What’s New in LAB & Life Sciences Dec/Jan 2013

What’s lurking in the

interstellar spaces?

DECEMBER 2012 /JANUARY 2013 VOL.23 NO.5 PP247345/00002

Front cover image : This magnificent image from NASA’s Spitzer and Hubble Space Telescopes shows the Orion Nebula in an explosion of infrared, ultraviolet, and visible-light colors. It was ‘painted’ by hundreds of baby stars on a canvas of gas and dust, with intense ultraviolet light and strong stellar winds as brushes. At the heart of the nebula, in the brightest part of the image, is a group of four monstrously massive stars, collectively called the Trapezium. Located 1,500 light-years from Earth, the Orion Nebula is the brightest point in the sword of the Hunter constellation. Image credit: NASA

new i s ’ t a h w

n

DEC 2012/JAN 2013

S E C N E FE SCI

& LI

Editor’s

b la There’s

m lling co Unrave

Quantif

04 06 17 20 34 note

somet king o hing lur ut there

plex b ular s iomolec

in in-prote e t o r p ying es tructur

binding

My Lab

NOW in DIGITAL!

Your copy of What's New in Lab & Life Sciences is now available as an online eMag.

http://www.labonline.com.au/latest_issues

Head Office Cnr. Fox Valley Road & Kiogle Street, (Locked Bag 1289) Wahroonga NSW 2076 Ph: +61 2 9487 2700 Fax: +61 2 9489 1265 Chief Editor Janette Woodhouse Email: wnilt@westwick-farrow.com.au Editorial Assistant: Lauren Davis Publisher Geoff Hird Art Director/Production Manager Julie Wright Art Production Tanya Scarselletti, Jeanette Teuma, Colleen Sam Circulation Manager Sue Lavery circulation@westwick-farrow.com.au Copy Control Mitchie Mullins copy@westwick-farrow.com.au Advertising Sales NSW, QLD Liz Wilson Ph: 0403 528 558 Email: lwilson@westwick-farrow.com.au VIC, SA, WA Sandra Romanin Ph: 0414 558 464 Email: sromanin@westwick-farrow.com.au New Zealand Gemma Burr Freecall: 0800 44 25 29 Email: gburr@westwick-farrow.com.au USA - Huson International Media East Coast Ph: 212 268 3344 West Coast Ph: 408 879 6666 Email: ralph.lockwood@husonmedia.com UK - Huson International Media Ph: 1932 56 4999 Email: gerryb@husonmedia.com Asia - Lachlan Rainey Ph: +61 (0) 402 157 167 Email: lrainey@westwick-farrow.com.au If you have any queries regarding our privacy policy please email privacy@westwick-farrow.com.au

September 2012 Total CAB Audited Circulation (Aust + NZ) 5,130 (55% personally requested)

Printed and bound by Pegasus +61 2 8822 0716

editor’s note

© iStockphoto.com/ Zoran Milic

A.B.N. 22 152 305 336 www.westwick-farrow.com.au

But wait, there’s more No it’s not the steak knives – its Australian Life Scientist.

In the last month the publisher of What’s New in Lab and Life Sciences has purchased Australian Life Scientist (ALS).

This magazine and its website (www.lifescientist.com.au) provide in-depth articles, research news, funding and grant updates relevant to the vibrant biotech and life sciences fields.

Its readers are primarily researchers, fellows and senior academics across all universities, medical and other research facilities.

It is very complementary to What’s New which has always concentrated on bringing new product and service information to lab managers, purchasing officers, technical officers and lab staff across all universities, medical and research facilities, and industrial, environmental and testing laboratories.

We had anticipated that the two titles would have about 75% of readers in common.

But we were wrong. In fact only 16% of the readers get both magazines so it is quite likely that you don’t already receive ALS. If you are interested in subscribing please visit ALS’s website and subscribe online.

Long term editor of ALS, Tim Dean, is moving to WFM and is continuing in this role.

Tim is very partial to showcasing Australian researchers in areas such as biotechnology, health and medical, life sciences and genetics. He also has a particular interest in all the ‘omics and follows an extensive array of local and international conferences and conventions.

Under Tim’s direction ALS will continue to feature its usual array of original articles, interviews and exposés. The only change to the magazine will be in its legacy Lab News section.

This scientific and laboratory product section is a much more comfortable fit in What’s New and so will not be repeated in ALS. On another note, the Government’s ‘Excellence in Research for Australia’ 2012 report has just been released. The improvements in outcomes and quality across the entire tertiary education spectrum are very nice to see. A 24% increase in the number of research outputs since 2010 is very impressive, especially as number of full-time equivalent salaried research staff only increased 5%!

It’s Christmas party day in my office today and the year is fast winding down to a frenzy of shopping, over-eating and over-drinking. But immediately on the heels of these excesses will be 2013. For many it will start with the traditional Lorne conference season. This year I have not covered the conferences in any detail in this issue of the magazine. If you want some extensive coverage subscribe to Australian Life Scientist and read all about the conferences there or visit www.lorneproteins.org, www.lornecancer.org, www.lornegenome. org, www.lorneinfectionimmunity.org and http://mam.asnevents.com.au. The way I see it you can probably spend the whole of February either attending presentations or on the beach at Lorne. Do enjoy.

Happy New Year to all What’s New readers.

Print Post Approved PP247345/00002 ISSN No. 2201-1951 All material published in this magazine is published in good faith and every care is taken to accurately relay information provided to us. Readers are advised by the publishers to ensure that all necessary safety devices and precautions are installed and safe working procedures adopted before the use of any equipment found or purchased through the information we provide. Further, all performance criteria was provided by the representative company concerned and any dispute should be referred to them. Information indicating that products are made in Australia or New Zealand is supplied by the source company. Westwick-Farrow Pty Ltd does not quantify the amount of local content or the accuracy of the statement made by the source.

4

WHAT’S NEW IN LAB & LIFE SCIENCES - December 2012/January 2013

Janette Woodhouse Chief Editor What’s New in Lab & Life Sciences www.labonline.com.au

www.LabOnline.com.au

There’s something lurking out there Deep in interstellar space there is something lurking. Actually there is lots of something lurking. We know it’s there because of its spectra but we have no idea what it is.

6

WHAT’S NEW IN LAB & LIFE SCIENCES - December 2012/January 2013

www.LabOnline.com.au

A

Image: This image from the European Space Agency’s Herschel Space Observatory shows the cloud associated with the Rosette Nebula, a stellar nursery about 5,000 light-years from Earth in the Monoceros, or Unicorn, constellation. Herschel collects the infrared light given out by dust. The bright smudges are dusty cocoons containing massive embryonic stars, which will grow up to 10 times the mass of our sun. The small spots near the centre of the image are lower mass stellar embryos. The Rosette Nebula itself, and its massive cluster of stars, is located to the left of the picture. This image is a three-color composite showing infrared wavelengths of 70 µm blue, 160 µm green, and 250 µm red. It was made with observations from Herschel’s Photoconductor Array Camera and Spectrometer and the Spectral and Photometric Imaging Receiver instruments. Herschel is an ESA cornerstone mission, with science instruments provided by consortia of European institutes and with participation by NASA. Image credit: ESA/PACS SPIRE Consortium/HOBYS Key Programme Consortia.

www.LabOnline.com.au

s the concentration of matter in the space between star systems in galaxies is lower than can be achieved by the best vacuum systems on earth, this interstellar space is often considered to be empty. However, this is far from the truth. On average there is about 1 atom per cubic centimetre. (To put this density into perspective, the air we breathe has approximately 30 x 1018 molecules/cm2.)

But astronomical distances are so vast that the total amount of matter out there really adds up. The total material in the interstellar space in the Milky Way is estimated at 510 billion solar masses (one solar mass is about 2 x 1030 kg). This is several per cent of the total mass of visible stars in the galaxy.

But what is this material?

Most of the interstellar material is gaseous (99%), and of its mass, about 75% is in the form of hydrogen (either molecular, atomic or ionic), with helium the next most prolific species.

The identity of the chemicals in interstellar space can be determined by examining their spectra. Atomic spectra are characterised by sharp lines and are an effect of the quantised orbits of electrons around the atom. In other words, a single mechanism, electronic transition, produces atomic spectra.The atomic spectra of interstellar medium (ISM) components, such as H, Na, K and Ca+, have been easily reproduced and matched in the laboratory.

However, the spectra of molecules are much more complex than atomic spectra.

