GAMBICA 2025 Lab Conference: Empowering labs through customer insights


GAMBICA will be holding its annual Lab Industry Conference next year for laboratory technology professionals, focussing on how to talk their customers’ language.


The conference, which takes places on 11 March 2025, will provide insights on the changing directions of laboratory research, with perspectives from customers, scientists and key clients. It will re-visit the challenge of how to make the right changes to convince clients on product sustainability and will look at what is working right now in sales both for the UK and Europe.


GAMBICA has secured an excellent guest in Lisa Blackburn from North Western Universities Purchasing Consortium Ltd (NWUPC), she is scheduled to talk about how university purchasing is changing, sustainability requirements and the


The conference will be focussed on how to speak your customers’ language.


pipeline of tenders. A major pharmaceutical client will also be speaking at the event.


Other expert speakers include Anand Menon giving a political forecast on the UK in Europe under a new government, Joshua Chapman from SLS speaking on the future of lab sales and Dr Han Wu from UCL discussing instrument use, modification and application for research.


The conference will be taking place at a new venue this year, The Barnsdale Rutland, providing comfortable and charming accommodation.


Visit the GAMBICA website for further details and to book your tickets.


More information online:


ilmt.co/PL/65XY and ilmt.co/PL/Q6wz 63616pr@reply-direct.com


Scientists investigate the ‘sixth sense’ of animal magnetoreception


A team of researchers has secured £3 million in funding from the Wellcome Trust to uncover the biological mechanisms behind magnetoreception - the ability of animals, including humans, to sense magnetic fields.


While many species, such as migratory birds, are known to rely on Earth’s magnetic field for navigation, emerging evidence suggests that magnetoreception may be a more widespread phenomenon across the animal kingdom. Despite this, the precise biological mechanisms enabling this ability remain a mystery.


The multidisciplinary team includes Professors Ezio Rosato and Charalambos Kyriacou (University of Leicester), Professors Richard Baines and Stuart Peirson (Universities of Manchester and Oxford), and quantum scientist Dr Alex Jones (National Physical Laboratory). Together, they aim to bridge the gap between biology and quantum physics to unravel the fundamental processes behind magnetic sensing.


Professor Rosato explained: “Our research has identified Cryptochrome (CRY), a blue-light- sensitive protein, as central to magnetoreception. However, intriguingly, we have found that only a small section of this protein is required to trigger biological responses to magnetic fields. This suggests that different species may detect magnetic fields through multiple, yet-to-be-discovered pathways.”


Professor Baines added: “Understanding how this short CRY fragment functions is a key step in solving the puzzle of magnetoreception. This funding allows us to deepen our investigations into this remarkable phenomenon.”


Beyond its biological significance, the research has potential applications in medicine and technology. Dr Jones noted: “By developing an engineered version of CRY that enables precise magnetic stimulation of cells, we could create powerful new measurement tools for biological research. These could ultimately lead to novel therapeutic techniques based on magnetic cell modulation.”


Professors Charalambos Kyriacou (left) and Ezio Rosato.


Professor Richard Baines.


Dr Alex Jones.


Professor Kyriacou highlighted the unique nature of the project: “Our team combines expertise in behavioural biology, neurophysiology, and quantum physics. This interdisciplinary approach has already led to major discoveries, and we are now in a strong position to tackle one of biology’s longest-standing mysteries.”


The five-year project will advance understanding of magnetoreception and could open new frontiers in both fundamental biology and applied science.


More information online: ilmt.co/PL/Z6Jz 63891pr@reply-direct.com


Breakthrough advances space-based 3D printing


Researchers at the University of Glasgow are one step closer to enabling 3D printing in space, bringing us closer to a future where orbital factories could manufacture components on demand. Dr Gilles Bailet, from the James Watt School of Engineering, has been awarded a patent for a system that solves the challenges of 3D printing in zero-gravity environments.


This groundbreaking technology has undergone extensive testing aboard the ‘vomit comet,’ a research aircraft that simulates microgravity during parabolic flights. Dr Bailet’s system uses a specialised granular material instead of traditional filaments, designed to work effectively in space’s unique conditions. This innovation makes it possible to rapidly deliver material to the 3D printer’s nozzle, overcoming the limitations of conventional 3D printing methods.


Dr Bailet believes this advancement could lead to orbital factories capable of producing parts for new equipment


in space. These parts could include solar reflectors for sustainable energy generation, advanced communication antennas, or even space-based drug production facilities capable of creating more effective pharmaceuticals.


“Our ability to 3D print in space could revolutionise manufacturing, freeing us from the constraints of rocket launches, which limit size and weight. We could create mission-specific structures in orbit, optimised for their tasks, while reducing resource consumption and waste,” Dr Bailet explained.


The technology has been validated in a series of rigorous tests, including a recent demonstration in microgravity. During the flights, the team monitored the prototype’s performance in 90 brief periods of weightlessness, confirming that the system works as expected in space-like conditions.


The research also explores embedding electronics directly into printed materials, paving the way for the creation of functional components for use in space-


based devices. This could make space manufacturing not only more efficient but also more versatile.


Looking ahead, Dr Bailet is focused on securing funding for the first in-space demonstration of his technology. Supported by the UK Space Agency and the University of Glasgow’s Knowledge Exchange Fund, the project aims to address the growing challenge of space debris while advancing in-space manufacturing technologies.


Dr Bailet’s work offers exciting possibilities, from the creation of solar power reflectors to advancements in drug development. As he concluded: “Space-based manufacturing has the potential to change how we think about technology production, with benefits that could extend far beyond space exploration itself.


More information online: ilmt.co/PL/89Vp 63890pr@reply-direct.com


Dr Gilles Bailet.


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