI: 10.1038/nature07539. Image: Molecular model of the ferritin protein from the diatom Pseudo-nitzschia multiseries, the green objects in the image background. Image courtesy of Adrian Marchetti, University of Washington

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PRODUCTS PerkinElmer launches NexION 300 PerkinElmer, Inc., announced the launch of the NexIONTM300 Inductively Coupled PlasmaMass Spectrometer (ICP-MS) for elemental analysis at Pittcon 2010. The NexION 300 instrument features the patented Universal Cell TechnologyTM (UCT) and features three modes of interference removal - standard, collision and reaction. These three modes allow scientists to choose the appropriate technique for their particular application, based on the complexity of the problem to be solved. NexION’s Standard mode can be used for simple and routine analyses. Collision mode is effective for semi-quantitative analyses, environmental sample monitoring and testing unknown samples. Reaction mode, using patented DRCTM technology, provides the best detection limits available, for even the most difficult elements and matrices such as semiconductor testing. The NexION 300 system can be integrated with chromatography systems for effective speciation analysis to enable customers to accurately separate and measure the toxicity, bioavailability, metabolism and environmental mobility of elements. “The NexION 300 platform advances trace element analysis, and its introduction is perfectly timed to help address global problems ranging from contamination of our air, water and food, to the integrity of pharmaceuticals and nutritional supplements, as well as the safety of emerging nanomaterials,” said Martin Long, vice president of spectroscopy, Analytical Sciences and Laboratory Services at PerkinElmer. “Researchers can now benefit from a simplified system for analysis of trace elements in the parts-per-trillion range, allowing even non-expert users to perform complex analyses. The new NexION 300 system also greatly reduces the need for daily user maintenance and cleaning, translating into minimal downtime and less need for highly-skilled operators.” Reply Card #4323

INTERSCIENCE showcases new EasySpiral INTERSCIENCE announced the EasySpiral® automatic bacterial plater at Pittcon 2010. EasySpiral® provides standardized plating with a sensitivity from 30 to 10 million CFU/ml on only 1 Petri dish without preliminary dilutions for higher lab capacities. New features for the EasySpiral include faster automatic plating time, rotating arm architecture, auto disinfection system by overflow, USB programmable plating volumes from 10 up to 1000 microliters and monitoring software with traceability system, 75 per cent less consumables than the manual method, plus considerable time-saving. Delivering the fastest cycle time ever seen, INTERSCIENCE’s EasySpiral® has an impressive rotating arm architecture, new patented disinfection system avoiding cross-contamination risks and full traceability of the operations. Competitive, equipped with high-tech new patents, EasySpiral® reach an unequalled level of performance.

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PANalytical displays Eagon 2 PANalytical announced the first result of its cooperation with XRF Scientific in the field of XRF fusion technology at Pittcon 2010, the Eagon 2. “PANalytical has long recognized the importance of sample preparation for XRF analysis,” said Pieter de Groot, director of New Business Development at PANalytical. “We can now leverage the fusion technology of XRF Scientific with our XRF expertise and bring it to our users. Of course, the new combination is supported by PANalytical’s extensive worldwide customer support and application network.” “Being based in Australia, where fusion is a very dominant sample preparation technology in the mining industry, our customers understand the importance of fused bead sample preparation for accurate and precise XRF analysis,” said Steve Prossor, XRF Scientific. “This demanding customer environment has forged the quality of our systems and drives continuous innovation.” “After a review of all fusion technologies it was clear that, with XRF Scientific, we could bring the safest, most versatile, practical and robust automated fusion machine to the market: the Eagon 2 is a high performance, cost-effective solution,” said Simon Milner, product marketing manager XRF, PANalytical. Reply Card #4325