They exhibit electronic transitions similar to those of an atom as well as both vibrational transitions and rotational energy states.

Many small gas-phase molecules including CH, CH+, C2 and CO have been identified in the ISM. The first of these small molecules that were discovered, CH and CH+, were identified by comparison of astronomical spectra with electronic spectra recorded in the laboratory.

The development of radiowave spectroscopy has allowed for the identification of other interstellar molecules, beginning with water and ammonia, through the rotational spectra allowed by their permanent dipole moments.

Other species have been identified through their infrared emissions, including C3, C2H and C5.

For the last 90 years, astronomers and spectroscopists have been trying to find out what else is in the ISM. We know there is something there because there is a group of several hundred intriguing broad optical spectra called the diffuse interstellar bands (DIBs).

The DIBs are a set of hundreds of absorption lines that are detected from the near-UV to the near-IR in the spectra of so-called reddened stars - meaning there is a lot of interstellar material between us and the star. The DIBs are known to be interstellar, because they do not suffer the periodic Doppler shifts associated with stellar lines in binary star systems.

The constancy of the absorption wavelengths implies that the carriers are in the gas phase, and the fact that they are broad implies that their carriers are molecular rather than atomic.

While atomic spectra can undergo a number of weak line broadening processes, the three classes of molecular transitions lead to numerous spectral lines superimposed on each other, closely spaced in wavelength and displaying an easily recognisable banded structure. It was the first detection of these substructures in the profiles of several DIBs that pointed to the molecular nature of DIB carriers. The spectra of countless candidate molecules have been measured but so far none of these spectra have matched the astronomical spectra.

Whatever is causing the DIBs must be widespread in our galaxy and beyond and must be very stable to withstand the harsh conditions of the interstellar medium.

Carbon-based molecules are the current focus of global research, as stellar and galactic chemical evolution models suggest that there is a lot of carbon unaccounted for (~100 carbon atoms per 106 hydrogen atoms).

If this ‘missing’ carbon exists in the ISM as molecules which absorb light in the visible region, then carbon-based molecules could be DIB carriers.

Candidate carrier molecules include carbon chains, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and fullerene-type compounds.

There are about 1.2 million different PAH molecules with less than 100 carbon atoms - recording all their spectra in the gas phase and comparing them to the DIBs would be an onerous task. So researchers try to determine the molecular properties of the DIB carriers from their astronomical observations. This eliminates many molecules as potential carriers.

There remains the interesting possibility that some of these spectral features arise from new forms of matter or dust in the ISM and it is notable that new forms of carbon including fullerenes, nanotubes and graphene have only relatively recently become experimentally accessible. In fact, research attempts to simulate DIBs in the laboratory led to the accidental discovery in 1985 of the Buckminsterfullerene, or the ‘buckyball’ carbon 60 molecule, for which the Nobel Prize was awarded in 1996.

Buckyballs possess unique chemical and physical properties that hold an array of possibilities for all the natural sciences. They are an entirely new material providing scientists with information about allotropes of carbon never before conceived. A few areas where buckyballs are proving valuable to research include drug treatments, medical diagnostics, nano scanning tunnelling microscopy, electrical circuitry, lubricants, superconductors and catalysts. But buckyballs aren’t the answer to what makes the diffuse interstellar bands - so far, we are simply unsure.

WHAT’S NEW IN LAB & LIFE SCIENCES - December 2012/January 2013

7

Polycarbonate pH/ORP sensors Laboratory and sampling technicians in search of an alternative to epoxy body electrodes will find that the S150C and S151CORP Polycarbonate Body 12 mm pH/ORP Electrodes, from Sensorex, offer a rugged pH and ORP measurement solution.

The electrodes can be used with any pH or ORP meter and feature durable polycarbonate body construction. User-friendly and maintenance free, they are shipped in a soaker bottle for immediate use and feature a gelfilled sealed reference.

The electrodes feature

Spinning disk confocal system

the company’s newly

The Andor Revolution XD spinning disk confocal system is a range of

designed tip, which of-

flexible system solutions focused on live cell high-speed imaging. At the

fers pH bulb and ORP platinum protection while maintaining

heart of the system is the CSU-X spinning disk technology from Yokogawa.

optimum flow through the slots in the body.

Offering a range of upright and inverted microscope alternatives ensures

The highly accurate S150C Electrode features a measure-

researchers can get the system that best suits their needs. Thanks to

ment range of 0-14 pH (0-12.3 pH without Na+ error) and the

the extensive Andor portfolio available, the system is very much appli-

S151C-ORP Electrode has a measurement range of ±1999 mV

cation-focused. In offering the Neo sCMOS, iXon Ultra EMCCD and the

for ORP. It offers a rapid pH response speed of >90% in 1 s.

10,000 rpm CSU-X, the company can offer high image capture rates for

The electrode operates up to a maximum temperature of 60°C

high-speed applications such as ion imaging and tracking.

and up to a maximum pressure of 50 psig.

The spinning disk confocal system will be a suitable addition for those

Designed for long life, the electrodes offer wetted materials

undertaking cell division studies, live cell imaging, calcium imaging, de-

constructed from polycarbonate, silicone, pH glass or platinum.

velopmental biology, electrophysiology, homo-FRET, stem cell research,

The sensors come with a 76.2 cm cable and BNC connector.

TIRF, cell motility, neuroscience and more.

Both electrode models are RoHS compliant, built using lead-

SciTech Pty Ltd Contact info and more items like this at wf.net.au/R375

free glass and lead-free solder. Standard sensor versions are supplied in a clear polycarbonate body with black body versions available upon request in OEM quantities.

Envirosensors Pty Ltd Contact info and more items like this at wf.net.au/Q417

Thermal cyclers The Techne thermal cycler range has been redesigned to provide easier programming and increased instrument flexibility. All Prime models have an enhanced thermal engine, a colour touch interface and preprogrammed protocol templates.

The 3Prime personal thermal cycler is packed full of features and claimed to be the only entry-level instrument to offer programming via a touch interface. Up to 1000 programs can be stored. With rapid ramp rates and a small footprint, this is a suitable instrument for both research and teaching labs.

3 3

PrimeX and 3PrimeG are mid-sized cyclers that match all the features of the

Prime instrument alongside expanded sample capacity and gradient cycling

capability.

The Prime and PrimeG instruments are full-sized models with a versatile, fully interchangeable block system suitable for all routine PCR needs. Both 3PrimeG and PrimeG have gradient functionality, while the 3PrimeX and Prime units introduce a facility to add gradient capability through a simple USB upgrade, without the need to change a block. The product provides good user experience and flexibility right across the range. The same software, look and feel is offered on each model.

Alphatech Systems Contact info and more items like this at wf.net.au/R750

8

WHAT’S NEW IN LAB & LIFE SCIENCES - December 2012/January 2013

www.LabOnline.com.au

Disposable cuvettes for spectrophotometry The Kartell range of disposable cuvettes is designed for spectrophotometry application in the visible spectrum, featuring a clear and sharp optical path with indication of the optical path direction.

The Visible Range Cuvettes are made from high-quality optical polystyrene and feature optically machined faces to ensure optimal transparency along the spectral field from 340800 nm. The UV Range Cuvettes are made

Cuvette for microvolume applications The Eppendorf µCuvette G1.0 is designed for the accurate measurement of small volumes of highly concentrated biomolecules, such as proteins and nucleic acids. Users can work easily with samples as small as 1.5 µL without the need for a time-consuming dilution step.

The product expands the measuring range of the Eppendorf BioPhotometer and the Eppendorf BioSpectrometer. Synchronised apertures mean that a closed system is created when used alongside the company’s detection instruments, providing optimum results and operation.

High sample concentrations require a short optical path length for measurement. The optical path length of the product is just 1 mm, 10 times shorter than the light path length of standard cuvettes, which is said to provide a better system for these measurements.

from UV-grade PMMA and feature optically machined faces to ensure optimal transparency along the spectral field from 280-800 nm.

The Disposable Cuvettes are available in three styles: macro (4.5 mL), low-form semi-micro (1.5 mL) and high-form semi-micro (2.5 mL) with two or four optical faces. The two opticalface version is manufactured with grooves on two walls, providing a better grip and preventing positioning errors while still featuring two optically machined walls. The four-face macro

Eppendorf South Pacific Pty Ltd

version, designed for use in the UV field, is

Contact info and more items like this at wf.net.au/R998

suitable for use in spectrofluorimetry techniques.

