Lab Talk news in brief
28 Apr 2025
Covid-19 test pioneer Dr Despina Moschou has been elected a Fellow of the medical and biological engineering association.
The University of Bath diagnostic devices expert is based at the institution’s department of electronic and electrical engineering.
“I’m very happy to be the first Bath academic elected to EAMBES, and feel it is a recognition of the extensive support the University and the Faculty of Engineering & Design provides to research in biological and healthcare engineering,” she said.
Her LoCKAmp virus diagnosis advice employing lab on a chip technology provided lab quality results in three minutes and was described by the university in 2023 as the fastest Covid-19 test to date.
“It’s a huge honour to be elected to such an influential and prestigious organisation. It’s an acknowledgement of years of work and research alongside my colleagues and peers,” added Moschou (top left).
Contract research organisation Reading Scientific Services Ltd (bottom row) has won Best Performing Professional Services Company of the Year at One Nucleus’ 2025 ON Awards.
Judges cited the firm’s work with 3,000 clients in more than 60 countries and its ambition to grow their workforce from 350 to over 500 by next year.
Recently, the firm opened a new analytical site, adding 26,000 square feet and a dedicated laboratory for advanced cell and gene-based services.
Its Innovation Hub launched in February 2024 also offers assistance to small and medium-sized biotech start-ups, while its trainee scientist programme has developed to recruit three apprentices annually since 2017.
In addition, this year the firm was awarded an Ecovadis Gold Rating for sustainable practice.
Bruker Corporation has made a majority investment in Recipe Chemicals + Instruments GmbH. Munich-based Recipe is provider of vendor-agnostic therapeutic drug monitoring (TDM) and in vitro diagnostic kits .
Bruker said the strategic collaboration would enhance its capabilities in small molecule clinical diagnostic assays.
Genomic and histopathology diagnostics services provider Source BioScience UK has acquired personalised healthcare testing company Cambridge Clinical Laboratories (CCL). CCL staff and assets will transfer to new clinical facilities at the Source Genomics site at Vision Park.
Chairman and CEO Jay Le Coque commented: ““CCL has a longstanding reputation for its expertise in personalised clinical diagnostic services. By investing in a new clinical lab facility and bringing in the talented team at CCL, we will open up significant new market opportunities in clinical diagnostics.”
Essity’s Tork dispenser development process has become the first in the world to be certified according to the Design for All standard (EN 17161).
“Designing better products for all users – including cleaning and maintenance staff – is a long-held philosophy that has always guided our way of working,” said Kristian Grennfelt, Global Brand Innovation Director, Professional Hygiene, Essity.
Digital health firm Daiser has been selected for Google’s Growth Academy: AI for Health startup accelerator programme.
Daiser, co-founded by UK professor Mike Trenell and US tech innovator Adam Wootton, will join Google for Startups’ Growth Academy: AI for Health
In May, it will be one of three UK firms joining 20-plus other startups for the three-month programme in Poland.