Thermo Fisher Scientific UV-Vis Spectrophotometer Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc., launched the Evolution Array at Pittcon 2010. The new UVVisible (UV-Vis) spectrophotometer is driven by photodiode array (PDA) technology that offers dramatic improvements in laboratory throughput. The spectrophotometer is designed for fast acquisition of full-spectrum UV-Vis data and delivers rapid and accurate method development and sample analysis in QA/QC, pharmaceutical, life science, materials science and educational laboratories. By utilizing advanced photodiode array technology, the new instrument offers significant advantages with regards to full-spectrum data acquisition and sample throughput compared to traditional dispersive, monochromator-based spectrophotometers. Full spectrum data is acquired at less than one second for routine data applications and can be acquired at nearly 50 points per second for advanced kinetics applications. The system provides simultaneous detection of all wavelengths throughout the UV and visible regions of the spectrum, allowing a nearly instantaneous display of a full absorbance spectrum from 190-1100 nm. Full-spectrum analysis of every standard and sample allows users to create standard curves, plot 3D graphical displays and examine samples at any wavelength at any time - greatly enabling analytical method development. The Evolution Array operates on the Thermo Scientific VISIONcollect software to facilitate complete instrument and accessory control as well as efficient data collection, analysis and reporting.

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Laboratory Focus March 2010

PRODUCTS Airgas Unveils New Line of Remote Gas Monitoring Solutions Airgas, Inc. unveiled its new line of remote gas monitoring systems for laboratory gases at Pittcon 2010. The new product offering features several models at different price points, including a wired, low-cost system and two wireless solutions to efficiently monitor gas pressure or liquid levels in cylinders. “The Airgas systems can monitor nearly any gas function within a facility and are priced to fit any budget,” said Frank Kandl, manager of Airgas’ national technical equipment center. “You can remotely and automatically monitor gas pressure in cylinders, liquid levels of liquefied gases, temperature, whether contacts such as doors or lids are opened/closed and laboratories can realize a significant cost savings in labor, reassigning staff to other important duties.” The basic remote monitoring system uses a wired connection and monitors gas pressure from up to 16 sources. It has indicating pressure switches that can be preset to send e-mail alerts when pressure and gas cylinder volume reach preset levels. Systems can be added to standard alarm panels that are rated NEMA 4, Class I, Division II, Group B, making them suitable for all inert and flammable gases, with the exception of acetylene. Its low cost is particularly attractive to laboratories functioning on smaller budgets. The second model in Airgas’ new line is completely wireless and can monitor data from any device with a gauge face or that produces a 4 to 20 ma or a 0 to 5 vdc signal. The system reads the gauge face or converts the signal and transmits the information, using wireless technology, to either a computer network or cellular telephone hub, which in turn calls or sends a text message alert. The third model in Airgas’ remote gas monitoring systems is part of the company’s Smart Logic Manifolds, a line of fully automatic PLCbased change over manifolds that can be connected to a laboratory computer network. The system can be configured for any gas source, including high-pressure cylinders, liquid cylinders or a combination of the two. The system monitors a variety of data and can provide alerts to notify staff when a cylinder change out has occurred and that an empty cylinder needs to be replaced. It can also alert staff when detecting unusually high volumes of gas usage, which could indicate a leak.

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PerkinElmer Lanuches Enhanced Clarus® GC PerkinElmer, Inc., launched a new portfolio of Clarus® Gas Chromatograph (GC) systems at Pittcon 2010. The new systems are aimed at meeting the increasing productivity needs of laboratories concentrating on food, hydrocarbon processing, forensic and environmental applications. The Clarus 680 GC incorporates a patented column oven, optimized capillary inlets and selective detectors as well as optional Swafer™ microchannel flow control technology. “Increasingly, customers seek to increase sample throughput without sacrificing sensitivity or data quality,” said Eric Ziegler, vice president, chromatography and mass spectrometry, Analytical Sciences and Laboratory Services at PerkinElmer. “The new flagship Clarus 680 GC is designed to deliver not only higher levels of performance, but greater sample analysis throughput and operational simplicity. In addition, PerkinElmer Swafer technology provides increased instrument flexibility – ultimately giving labs better productivity and performance.” Reply Card #4328