It is also recommended for common biological and biotechnological applications.

Microplate washers The 405 Touch Microplate Washer from BioTek incorporates a highresolution LED backlit touch-screen user interface for intuitive and flexible onboard instrument control of 96- and 384-well microplate washing. A graphical colour display guides users through protocol development, instrument maintenance and daily use at the touch of a finger. USB flash drive ports enable convenient file transfer, storage and operation.

and photometers on the market, the cuvettes

Series Washer is available with a 2 x 24-character backlit LCD with

are packed in practical dust-proof support

membrane keypad interface for installations such as within a robotic

containers, made from PE foam and containing

system, when the instrument will be primarily controlled from a PC.

100 cuvettes. As part of the company’s high

Both the 405 TS and LS are offered in configurations for a range of

level of quality control, absorption changes

wash requirements, maintaining all the features of the ELx405 Washer,

are kept within the ±1% interval, an important

including high-strength biomagnetic separation, fast and efficient

factor for analysis in series.

vacuum filtration, Dual-Action manifold, optimised cell washing and Ultrasonic Advantage. Key features include automated internal 4-buffer switching and quick-release manifold designs.

Millennium Science Pty Ltd Contact info and more items like this at wf.net.au/R971

10

Compatible with most spectrophotometers

Along with the 405 Touch (also known as the 405 TS), the 405 LS

WHAT’S NEW IN LAB & LIFE SCIENCES - December 2012/January 2013

Also available are disposable stirrer bars, cuvette caps and the cuvette holder.

Sieper & Co Pty Ltd Contact info and more items like this at wf.net.au/S339

www.LabOnline.com.au

Elegant simplicity Meet the newest member of the NanoDrop instrument family. The NanoDrop Lite is a basic microvolume instrument which uses our patented sampleretention system to deliver the same exceptional accuracy and reproducibility as other NanoDrop instruments. Its compact design, with built-in controls and software, makes the NanoDrop Lite small enough to fit on any benchtop.

revolutionary technology • To find out more visit thermofisher.com.au or call 1300-735-292 NanoDrop 8000 Multi-sample micro-volume UV-Vis spectrophotometer.

Š 2012 Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc. All rights reserved.

NanoDrop 3300 Broad spectrum fluorescence analysis

NanoDrop 2000/2000C UV-Visible Fast and easy micro-volume measurements

© iStockphoto.com/shipfactory

Scientific use for sticky tape Sticky tape, that versatile household staple and a mainstay of gift wrapping, may have a new scientific application as a shape-changing ‘smart material’.

R

esearchers used a laser to form slender half-centimetrelong fingers out of the tape. When exposed to water, the four wispy fingers morph into a tiny robotic claw that captures water droplets.

The innovation could be used to collect water samples for environmental testing, said Babak Ziaie, a Purdue University professor of electrical and computer engineering and biomedical engineering.

The researchers used sticky tape to create a tiny grasping claw that collects droplets of water, an innovation that could be used to collect water samples for environmental testing. The material, seen here, becomes flexible when exposed to humidity and returns to its original shape when dry. Credit: Manuel Ochoa, Purdue University.

The sticky tape - made from a cellulose-acetate sheet and an adhesive - is uniquely suited to the purpose.

“It can be micromachined into different shapes and works as an inexpensive smart material that interacts with its environment to perform specific functions,” he said.

Doctoral student Manuel Ochoa came up with the idea. While using tape to collect pollen, he noticed that it curled when exposed to humidity. The cellulose-acetate absorbs water, but the adhesive film repels water.

“So, when one side absorbs water it expands, the other side stays the same, causing it to curl,” Ziaie said. A laser was used to machine the tape to a tenth of its original thickness, enhancing this curling action. The researchers coated the graspers with magnetic nanoparticles so that they could be collected with a magnet.

“Say you were sampling for certain bacteria in water,” Ziaie said. “You could drop a bunch of these and then come the next day and collect them.”

The grippers close underwater within minutes and can sample one-tenth of a millilitre of liquid.

“Although brittle when dry, the material becomes flexible when immersed in water and is restored to its original shape upon drying, a crucial requirement for an actuator material because you can use it over and over,” Ziaie said. “Various microstructures can be carved out of the tape by using laser machining. This fabrication method offers the capabilities of rapid prototyping and batch processing without the need for complex cleanroom processes.”

12

The graspers were coated with magnetic particles, which could allow researchers to retrieve the devices in the field by using a magnet.

Credit: Manuel Ochoa, Purdue University.

The materials could even be ‘functionalised’ so that they attract specific biochemicals or bacteria in water.

These findings were detailed in a presentation briefly titled ‘Laser-Micromachined Magnetically-Functionalized Hygroscopic Bilayer: A Low-Cost Smart Material’ at the Materials Research Society meeting in Boston (25-30 November). Experiments at Purdue’s Birck Nanotechnology Center were conducted by Ochoa, doctoral student Girish Chitnis and Ziaie.

WHAT’S NEW IN LAB & LIFE SCIENCES - December 2012/January 2013

www.LabOnline.com.au

Logic analyser Oscium’s iOS test equipment modules take advantage of the features and touch screen technology of the iPad, iPhone and nector to create cutting-edge test equipment called iOS Test. This

System for automated blood fractionation and buffy-coat transfer applications

iOS test equipment platform is intuitive, portable and modular.

Hamilton has released the easyBlood system for fully

iPod Touch, and interface via the iOS family’s 30-pin dock con-

LogiScope is a 100 MHz, 16-channel logic analyser. The touch

automated blood fractionation and buffy-coat isolation.

screen-based iOS platform means the display is simple and intui-

Camera-based fraction identification allows accurate

tive. For example, changing the timescale is as easy as zooming

and reliable recognition of the three fractions RBC, buffy

into a picture on a smartphone or tablet, and adjusting the delay

coat and plasma, with user-definable thresholds and de-

is as simple as a swipe across the top of the screen.

tection limits to meet specific detection requirements and

Emona Instruments Pty Ltd

full sample traceability by storing each image individually.

Contact info and more items like this at wf.net.au/Q469

The system is based on the Microlab Star line instruments with air displacement pipetting technology for cross-contamination-free pipetting. A primary tube barcode reader allows efficient sample tracking and a

Analyser and assays

high-resolution industrial camera and LED light source

The Liaison Iam is a small benchtop unit which is connected

for reliable imaging conditions gives optimal fraction rec-

to the Iam Control Unit (ICU) via a USB interface. The ICU

ognition. A specific sample carrier for fraction detection

runs proprietary software in which a GUI guides the operator

and specially designed tips optimise pipetting accuracy.

through a series of simple set-up steps. Up to six instruments can be connected to a single ICU, making the product suitable for laboratories that may start with a small number of tests and add units as their workload or test portfolio grows.

The analyser uses Q-LAMP technology, which offers the benefits of isothermal LAMP technology while adding the advantages of real-time, fluorescent, multiplexed amplification as well as single tube RNA amplification. Analysers running DiaSorin Q-LAMP assays offer an alternative to PCR in decentralised laboratory settings. Such assays include Iam BKV, an in vitro diagnostic assay for the quantification of clinically relevant subtypes of BK virus in human plasma and urine; and Iam VZV, an in vitro diagnostic assay for the detection of clinically relevant subtypes of Varicella zoster virus in human CSF and vesicle swabs.

The benefits of the Q-LAMP approach over conventional PCR are: speed of reaction and time to result; specificity - up to six unique recognition events per reaction; less complex

Predefined methods are available for short and easy

instrumentation - as the Q-LAMP process is isothermal there

sample processing. Customisable output files for LIS/

is no requirement for rapid thermal cycling and instrumentation

LIMS integration and an optional 2D barcode scanner

can be designed accordingly; suitable for use in decentralised

make for seamless integration.

facilities where speed of result and turnaround time are important; small footprint instrumentation.

Bio-Strategy Pty Ltd Contact info and more items like this at wf.net.au/S216

DiaSorin Contact info and more items like this at wf.net.au/S122

Microtome blades The PathoCutter R is a blade from the Erma range of pathology microtome blades. Also known as the New Pink 35 degree, it combines durability and sharpness. The item has been developed to highlight the difference in quality for microtome blade users of the Feather brand.

The PathoCutter II has good longevity and cutting performance. It is suitable as a routine histology blade for use in hospitals, laboratories, schools and various institutes for varying types of samples.

