Contents In this issue 8 6 News & numbers


The headlines and vital statistics impacting healthcare.


Diagnostics 8 Prime target


Genomic sequencing allows doctors to identify mistakes in the instructions that can lead to diseases, but what if there’s none to be found? Proteomics – the study of proteins, their interactions, functions and cellular activities – is providing a new avenue for diagnosing certain conditions, as researchers continue to identify biomarkers that present alongside them. Monica Karpinski speaks to Dr Luigi Ferrucci, scientific director of the National Institute of Ageing, and Dr Christoph Borchers, professor of oncology at McGill University and director at Segal Cancer Proteomics Centre, to find out why proteomics is considered by some as the next frontier in personalised medicine.


11 Detection of Group B strep in pregnant women Uniogen


13 Testing for vaginitis disorders SEKISUI Diagnostics


15 Identifying microorganisms effectively Bruker


4 Practical Patient Care / www.practical-patient-care.com


17 Detection of intrathecal antibodies in CNS diseases EUROIMMUN


18 Optimising BSI workflow BD


20 Towards a memorable breakthrough It’s the seventh leading cause of death in the world and affects 1 in 14 people over the age of 65 – yet there’s no established test to diagnose Alzheimer’s disease until symptoms begin to appear. There’s no shortage of research teams trying to get ahead of the curve to diagnose and treat Alzheimer’s and some of the results look promising. Lynette Eyb looks at research that could pave the way to a simple blood test for easier and


earlier diagnosis, and how that could lead to treatments in the future.


23 Optimising management of viral infections Certest Biotec


25 Antibiotic dilemmas amid increased resistance Beckman Coulter Microbiology


27 Combat tuberculosis Oxford Immunotec


28 Stop the cascade


Sepsis is a leading cause of death in hospitals, and yet, there’s very little in the way of treatment that can dramatically increase the odds of survival. A key reason for this is that identifying the pathogen that caused the disease takes time and that’s a luxury that patients don’t have. Peter Littlejohns speaks to Donald Ingber, founding director of Harvard University’s Wyss Institute for Biologically Inspired Engineering, and Michael Super, senior staff scientist, Wyss Institute, to find out how a research journey spanning almost two decades resulted in technology that could lead to quicker diagnosis and treatment for patients with sepsis.


33 Four steps to make your diagnostics a masterpiece Copan


35 A targeted diagnosis of acute gastroenteritis Becton Dickinson


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