New FirstDefender models on display at Pittcon from Ahura Scientific Ahura Scientific, Inc., announced at Pittcon 2010 the release of its next generation Raman platform for safety and security applications. The FirstDefender® RM and FirstDefender RMX are designed for the rapid identification of unknown solids and liquids.These new instruments are up to five times faster and significantly smaller and lighter than their predecessor. Both FirstDefender RM and FirstDefender RMX were on display at Pittcon 2010. FirstDefender RM and FirstDefender RMX are rugged handheld Raman spectrometers for use by first responders, homeland security, military, law enforcement and forensic chemistry personnel. The instruments allow users to quickly identify unknown chemicals from a vast sample library of more than 10,000 pure substances including: explosives, toxic industrial chemicals (TICs), toxic industrial materials (TIMs), chemical warfare agents (CWAs), white powders, narcotics, precursors and more. Ahura Scientific’s chemometric algorithms enable automatic mixture analysis with every scan and ensure responders can be confident in the accuracy and reliability of results. Both instruments are certified to U.S. military’s MIL-STD 810F specifications for ruggedness including drop, shock, vibration and operation in extreme temperatures. Reply Card #4329

Agilent Technologies makes numerous announcements at Pittcon 2010 Agilent Technologies Inc. made numerous announcements at Pittcon 2010 including the OpenLAB portfolio, a fish species verification labon-a-chip system, a collaboration to develop new scientific methods for food testing with NCFST, a high-performance transportable GC/ MSD and a high-throughput single quadrupole liquid chromatograph/ mass spectrometer (LC/MS). Agilent’s major new lab informatics suite, the OpenLAB portfolio, is designed to enable customers to capture, analyze and share scientific data throughout the lab and across the enterprise. OpenLAB is scalable, open architecture based on industry open standards. Agilent OpenLAB consists of three integrated solutions: OpenLAB Chromatography Data System (CDS), OpenLAB Electronic Lab Notebook (ELN), and OpenLAB Enterprise Content Manager (ECM). The Agilent Fish Species Identification method speeds and simplifies the use of DNA to identify fish species in food products. The Agilent Fish Species Identification method makes this highly accurate technique feasible for routine verification of seafood labeling and detecting species substitutions. Agilent and the National Center for Food Safety and Technology (NCFST) announced that they have entered into a collaboration to develop new scientific methods for food testing, with the goal of solving a wide range of persistent problems facing global food supply chains. Agilent also introduced the 5975T Low Thermal Mass (LTM) Gas Chromatography/Mass Spectrometry Detector (GC/MSD), the industry’s first commercial transportable GC/MS system that delivers laboratory-quality analysis. Using proprietary LTM technology, Agilent has developed the 5975T LTM GC/MS to be smaller, more rugged and to consume less power than in-lab GC/MSD instruments, yet capable of the same high-quality performance in the field. In addition, Agilent introduced the Agilent 6150B Series single quadrupole liquid chromatograph/mass spectrometer (LC/MS), a new generation of this workhorse instrument. The 6150B Series has substantially higher sample throughput and delivers unmatched performance in the single quad LC/MS category. Reply Card #4330

March 2010 Laboratory Focus www.bioscienceworld.ca

New Products RETSCH’s new Cutting Mill SM 300 The new Heavy-Duty Cutting Mill SM 300 excels especially in the tough jobs where other cutting mills fail. The mill boasts a powerful, high torque 3 kW (4.02 horsepower) motor for rapid preliminary and fine particle size reduction of heterogeneous mixtures such as environmental waste, electronic components, rubber, wood and bones. Analytical fineness is of-

ten achieved in one working run. The sample material is only moderately warmed during the grinding process, so the SM 300 is also suitable for grinding temperaturesensitive materials. Another innovation is the wide, variable speed motor from 700 to 3,000 min-1. Its fold-back housing and removable, push-fit rotor allow for quick and easy cleaning. In combination with the wide selection of bottom sieves, hoppers and collecting containers,

the mill can be easily adapted for a large variety of applications. A popular application is the sample preparation for heavy-metal analysis, in compliance with RoHS and WEEE standards. The Cutting Mill SM 300 can process power cords, RAM (memory), batteries, circuit boards and LCD displays to a fineness of <2mm. The mill is available in a heavy-metal free version to ensure contamination-free results.