Among options for section cutting, the high-profile blade PathoCutter HP is available. The blades from this option are wider and thicker than standard. They are suitable for cryostat microtome use, frozen section histology and industrial use as plant, wood, plastic, rubber, tyre, film companies and even resin blocks.

Pacific Laboratory Products Contact info and more items like this at wf.net.au/S197

14

WHAT’S NEW IN LAB & LIFE SCIENCES - December 2012/January 2013

www.LabOnline.com.au

r a l u lec

biom

olecu

lar

lar

cu

ole

m

bio

© iStockphoto.com/George Paul

o m o bi

Unravelling complex biomolecular structures A new mass spectrometer developed by a Utretch University’s Heck Lab and Thermo Fisher collaboration is offering new insight into molecularly complex biomolecules.

T

he Heck Lab at Utrecht University, which is more formally known as the Biomolecular Mass Spectrometry and Proteomics Group, has collaborated with Alexander Makarov of Thermo Fisher, the inventor of the Orbitrap analyser, to develop a new mass spectrometer. This highly sensitive instrument might play a crucial role in the development and use of therapeutic antibodies.

The researchers, led by Albert Heck, have shown that protein assemblies of molecular weights over 1 million Da can be analysed with very high analytical resolving power and exquisite sensitivity down to detection of single ions. The new mass spectrometer allows the measurement of a range of important proteins and protein assemblies allowing a detailed analytical footprint of these biologically and medically important molecules.

Especially in the fast-growing arena of biopharmaceuticals such as therapeutic antibodies, this new instrument will be important both in R&D and in quality control, to enable such molecularly complex biomolecules to be used safely in the clinic.

According to Heck: “The impact of the high mass resolving power at very high sensitivity as achievable with this new mass spectrometer is tremendous; it opens up avenues to measure not

www.LabOnline.com.au

only protein-protein interactions, but also covalent and non-covalent binding of small molecules to protein assemblies. Wide-ranging applications may include the direct analysis of drug molecules binding to their targets, and the investigation of post-translational and chemical modifications (eg, phosphorylation, glycosylation) on intact proteins and protein assemblies. I foresee that this instrument will become instrumental in the development and use of therapeutic antibodies, but also, for instance, in analysing how drug molecules such as proteasome inhibitors do interact with their target, the proteasome.”

Makarov added: “Presently, Orbitrap mass spectrometry is probably the fastest growing mass spectrometric technique. Through this collaboration with Utrecht University we have opened up new avenues for the use of this mass analyser. I always believed in the versatility of the Orbitrap analyser, but am still amazed to see that we can now also mass analyse huge protein complexes, even whole viruses, with substantially improved resolving power and mass accuracy and sensitivity down to individual ions.”

This research was made possible by support of the Netherlands Proteomics Centre and the EU-funded large-scale facility PRIME-XS.

WHAT’S NEW IN LAB & LIFE SCIENCES - December 2012/January 2013

17

Background on the analyses of therapeutic antibodies Since the mid-1990s, antibodies have become an important class of drugs, with more than 28 antibodies approved for therapeutic use in the US and Europe. The need to improve clinical efficacy of antibodies further is continuously ongoing. Engineering of antibodies has enabled the design of antibody-based formats with tailored pharmacokinetics, avidity, (bi-)specificity and increased tumour penetration. Modification of the N-linked glycosylation of monoclonal antibodies has also received interest as a strategy for improving the efficacy of therapeutic antibodies. Moreover, mixtures of antibodies, bi-specific antibodies and antibody drug conjugates are rapidly entering the therapeutic arena. Antibodies are large and complex glycoproteins (150,000 Da), and their complexity becomes only further enhanced by all the abovementioned new strategies.

The essential detailed analytical molecular characterisation of these therapeutics poses enormous challenges to the field of analytical chemistry. The technique of mass spectrometry surfaces as the key technology for such analysis, especially when it allows analysis at very high sensitivity, accuracy, speed and selectivity.

Biosimilar antibodies Such analysis also becomes important for the identification and analysis of biosimilar antibodies that are copy versions of the original ones that will be out of patent in the next decade. It is not possible to produce exact molecular copies of antibodies, as they are produced from different cell clones undergoing different manufacturing processes. As a consequence, micro-variations can be introduced that impact safety and potency. Only very small dif-

ferences between biosimilar and reference mAbs, with reassurance that these are not of clinical relevance, may be accepted by health authorities. Copy versions of the original biopharmaceuticals are already available in several countries but no consistent worldwide requirements for their registration are established so far.

Thermo Fisher Scientific Contact info and more items like this at wf.net.au/S330

Sterilising-grade filters Sartorius Stedim Biotech has announced the sterilising-grade filters Sartopore Platinum. The surface of the polyethersulfone filter membrane has been modified using a hydrophilic and highly thermostable polymer, giving the membrane good wetting properties and minimising its protein binding. Fewer than 5 L of water for injection (WFI) are needed to wet a 10″ cartridge fast and reliably for subsequent integrity testing that provides accurate results.

The membrane’s minimised protein binding increases product yield, thus augmenting the efficiency of manufacturing processes. The filter cartridges can be dry-steam sterilised in the forward or the reverse direction, without altering the properties of their membrane. These sterilising-grade filters can be used in the entire pH range from 1 to 14 and thus for nearly any filtration application in biopharmaceutical manufacturing.

The membrane of the filter cartridges has been pleated using the company’s TwinPleat process. The alternating long and short pleats of the membrane increase the filter area of a 10″ cartridge by more than 60%. At the same time, this geometry ensures that liquids flow through the entire filter area so that the filtration capacity of the cartridge is used to the fullest extent. As a result, the filter cartridges boost filtration performance and lower filtration costs.

The product is available in a choice of different sizes and constructions, ranging from lab to production scale.

In all sizes, identical materials of construction with consistent performance characteristics are used.

Sartorius Stedim Australia Pty Ltd Contact info and more items like this at wf.net.au/Q550

18

WHAT’S NEW IN LAB & LIFE SCIENCES - December 2012/January 2013

www.LabOnline.com.au

Cleanroom apparel and accessories DuPont single-use cleanroom apparel and accessories are designed for use in pharmaceutical, medical device, biotech and electronic settings that require high standards for particle and microbiological contamination control.

A wide range of garments is available, including coveralls with or without a hood; hoods and bouffants; shoe and boot covers; sleeves and cuff tape; frocks and lab coats; aprons, smocks and gowns; and masks and face veils.

The garments are comfortable, durable and available in several different fabrics for various cleanroom and controlled environment applications. These include: Tyvek IsoClean; Suprel LS; DuPont General Environment; Tyvek Micro-Clean 2-1-2; and ProClean.

Rabbit monoclonal antibodies

DuPont (Aust) Limited

Rabbit monoclonal antibodies (RabMAbs) provide the combined ben-

Contact info and more items like this at wf.net.au/R709

efits of good antigen recognition of the rabbit immune system with the specificity and consistency of a monoclonal antibody.

Produced through a proprietary method, the antibodies have the following advantages: diverse epitope recognition; improved immune response to small-size epitopes; high specificity and affinity; improved response to mouse antigens.

There are currently more than 3600 RabMAbs in the product range.

Each antibody is tested for use in western blot, immunohistochemistry,

Microcentrifuge

immunocytochemistry and ELISA.

The Mini microcentrifuge from LaboGene

Sapphire Bioscience

offers biological separation

Contact info and more items like this at wf.net.au/S228

functionality on the molecular biology workbench. The 12-place, fixed-angle rotor accommodates 1.5/2.0 mL microtubes for handling cellular materials, RNA/DNA and peptide samples at up to 13,500 rpm/12,300 x g.

The compact design (208 x 245 mm) allows the user to make the most of valuable bench space. The blue LCD provides information such as speed/rcf and time remaining. With rapid acceleration and deceleration, the user’s samples are processed quickly and efficiently with a minimum of noise (only 48 dBA - rotor dependent).

Other features include automatic door release, ‘pulse’ key, alarms for overspeed and overheat, and optional strip rotor/adaptors are also available.

Bio-Strategy Pty Ltd Contact info and more items like this at wf.net.au/Q588

Laboratory glassware catalogue The Duran Group Laboratory Glassware catalogue Edition 4 is now available online at http://ecom.merck.com.au/ mailouts/DURAN_Laboratory_Glassware_Catalogue_German_English_komprimiert.pdf. Printed copies will be made available in early 2013. To reserve a printed copy, send an email to mm.aus@merckgroup.com, including a full postal address.

