Affymetrix has launched the European Cytogeneitc research initiative to explore the genetic causes of mental retardation. The initiative will be a multi-centre study with collaborators from the University of Nijmegen in the Netherlands, the University of Tuebingen in Germany and the NHS Regional Genetics Laboratory in Birmingham, UK
Cytogeneticists currently use karyotyping and FISH (fluorescence in situ hybridization) to understand how genetic variations lead to mental retardation, however they hope to achieve higher-resolution results with Affymetrix' microarray platform.
"Affymetrix is pleased to partner with these three leading genetic research labs to demonstrate how our copy number products can improve cytogenetic analysis," said Dr Marcus Hausch, senior marketing manager at Affymetrix.
"Because it provides a higher-resolution view of the genome, the Affymetrix platform is uniquely positioned to become the gold-standard tool in cytogenetic research."
Applied Microarrays has licensed the 'Southern array patents' from Oxford Gene Technology (OGT) to allow the company to manufacture and market custom oligonucleotide microarrays for third parties, including service organisations, under their own brand name.
Applied Microarrays recently acquired the Codelink microarray platform from GE Healthcare.
"This agreement enables Applied Microarrays to support our customers in the life science research, clinical diagnostics, and drug development markets with a wide range of microarray products," said Alastair Malcolm, CEO of Applied Microarrays.
"We look forward to many new customer partnerships which will use our competencies in custom array co-development, and utilize our microarray factory's capacity to support high quality and affordable contract manufacturing."
Carl Zeiss SMT, the electron- and ion-beam imaging arm of Carl Zeiss AG has moved its headquarters for sales, applications and service to Peabody, Massachusetts, US. The move to the new headquarters goes hand-in-hand with the integration of the company's 2006 acquisition ALIS Corporation, a technology start-up developing Helium ion microscopy.
The new 53,000 sq. ft. facility houses a 14,000 sq. ft. development and manufacturing plant as well as an application development and system demonstration laboratory to showcase the company's latest systems.
"We are very proud of the successful move and integration of our US manufacturing, development, sales, applications, and customer support operations into our new, expanded facilities in Peabody," said Frank Averdung, president of Carl Zeiss SMT Inc.
"Now, we are better positioned than ever to provide a world class experience in nanoscale imaging, structuring and analysis for all our customers from first contact through joint research and development programs, applications development, equipment sales, and mutually beneficial support relationships."
Guava Technologies has successfully achieved ISO13485:2003 certification, the international quality management standard for designers and manufacturers of medical devices.
After the audit by BSI Management Systems the company will redouble its efforts to bring medical devices to the international market, starting with diagnostics for HIV/AIDS.
"We are proud to receive this international recognition," said Lawrence Bruder, CEO of Guava Technologies.
"We can now focus on international commercialisation of our new CD4 T-cell System for monitoring treatment of HIV/AIDS. We designed the system to be highly accessible to both developed and developing countries, and hope it will prove useful in fighting the global AIDS pandemic."
Tepnel Life Sciences has bought laboratory service providers Wildlife DNA Services and Food DNA Services to accelerate the company's entry into the clinical genotyping market and broaden its service offering to the pharmaceutical industry.
Financial details were not disclosed, but it is understood that the molecular diagnostics and research products company will make an upfront payment combined with revenue-based earn-out over the next three years.