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Agilent Tecnologies Inc......................15................4330 Airgas Inc........................................15................4327 Ahura Scientific Inc...........................15................4329 Canadian Light Source.....................3, 12...................... CanmetENERGY.................................4......................... Chemical Institute of Canada....................................... and the Canadian Society for...................................... Chemical Technology........................4.................4317 Children’s Miracle Network............6.................4319 Dalton Pharmaceutical Services..........6......................... Enerkem Inc......................................7......................... Eppendorf..................................... 8,19...............4332 Fisher Scientific...............................2.................4316 Interscience......................................7.................4324 Isotechnika Pharma Inc......................6......................... LFB Biotechnologies...........................6......................... McMaster University.....................1, 3, 4..................... MedMira Inc.....................................7......................... Memorial University...........................5......................... Millipore........................................20................4333 Novozymes........................................6......................... NSERC..............................................1......................... Paladin Labs Inc.................................6......................... PANalytical.......................................14................4325 PerkinElmer................................... 14,15....4323, 4328 ProMetic Life Sciences.......................6......................... Resverlogix.......................................7......................... Retsch............................................16................4331 Thallion Pharmaceuticals Inc...............6......................... Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc...............14................4326 Trillium Therapeutics Inc.....................7......................... University of British Columbia.............1......................... University of Western Ontario.............3......................... Vineland Research and.................................................. Innovation Centre..............................7......................... VWR...............................................11................4321 Wyvern Scientific Inc.......................5.................4318 York University..................................4......................... YM BioSciences Inc............................6.........................

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March 2010 March 8-10 Bio-Europe Spring 2010 Venue: Barcelona, Spain Email: tvoigt@ ebdgroup.com Web: http://www. ebdgroup.com/bes/

March 8-12 4th Annual Growing the Margins: Green Energy and Economy for the Farm and Food Sectors Venue: London, ON Tel: (416) 426-7029 Fax: (416) 426-7280 Email: info@ gtmconference.ca Web: http://www. gtmconference.ca/

Laboratory Focus March 2010 March 23-26 Late Phase Drug Development World Americas 2010 Venue: Princeton, NJ Tel: 212-379-6322 Email: enquiry.us @terrapinn.com Web: http://www. healthnetworkcommunications.com/2010/lpddusa/ index.stm

March 24 National Pharmaceutical Congress

Venue: Toronto, ON Tel: (416) 916-2476 Email: info@ pharmacongress.info Web: http://www.pharmacongress.info/1.html

March 22-25 American Filtration and Separations Society 23rd Annual Technical Conference & Exhibition Venue: San Antonio, TX Phone: (612) 861-1277

Calendar Web: http://www. afssociety.org/spring2010/

March 31 North Ontario BioEnergy Trade Show Venue: Thunder Bay, ON Phone: (705) 472-2280 E-mail: info@canbio.ca Web: www.canbio.ca

April 2010 April 5-9 2010 Materials Research Society Spring Meeting Venue: San Francisco, CA Tel: 724-779-3003 Fax: 724-779-8313 Email: info@mrs.org Web: http://www.mrs. org/s_mrs/index.asp

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March 9-12 14th International Congress on Infectious Diseases Venue: Brookline, MA Tel: (617) 277-0551 Fax: (617) 278-9113 Email: info@isid.org Web: http://www.isid.org

March 16-17

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6th Annual Pharma/Biotech Accounting and Reporting Congress Venue: Philadelphia, PA Email: tekoch@ deloitte.com Web: www.nxtbook.com/ nxtbooks/advanstar/cbi_ countingreporting2010/#/0

March 22-23 The Burrill Consumer Digital Health Meeting Venue: San Francisco, CA Phone: (415) 591-5400 Web: http://www. burrillandco.com/digital_ health/index.html

March 22-24 NZBIO 2010 Conference: Advancing a Bio-Based Economy Venue: Auckland, New Zealand Contact: Kirsty Jehle / Conference Project Coordinator Tel: +64 4 916 1247 Email: kirsty.jehle@ nzbio.org.nz Web: http://www.nzbio2010.co.nz/home

March 23-26 Analytica 2010 Venue: Munich, Germany Tel: (416) 237-9939 Email: bmertens@ canada-unlimited.com Web: http://www.analytica. de/en/Home