Merck Pty Limited Contact info and more items like this at wf.net.au/R939

www.LabOnline.com.au

WHAT’S NEW IN LAB & LIFE SCIENCES - December 2012/January 2013

19

Quantifying proteinprotein binding Daniel Some, Principal Scientist, Wyatt Technology Corporation

Composition-gradient static light scattering can be used to determine the binding affinity and stoichiometry of reversible protein complexes, without tagging, immobilisation or other modifications. The method can distinguish and quantify multiple simultaneous stoichiometries.

T

he quantitative characterisation of reversible proteinprotein interactions is fundamental to the elucidation of basic biological function as well as the development of new biotherapeutics. Composition gradient multiangle light scattering (CG-MALS) employs static light scattering (SLS) technology to determine stoichiometry and equilibrium association constants of self- and hetero-associations. This is accomplished without recourse to sample modifications such as fluorescent tagging or surface immobilisation, and with no restrictions on buffer composition - the experiment may be carried out in native solution or the desired formulation buffer.

The CG-MALS technique The key to understanding how CG-MALS operates lies in the basic premise of SLS: the intensity of light scattered from macromolecules in solution is proportional to the product of the concentration c and the weight-averaged molar mass Mw. As protein complexes form, Mw increases; for example, were all the molecules present to dimerise, the scattered intensity would double. In a reversible association, the ratio of protein complexes to protein monomers reaches an

20

equilibrium value that depends on the total concentration of each species. By analysing the SLS measurements acquired over a series of compositions it is possible to determine which complexes are being formed and to quantify their respective binding affinities as equilibrium dissociation constants KD. With current instrumentation, CG-MALS accesses protein dissociation constants in the range of 100 picomolars to millimolars. One of the key advantages of CG-MALS is its potential for establishing absolute stoichiometry eg, distinguishing between 1:1 and 2:2 complexes - even when self- and hetero-association occur simultaneously.

Automation A CG-MALS procedure consists of: • preparing solutions of each of the required compositions; • delivering each to an SLS instrument and concentration detector; • recording the scattered intensity and concentration values; • performing a nonlinear least-squares fit of the data to each of the association models to be tested against the experimental data.

For rich interactions, 10 or even 20 individual compositions may be needed to clearly discriminate between models

WHAT’S NEW IN LAB & LIFE SCIENCES - December 2012/January 2013

www.LabOnline.com.au

© iStockphoto.com/pearleye

The CG-MALS method consists of a buffer flush to obtain initial baseline values, then a single-component ascending concentration series of CHTR, followed by a crossover composition series of CHTR and BPTI varying from 100% CHTR and 0% BPTI to 0% CHTR and 100% BPTI, a descending concentration series of BPTI, and finally a buffer flush for final baseline.

The single-component stepwise gradients serve to characterise the monomer and any self-association that may be present, while the crossover gradient probes the entire range of possible heteroassociation stoichiometries. The timeline graph, reproduced in Figure 2, visualises the method design.

The Calypso II hardware accessory features three computercontrolled syringe pumps. Once the two sample vials and buffer reservoirs are installed, the software automates sample preparation and delivery by combining the output pump streams on the fly in a static mixer as they are injected into the detector flow cells. Different compositions are obtained by varying the relative flow rates of the pumps. After metering out the predefined volume, flow stops and data may be integrated over any time scale. This stop-flow measurement provides for observing the kinetics of any reactions that may be occurring. Data acquisition is automatically synchronised to begin and end with the method.

The duration of the measurement is typically 0.5 to 2 hours.

Figure 3 depicts the SLS (coloured) and concentration (black) data after pre-processing, which includes baseline subtraction, applying calibration constants and normalisation corrections.

Each plateau corresponds to the signal from a particular sample composition. The vertical grey bars denote the fully equilibrated region of each plateau selected for the modelling analysis.

Finally data modelling is carried out. Figure 4 shows the results of fitting the SLS and concentration plateau data to and obtain a reliable set of association constants. Manual preparation and measurement procedures would clearly be tedious, time consuming and prone to operator error. A computercontrolled apparatus such as Wyatt Technology’s Calypso system overcomes the difficulties of manual CG-MALS by automating the entire procedure, integrating sample prep and delivery with data acquisition, analysis and model fitting in one comprehensive package. The Calypso works in conjunction with a MALS detector and an online concentration detector or UV absorption detector to provide a complete CG-MALS set-up, shown in Figure 1.

AB complex characterisation In the first heteroassociation example, we examine a wellcharacterised enzyme/inhibitor system that forms 1:1 complexes: α-chymotrypsin (CHTR) and bovine pancreatic trypsin inhibitor (BPTI) in phosphate buffered saline at neutral pH. CHTR and BPTI were dissolved at nominal concentrations of 0.5 and 0.2 mg/mL, respectively, then dialysed against the buffer by means of a Sephadex desalting column.

www.LabOnline.com.au

Figure 1. CG-MALS experimental set-up combining the Calypso II composition gradient system, a DAWN multiangle static light scattering detector and an Optilab T-rEX concentration detector.

WHAT’S NEW IN LAB & LIFE SCIENCES - December 2012/January 2013

21

Figure 2. Timeline graph showing the method design for characterisation of self- and heteroassociation of two proteins.

Figure 3. CG-MALS processed data for a heteroassociation experiment: SLS signal (blue) and concentration signal (black).

Figure 4. Fit of SLS data to model of self-association and 1:1 complex formation. The horizontal axis corresponds to the plateau sequence depicted in Figure 3. Circles: measured; squares: best-fit calculated SLS signals. Other lines: contribution of the various species to the light scattering at each composition. Besides the 1:1 complex, a small amount of CHTR homodimer (orange line) appears.

22

Figure 5. Top: Unsuccessful attempt to fit the CG-MALS data for chymotrypsin and soybean trypsin inhibitor, with an (incorrect) model of 1:1 association + self-association; Bottom: Fit to a model of two equivalent binding sites on the inhibitor, producing both 1:1 and 2:1 complexes (blue plot combines SLS from the bound complexes) + homodimers of CHTR (orange plot) and STI (black, vanishes in fit).

Other plots correspond to unbound monomers.

WHAT’S NEW IN LAB & LIFE SCIENCES - December 2012/January 2013

www.LabOnline.com.au

Fast SIMDIS under 3 minutes using LTM… 6x faster than conventional ASTM D2887 procedure ASTM D2887 Reference Oil

pA

LTM Module: 45 ºC to 350 ºC at 150 ºC/min Faster than conventional GC (75-120 ºC/min max)

2000 1500 1000 500 0

0.5

0.75

1

1.25

1.5

1.75

2

min

C12

0.25

pA

C16

Calibration sample C5-C44

0

0.25

0.5

0.75

1

1.25

1.5

1.75

C36

2

C40

C32

C28

C24

1000

C20

C17

LTM Module: 45 ºC to 350 ºC at 150 ºC/min C18

C15

C5

C14 C11

2000

C9

3000

C8

4000

C6 C7

5000

C10

6000

2.25

min

ONE OF THE KEY ADVANTAGES OF CG-MALS IS ITS POTENTIAL FOR ESTABLISHING ABSOLUTE STOICHIOMETRY - EG, DISTINGUISHING BETWEEN 1:1 AND 2:2 COMPLEXES - EVEN WHEN SELF- AND HETERO-ASSOCIATION OCCUR SIMULTANEOUSLY.

a simple AB association together with homo-dimerisation of each protein. The blue circles correspond to the measured SLS values, while the red squares and line correspond to the fit.

The other plots illustrate the SLS signal contributed by each of the components: unbound monomer of A (CHTR), unbound monomer of B (BPTI), the AB complex, AA and BB dimers.

The AB signal peaks when the injected sample comprises the stoichiometric ratio of the complex. This is a general feature of CG-MALS which helps distinguish different stoichiometries.

The dissociation constant resulting from this fit is KD = 90 nM. This value falls within the range determined elsewhere and by other techniques, of 25-200 nM. Under these conditions, chymotrypsin undergoes very weak self-association, barely visible in the fit. Adding other terms to the fitted model, eg, self-association or AAB complexes, does not change the results as the additional complexes end up with negligible affinities in the best-fit result. The entire fitting procedure requires only a few seconds on a moderately fast PC.

Characterisation of multivalent proteins The second example demonstrates characterisation of a bivalent interaction. When chymotrypsin associates with soybean trypsin inhibitor (STI), STI presents two equivalent binding sites to the enzyme, so that both AB and AAB complexes are present. Here the crossover gradient is divided into finer steps in order to better resolve the two complexes.

The buffer conditions and CHTR preparation were the same as in the previous measurement, while STI was prepared at 0.2 mg/mL and similarly dialysed. The modelling results are shown in Figure 5: in the upper graph, an ill-fated attempt to fit the data to a model that allows for three independent parameters: affinities of the AB, AA and BB complexes; in the lower graph, the fit

to a model that provides for AAB complexes as well, under the assumption of two equivalent binding sites (only one independent parameter, the single binding site affinity). Clearly the latter produces an excellent fit (KD = 0.54 µM, comparing well with the literature values of 0.3 to 1.2 µM under similar buffer conditions), validating the stoichiometry model. Weak homo-dimerisation of chymotrypsin is evident and fitted to a KD = 330 µM, in line with known values at this pH. The Calypso software provides plots of the concentrations of each species at each composition step as well as the SLS signals.

These two examples illustrate some common heteroassociations, analysed with relatively simple modelling. More complicated systems that have been addressed include simultaneous self- and heteroassociation, multiple degrees of self-association, multivalentmultivalent systems (both binding partners are multivalent) and incompetent protein fractions (some portion of the monomers are misfolded or aggregated). The Calypso software provides for a large variety of association models as well as simulating experiments in the design stage.

Summary Biomolecular interactions can be complex and require multiple complementary and orthogonal techniques in order to obtain a full picture. CG-MALS technology fills in many of the gaps, addressing all types of biomacromolecules including proteins, peptides, aptamers and more. With minimal method development and rapid, rigorous, fully quantitative analysis, CG-MALS is an essential biophysical technique.

Shimadzu Scientific Instruments (Oceania) Pty Ltd Contact info and more items like this at wf.net.au/S326

Light sheet fluorescence microscope Carl Zeiss’s Lightsheet Z.1 is a multiview light sheet fluorescence microscope. The innovative system allows the user to record the development of large, living samples, delivering high-information content in a fraction of the time it takes using other techniques.

Light sheet fluorescence microscopy (LSFM) splits fluorescence excitation and detection into two separate paths, with the axis of illumination perpendicular to the detection axis. This means the user can illuminate a single thin section of a sample at one time, generating an inherent optical section by exciting only fluorescence from the in-focus plane. No pinhole or image processing is required.

Light from the in-focus plane is collected on the pixels of a camera. Parallelisation of the image collection on a camera-based detector allows fast collection of images with very little excitation light, making 3D imaging fast and light-efficient.

Carl Zeiss Pty Ltd Contact info and more items like this at wf.net.au/S188

24

WHAT’S NEW IN LAB & LIFE SCIENCES - December 2012/January 2013

www.LabOnline.com.au

Rigaku has announced the release of the Supermini200 wavelength dispersive X-ray fluorescence (WDXRF) spectrometer, an enhanced version of the Rigaku Supermini benchtop WDXRF spectrometer.

Elemental analysis is an important measurement made for industrial quality control and research and development, and WDXRF is one of the most powerful and well-established, nondestructive techniques for elemental analysis. Its advantages include light element sensitivity, good elemental resolving power and low limits of detection. The Supermini200 combines all of the advantages of traditional WDXRF elemental analysis systems in a smaller package, with a size that is 25% that of traditional WDXRF units. Unlike other techniques such as ICP and AA, no chemical preparation step is required, making sample preparation and clean-up much simpler.

The Supermini200 incorporates a number of advancements from the original Supermini, including newly designed and simplified software and an improved footprint. EZ Analysis is a software feature that simplifies everyday routine operation. A single interface contains comprehensive information about the status of samples, data measurement and analysis parameters, as well as a running output of results. The EZ Scan software module enables analysis of unknown samples with no prior set-up and with only a few clicks of the mouse to get started.

The product is suitable for labs replacing older WDXRF units or as a backup WDXRF system for time-sensitive industries.

Australian X-Ray Tubes Pty Ltd Contact info and more items like this at wf.net.au/R361

CASE STUDY

WDXRF spectrometer

New York Genome Center purchases four Ion Proton Sequencers for cancer research Life Technologies has announced that the New York Genome Center (NYGC) has purchased four Ion Proton Sequencers for its new Innovation Center. The sequencers, which are designed to sequence an entire human genome in a few hours for under $1000, will be housed at IFM Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center (MSKCC) and used to accelerate its research on the genetic mechanisms of cancer.

The Ion Proton Sequencer is a complementary platform to the Ion PGM Sequencer, said to be the fastest selling benchtop sequencer with the largest benchtop next-generation sequencing install base in laboratories worldwide. The Ion PGM System is claimed to be the fastest solution to sequence sets of genes, small genomes and small RNA. The new Ion Proton System will deliver rapid, inexpensive sequencing to scientists focused on understanding the function of exomes, transcriptomes and human-scale genomes.

“The Innovation Center is a critical component of the NYGC’s growth strategy and we are pleased to be collaborating on it with Life Technologies, a company that shares our commitment to technology advancement,” said Nancy J Kelley, Founding Executive Director of NYGC. “The Ion Proton Sequencer will enable our network of world-renowned scientists to remain on the leading edge of research and participate in sequencing-based collaborative studies focused on advancing the era of genomic medicine.”

“We are extremely excited to be the first site for NYGC’s Innovation Center, through which we are gaining access to this technology,” said Thomas J Kelly, MD, PhD, Director, SloanKettering Institute. “We believe the system will greatly accelerate the rate at which we can collect information about the molecular changes in DNA that give rise to diseases such as cancer, enabling us to better exploit this information to develop more effective therapeutic strategies in the future.”

Biologist Dr Scott W Lowe, a member in the Cancer Biology & Genetics Program at the Sloan-Kettering Institute and a Howard Hughes Medical Institute Investigator, is studying difficult-to-treat cancers, including acute myeloid leukemia and hepatocellular carcinoma. Dr Lowe said he believes the technology will enable his team to more quickly examine the genetic changes, or mutations, which occur in these difficult-to-treat cancers, understand how these mutations influence response to therapy and, in the future, identify cancer-specific therapeutic targets.

“We are pleased that the New York Genome Center has joined a growing list of prestigious, research-focused hospitals and institutions around the world that are rapidly adopting our ion semiconductor sequencing technology,” said Mark Stevenson, President and Chief Operating Officer of Life Technologies. “Like our other partners, we believe the NYGC will benefit from this disruptive technology by being able to quickly generate accurate genomic data and apply it to human disease research.”

Life Technologies Australia Pty Ltd Contact info and more items like this at wf.net.au/R092

26

WHAT’S NEW IN LAB & LIFE SCIENCES - December 2012/January 2013

www.LabOnline.com.au

CASE STUDY

Auto analyser helps protect production equipment

An automated segmented flow analyser, the AA3 from Seal Analytical, is being used at BASF’s manufacturing facility at Ludwigshafen in Germany to protect manufacturing equipment from corrosion or chemical attack from potential impurities in demineralised water, boiler feed water and steam condensate.

Roland Bruenn, who has been with BASF since 1986, is responsible for the analysis of process and environmental samples. He says, “We take samples continuously, 24 hours per day, and typically test 30 to 50 samples per day for silica, ammonium and iron. However, the AA3 has the facility to test hundreds of samples per day so we have the ability to increase the work rate if necessary. This work is extremely important for the protection of high-value process equipment.”

BASF is the largest diversified chemical company in the world and the Ludwigshafen facility is the company’s largest site, employing around 30,000 staff and manufacturing a wide range of products including inorganics, nutritional goods, aromatics, plastics and crop protection chemicals.

Many of the chemical reactions that take place at the plant are exothermic and water is used for cooling purposes, which produces steam that is utilised in two ways. Firstly, it is used to generate electricity, which improves energy efficiency, lowers the plant’s carbon footprint and saves money. Secondly, the heated water and steam is used as a heat source for other production processes. It is important that the heated water is not contaminated because this could seriously affect both the plant and the production processes. The reliability of the analytical equipment is therefore a high priority.

“This was the reason for choosing the AA3; in 1991, following a trial of several products, we chose a TrAAcs 800 (Technicon/Bran+Luebbe) which performed very well and was upgraded to an AA3 in 2001. Since that time, we have been very happy with the instrument’s performance, the maintenance requirement has been minimal and there have been very few downtimes. We have also benefited from very short response times by SEAL’s service staff at Norderstedt,” said Bruenn. A key feature of the AA3 is a low detection limit for the measured species and the Ludwigshafen laboratory results typically range between 2 and 5000 µg/L. The analyses follow the DIN EN ISO 16264 standard for silica and the DIN EN ISO 11732 standard for ammonium, and accuracy is regularly checked by parallel manual tests.