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March 2010 Laboratory Focus

pittcon sets the stage for 2010 That’s a wrap on Pittcon 2010! The ever-productive conference was held in Orlando, FL, from Feb. 28 - Mar. 5 this year and it did not disappoint. Organized by the Pittsburgh Conference and Analytical Chemistry and Applied Spectroscopy Society of Pittsburgh (SSP) and the Society for Analytical Chemists of Pittsburgh (SACP), Pittcon is the always one of the most important times of the year for Laboratory Focus. With more than 900 exhibitors on the ﬂoor this year, Pittcon was a showcase for 2010’s newest and most exciting technologies. One of the best things about Pittcon is the wide variety of industry sectors the conference covers; everything from bioanalytical chemistry and forensics, to food analysis and even homeland security. Industry giants such as Thermo Fisher, Agilent, Waters, Wyatt and PANalytical, as well as hundreds of others were on hand to showcase their latest and greatest products, services and ideas. We’ve highlighted a number of the new products on hand at the conference in this issue. This year’s Pittcon certainly took new steps to providing attendees with the ability to truly experience everything the conference had to offer without having to be in two places at once. With all the networking sessions, product showcases and research presentations, it was often difficult to decide which events to attend, but, this year, Pittcon provided free access to registered conference attendees to select symposia webcasts, sessions and exhibitors for two months post-conference via the pittconnect.com website. A quick glance at the site revealed that over 600 attendees were actively taking advantage of the site. The conference networking sessions this year provided face-to-face meetings and discussion forums for some life science topics that should be familiar to most of our readers, including: bioseparation, biofuel production, and non-invasive drug monitoring and biomarker determination. It was a very busy week and there were a number of major players with big announcements that created a lot of buzz on the ﬂoor. Merck announced that they have agreed to pay US$7.2 billion to buy U.S. biotech equipment maker Millipore. They believe the move will expand they’re presence beyond drugs and chemicals and into the life science sector, though according to news reports, the deal is not expected to close until the second half of this year. Thermo Fisher was also on hand to talk about its recent acquisition of Ahura Scientific, a company specializing in field-deployed analytical instruments for human health and public safety. The deal, worth US$145 million provides Thermo Fisher with an expanded portfolio of portable analytical devices designed to provide customers with the ability to rapidly identify and authenticate a range of molecular and elemental substances in the field. With Pittcon setting the stage it should be an exciting year!

Career spotLiGHt Compiled by BioTalent Canada Position: Regulatory Affairs Specialist/Safety Officer Name: Karen Long Company: Angiotech Pharmaceuticals, Inc. Salary Range: Salary is commensurate with qualifications and experience

What I do:

The regulatory affairs function serves as a liaison between the company and a regulatory authority, such as Health Canada or the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). I am the last person on the team to check the data before it goes to the FDA for approval. If the project team can convince me that the product dossier is consistent and complete, then I can convince the FDA. My days vary, but the work can be divided into thirds: reviewing documents, attending meetings, and writing reports. As the company safety officer, I also do inspections, work with external contractors, and investigate funny smells!

What education and skills do candidates need for this position?

I have a Bachelor’s degree in chemistry and a Masters in Pharmaceutical Science. There is no specific training for this job. People tend to fall into this role “by accident.” Some people have a life science background, but mainly they come from physical sciences or engineering. In this job you get to learn a little bit about everything (chemistry, manufacturing, preclinical and clinical research). People who work in this position should love to write, which is something many scientists don’t enjoy. Diplomacy is another useful skill; you need to be able to persuade without being offensive. You should have high standards, attention to detail, and the ability to meet deadlines. It’s not uncommon to have several people working on different sections of a project, so you need to be able to bring it all together and have each section consistent with the others, while meeting the deadline. You require good grammar and an understanding of the technology you are helping to develop. Computer programming is fast becoming a useful skill, as many regulatory authorities are now asking for electronic submissions. Lastly, you need to learn and interpret the regulations for all of the countries in which your company is doing business, and teach them to your team.

What are the best parts of your job?

You know your work will help people, and there is no greater feeling than that.

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Laboratory Focus March 2010

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