Looking forward, the AA3 is being replaced by a new QuAAtro, which is the latest segmented flow analyser with ultralow detection limits and high reproducibility. The AA3 will then be moved to a different laboratory and utilised for testing ammonia in wastewater.

Fluidquip Australia Contact info and more items like this at wf.net.au/S070

Corrosive storage cabinet

S.aureus/CNS screen

The Polystore corrosive storage cabinet

The hemoFISH S.aureus/CNS Screen from miacom is

is suitable for containing corrosive chemi-

based on fluorescence in-situ hybridisation and de-

cals and substances in the laboratory.

signed to differentiate Staphylococcus aureus from

Available in a wide range of sizes, the

coagulase-negative staphylococci in positive blood cultures.

cabinet offers a safe, stylish storage

The IVD test supports clinicians to effectively fight and

option featuring no internal metal parts,

manage blood stream infections, and also fits into today’s

fire-retardant polypropylene construc-

laboratory routine.

tion, self-closing, lockable doors and a liquid-tight sump.

28

Total turnaround time is set to only 15 min so that results can be reported together with the Gram stain.

The cabinet can be custom-made to the user’s requirements and

In addition, up to 12 blood cultures can be processed

dimensions. It is available with adjustable and removable shelving.

and analysed simultaneously, which helps microbiologist

The corrosive storage cabinet has undergone many years of development

to apply this test in a batch mode. The simple and robust

and testing and is fully compliant to Australian Standard AS/NZS 3780

assay procedure that includes intrinsic controls in every

and AS/NZS 2243.10.

test ensures accurate performance.

Laboratory Systems Group

Dutec Diagnostics Pty Ltd

Contact info and more items like this at wf.net.au/S062

Contact info and more items like this at wf.net.au/Q463

WHAT’S NEW IN LAB & LIFE SCIENCES - December 2012/January 2013

www.LabOnline.com.au

Digital camera imaging systems for TEMs Scientex has acquired exclusive distribution for Advanced Microscopy Techniques (AMT) digital camera imaging systems for transmission electron microscopes (TEMs). The cameras offer speed, sensitivity and dynamic range, which make them suitable for biology, pathology, material sciences and advanced nanotechnology.

AMT provides high-performance optics with specially designed finite-conjugate lenses for all products, having pioneered the use of high-resolution RESTM phosphors, which minimise electron scattering effects and provide good sensitivity. AMT offers a complete line of digital imaging capabilities from 1-16 MP formats, with all systems providing sharp images, high dynamic range and low noise. There are numerous options to fit user TEM configurations and applications for life and materials sciences and nanotechnology.

Cameras can be grouped into specific areas of the microscope in side-mount/35 mm, mid-mount and low-mount positions, based on user preference and application. The cameras can also be selected by the physical nature of chip size/pixel density. Assessment of specific cameras by model provides the user with the ability to select the best camera over a wide range of requirements. In addition, there is a selection of lenses engineered to optimise camera sensor performance, regardless of camera location or application.

The imaging software is simple to use by virtue of a modular architecture that intelligently segments acquisition from analysis. Using user/menu selected TEM conditions and annotations, the CCD camera systems provide comprehensive operating software packages for seamless digital image acquisition, processing and storage.

Scientex Pty Ltd Contact info and more items like this at wf.net.au/S251

30

WHAT’S NEW IN LAB & LIFE SCIENCES - December 2012/January 2013

Cytokine assays The Bio-Plex Pro Human Th17 Cytokine assays are magnetic beadbased multiplex assays for the simultaneous detection of cytokines in a single experiment, using as little as 12.5 ÂľL of sample. The assays take advantage of simplified processing provided by a magnetic workflow.

The assay has been developed to deliver accurate, reproducible measurements with complete flexibility to meet research needs.

It features enhanced productivity, allowing users to simultaneously measure up to 16 biomarkers.

It has been tested for robustness in serum and plasma matrices and covers broad assay working ranges.

Users can order a premixed kit or select only desired biomarkers to multiplex.

Bio-Rad Laboratories Pty Ltd Contact info and more items like this at wf.net.au/S068

www.LabOnline.com.au

QCM-D surface analysis system The Q-Sense Omega Auto surface analysis system is an intuitive instrument and software platform that senses mass

Analyser for pH/total acidity

change, layer thickness, binding

The TitraLab automatic analyser is specifically designed for pH

and molecular orientation at the nanoscale.

and total acidity in food and beverage applications, making it

The principle is that of quartz crystal microbalance with dissipation

suitable for routine analysis measurements.

(QCM-D).

The product delivers fast results due to the optimisation of

Requiring only 30 µL of sample per sensor, the eight sensor module

applications and an embedded preset algorithm. Accuracy is

enables high throughput and good reproducibility. Temperatures can

provided with the high-resolution, 40,000-step electronic burette.

be set between 4 and 70°C, enabling stable temperature control.

The preset display offers the instrument operator comfort and

Applications include protein conformational changes, lipids, sur-

ease of use. The intuitive product interface and ready-to-use,

factants, nanoparticles, polymers and whole cells. It is possible to

preprogrammed methods minimise training time.

determine the water content of molecular layers and calculate film

The instrument, electrode and all accessories are included.

viscosity, elasticity, mass, thickness, density, affinity and specificity.

Simply add chemistries and set-up is complete. Maintenance is

Interactions can be studied on many substrates such as gold, met-

easy, with few spare parts needed.

als, polymers and functionalised coatings.

Hach Company

ATA Scientific Pty Ltd

Contact info and more items like this at wf.net.au/S260

Contact info and more items like this at wf.net.au/R359

Protecting your laboratory’s most valuable assets Powdersafe powder/solid chemical weighing enclosure

AirClean Systems Ductless Fume Cabinets  Completely Ductless and mobile  Microprocessor controlled  Fluorescent light  Audible and visible alarms for airflow and gases  Carbon and HEPA Filters for specific applications  Every application is assessed by our qualified in-house chemists and biologists  Environmentally Sustainable via HVAC Energy Savings (compared to ducted fume cupboards)  Fully Compliant to AS/NZS 2243.9

     



Solid Polypropylene Construction Effectively weigh to 5 decimal places Electrical cord access ports Continuous HEPA filter monitoring Audible and visible alarms Secondary HEPA for additional safety and filter changing Optional Carbon Filter for odourous powders

Laboratory Systems Group Pty Ltd sales@labsystemsgroup.com.au

All AirClean Systems products are manufactured in Australia by Laboratory Systems Group Pty Ltd

www.LabOnline.com.au

(03) 8720 9000

www.labsystemsgroup.com.au

WHAT’S NEW IN LAB & LIFE SCIENCES - December 2012/January 2013

31

pH mV(ORP) ION Conductivity

Resistivity Salinity TDS

Hygrometer for climatic chambers The latest sensor design of Michell Instruments’ S8000 Remote chilled mirror hygrometer combines high-accuracy temperature control with new materials to improve reliability and avoid condensation.

The relative humidity in climatic chambers will always deviate from the set point. Even in high-precision chambers this deviation is typically between 1-3% RH, which can have a considerable effect on the results of many tests. A calibrated reference instrument such as a chilled-mirror hygrometer reduces this uncertainty to just 0.5% RH, but can be difficult to install and bulky, reducing the amount of usable test space within the chamber.

To overcome these space issues, the S8000 Remote chilled mirror hygrometer’s remote sensor head features an open cell design, removing the need for any complex heated sampling arrangements or an external pump. Installing the sensor is simply a matter of placing it in an appropriate position within

F-70 Series Benchtop Meters HORIBA popular ToupH electrode is now tougher and responds faster.

Enhanced stability and minimised drift.

Intergrating two new technologies for faster response and optimal performance.

the chamber and routing the cable externally to the instrument.

The improved design has an optional aluminium sensor head that provides a swift response to changes in temperature, preventing any risks of condensation occurring during

NEW TECHNOLOGY 01 pH fast response glass membrane

rapid transitions be-

The membrane contains HORIBA’s unique combination of rare earth metals to improve response time and increase durability.

points. The field-proven

NEW TECHNOLOGY 02 Reference electrode with increased stability (patent pending)

±0.1°C accuracy ambient temperature sensor, it provides

Liquid Junction clogging by silver ions and silver complex ions is reduced to 1/1000 of conventional technology. Maintaining internal solution concentration ensures a stable standard electrical potential.

ToupH electrodes are now even stronger HORIBA’s glass membrane moulding technology achieves strengths more than 10 times the Japanese Industrial Standards (stress tests) Australian Scientific Pty Ltd PO Box 335 Kotara, NSW 2289

Tel: 1800 021 083 Fax: 02 4956 2525

Email: horiba@austscientific.com.au www.austscientific.com.au

tween temperature set sensor boasts upgraded temperature control for extremely accurate dewpoint measurement, and, coupled with the standard fundamentally derived, high-precision relative humidity readings necessary for validating the results of environmental tests.

Outside of the chamber, the instrument operation is easy without user intervention. The S8000 Remote features a highly visible LCD display that shows any three user-selectable parameters (typically dewpoint, relative humidity and temperature) in large clear text. The display also features a stability graph and displays the operational status of the unit. A powerful and easy-to-use menu system enables the operating parameters of the instrument to be quickly customised to suit the target application. The instrument also comes with three customisable analog outputs and one alarm, enabling integration into an existing automated test or calibration system.

AMS Instrumentation & Calibration Pty Ltd Contact info and more items like this at wf.net.au/S457

32

WHAT’S NEW IN LAB & LIFE SCIENCES - December 2012/January 2013

www.LabOnline.com.au

Vial closure system The Thermo Scientific National Target DP 9 mm C5000 series vial closure system for 12 x 32 mm vials is designed to virtually eliminate septa push-through while enhancing productivity and flexibility. The closures are ergo-

3D cell culture system

nomically efficient and PTFE-free.

The RAFT system, from TAP Biosystems, comprises

The National Target DP 9 mm

a RAFT plate, reagents, plate heater and protocol for

closure is based on Thermo

the production of collagen-based 3D cell cultures in

Fisher’s Advance Vial Closure

a simple, consistent and reproducible format. The

System (AVCS), designed to

system enables production of reproducible 3D cell

overcome challenges long as-

cultures in a standard 96-well compound screening plate format.

sociated with 9 mm closures.

The simple three-step process of mix, make and measure simplifies the route to improved results from

The design features a redesigned

3D experiments. Scientists simply mix the reagents from the kit with their cells, pipette into 96-well plates

septa/cap interface that improves

and incubate on the plate heater for 15 min to form a cell-seeded collagen hydrogel. The plate is placed

sealing. The company’s in-house

on the hydrogels and in just 15 min some of the medium is absorbed gently, leaving cells ‘encapsulated’

testing has also shown reduced

in physiological strength collagen, suitable for use in cell-based secondary screening.

evaporation, increased surface

The benefit of using this process is that it creates a realistic cellular environment to study cells’ complex

area available for injection and

behaviour and gives scientists complete control over their experimental parameters. Researchers can choose

provides compatibility with a

cell types and cell seeding densities and create complex co-cultures, including multiple layers if required,

broader range of autosamplers

and they can use a range of analytical screening techniques, such as imaging, biochemical, histological

than previous designs.

and omics analysis with their 3D cell cultures.

Thermo Fisher Scientific TAP Biosystems

Contact info and more items like this at wf.net.au/R770

http://www.tapbiosystems.com

Rapid

return on investment

Easy

to configure and install

Complete

fully integrated lims solution

Australian local product, service and advice

www.LabOnline.com.au

WHAT’S NEW IN LAB & LIFE SCIENCES - December 2012/January 2013

33

my lab 34

Growing tumours grows hope for children with cancer

By Lauren Davis

Diffuse Pontine Glioma (DIPG) may not be particularly well known, but according to oncologist Dr David Ziegler, it is “one of the most common and the most aggressive brain tumours we see in kids”. Because the tumour is located in the most sensitive part of the brain, it has been impossible to study and therefore impossible to cure. Most children with a DIPG die within 12 months.

Now, Dr Ziegler and colleagues from the Children’s Cancer Institute of Australia (CCIA) have set out to grow their own tumours in the institute’s ACRF Drug Discovery Centre.

The cells were harvested from tumours donated by the parents of children who had died from the disease.

“We thought, ‘Well, if we can harvest these tumours after a donation, maybe we can actually get the cells to grow’,” explained Dr Ziegler.

“If we can get them to grow in the lab, maybe we can start a screening program and see if we can find any new and exciting treatments.”

Achieving funding for the project was initially difficult because growing cells from tumours taken after death was thought to be impossible.

But the team was supported by researchers at Stanford University in the US, who were able to grow their own cells and share them with the CCIA, as well as fundraising efforts by parents.

The drug screening program is conducted by a multimillion-dollar robotic machine - one of only two in Australia. The machine is automated to place the cells in 96-well plates, then add a different drug to each plate.

“Within a day, you can literally test thousands of different drugs,” said Dr Ziegler. “In the first batch we tested about 1200 drugs; that literally took just a few hours.”

Excitedly, Dr Ziegler states that some of the drugs which have been tested, which have already been approved for other conditions, appear to be killing the tumour cells.

“Our next step is that we need to confirm that, so we need to repeat those tests, take the ones that seem most active, try and see that it’s reproducible, and test that extensively across the different cell lines and in different models. If we are able to prove that some of these drugs are effective, then ultimately our aim would be to take them to do a clinical trial.”

The research is thus extremely important for treating DIPGs, with Dr Ziegler admitting that up until recently, there had been no advances for the past 50 years.

“There’s no more difficult conversation you can have with a parent than to tell them that their child has a DIPG and that there’s no treatment that we have,” said Dr Ziegler. “The aim of this research is to make sure that we don’t have to have those conversations anymore.”

WHAT’S NEW IN LAB & LIFE SCIENCES - December 2012/January 2013

www.LabOnline.com.au

FREE SUBSCRIPTION!

List (A) Job Function

What's New in LAB & Life Sciences is FREE to industry professionals in Australia and New Zealand.

To continue receiving your free copy you will be asked to register every three years.

2 quick ways to register: www.LabOnline.com.au/subscribe

List (B) Industry

Fax this completed page to +61 2 9489 1265

Please complete this form in full and fax to +61 2 9489 1265 OPTION I would like to receive this magazine

digital

print

both

I would also like the LabOnline.com.au eNewsletter

My main job function is (Select from List A)

My organisation's main industry sector is (Select from List B)

Wrapper number: (if known)

Name: Job Title: Organisation Name: Address:

Postcode: Phone No:

1 Management - Corporate/General 2 Management - Manufacturing/ Engineering/Specialist 3 Engineer - Electrical 4 Engineer - Electronics 5 Engineer - Process 6 Engineer - Project 7 Purchasing/Procurement 8 Technician - Maintenance/Service 9 Technician - IT 10 Technical Officer 11 Scientific Officer - R&D 12 Scientific Officer - QA 13 Consultant 14 Contractor/Tradesperson 15 OHS/EHS 16 Education/Training 17 Student-Undergraduate/Apprentice 18 Analyst 19 Sales/Marketing

Country: Mobile:

Fax No: Email:

Date: PRIVACY INFORMATION: www.westwick-farrow.com.au/pages/privacy.asp

WNIL&LS

Signature:

1 Agriculture/Rural 2 Building/Construction 3 Chemicals/Allied Products 4 Communications Systems 5 Defence/Military 6 Education 7 Emergency Services/Law Enforcement/Security 8 Engineering Services 9 Environmental Services 10 Finance/Banking/Insurance/Legal 11 Food Industry - Bakery 12 Food Industry - Beverages 13 Food Industry - Confectionery 14 Food Industry - Dairy 15 Food Industry - Fruit & Vegetables 16 Food Industry - Meat 17 Government - Federal 18 Government - State 19 Government - Local 20 Health/Hospital 21 Instrumentalities (eg CSIRO) 22 IT - Networking 23 IT - Security 24 IT - Storage 25 IT - Wireless 26 Laboratory - Analytical 27 Laboratory - Clinical/Medical 28 Laboratory - Life Sciences 29 Logistics/Transport/Warehouse 30 Manufacturing 31 Mining 32 Oil/Gas/Coal 33 Packaging 34 Processing 35 Retail/Wholesale/Hire 36 Service/Maintenance 37 Telecommunication 38 Testing/Certification (eg NATA) 39 Utilities