Latest Lab Talk News in Brief: digital expansion, new build, tech collab, new markets, financing…

The platform enables pathologists to review high-resolution digital slides remotely, supporting faster diagnosis, easier collaboration and access to second opinions. The network, led by Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust, is expected to expand further with Alder Hey Children's Hospital and Royal Manchester Children's Hospital due to join later this year.

A new home for the Aston Institute for Membrane Excellence has been officially opened by science minister Lord Patrick Vallance.

The purpose-designed facility brings together laboratories previously spread across seven floors and includes what Aston University describes as a world-first Containment Level 2 laboratory combining chemistry and microbiology research. The institute develops membrane technologies for applications including drug discovery and water purification.

Researchers at Loughborough University are using 3D cell culture models and technology from Promega to investigate how exercise may counteract the effects of fat cells on breast cancer.

Early findings suggest exercise may reverse increased cancer cell viability associated with fat cells within the tumour microenvironment. The team is now investigating the molecular mechanisms underlying the response.

Countable Labs has entered a co-marketing agreement with Promega to combine DNA and RNA extraction with single-molecule PCR quantification.

The agreement brings together the Promega Maxwell nucleic acid extraction system with Countable PCR technology to provide an integrated workflow for DNA and RNA quantification.

Genoskin has expanded its US operations to support local production of primary human mast cells for North American customers.

The move follows increased manufacturing capacity at the company's French facility and is intended to meet growing demand for predictive human immune cell models used in drug discovery and safety assessment.

DNA Script has appointed Imperial Life Sciences to distribute its SYNTAX enzymatic DNA synthesis platform across India.

The agreement expands access to the company's single-stranded DNA synthesis platform, with Imperial Life Sciences providing local sales, technical support and application expertise.

En Carta Diagnostics has completed the first closing of a €5m financing round to support development of its molecular diagnostic platform.

Funding will be used to support regulatory approvals in Europe and the US, manufacturing scale-up and commercial launch, initially targeting early Lyme disease detection.

Besins Healthcare has acquired Belgian pharmaceutical development and manufacturing company UniD Manufacturing.

The acquisition strengthens Besins' capabilities in long-acting drug delivery technologies and includes UniD's manufacturing site in Seraing together with 52 employees.

Inflexion has agreed to acquire German medical consumables manufacturer Primed Group.

Primed designs, manufactures and distributes certified single-use medical consumables used in more than 70 countries and also operates one of Europe's largest medical sterilisation platforms. The acquisition is Inflexion's sixth investment in the DACH region.

Researchers at KAUST have developed a wearable microneedle patch capable of continuously monitoring drug levels beneath the skin.

The proof-of-concept device combines microneedles, miniaturised electronics and Bluetooth connectivity to measure drug concentrations in interstitial fluid and transmit results to a smartphone. The researchers say the technology could support continuous therapeutic drug monitoring rather than relying solely on periodic blood tests.

Professor Catherine Hamilton-Giachritsis of the University of Bath has received a Lifetime Contribution Award from the British Psychological Society's Division of Forensic Psychology.

The award recognises more than 30 years of research into online child sexual offending and the experiences of babies and young children in institutional care across Europe, together with her contribution to the forensic psychology profession.

The Francis Crick Institute has opened applications for the ninth cohort of KQ Labs, its accelerator programme for data-driven health start-ups.

Supported by Medicines Discovery Catapult and Cancer Research Horizons, the five-month programme helps early-stage companies developing AI-driven drug discovery, digital health and precision medicine technologies. Since launching in 2018, participating companies have raised more than £230m in investment.

A major UK clinical trial has found that antihistamines and colchicine provide a small short-term benefit in reducing fatigue associated with long Covid.

The UCL and UCLH-led study, published in The Lancet Infectious Diseases, involved almost 800 adults receiving care through specialist long Covid clinics. Researchers found the additional benefit was evident after 12 weeks but was not maintained after treatment ended.

PacBio has welcomed England's decision to introduce newborn screening for spinal muscular atrophy (SMA).

Dr Sukhvinder Nicklen said the move represents a step towards wider adoption of genomic medicine within the NHS, while highlighting the need for improved digital infrastructure and lifelong genomic records to support more personalised healthcare.

NICE has approved two non-invasive tests for endometriosis for use within the NHS while further evidence is gathered on their effectiveness.

The tests are intended to support earlier diagnosis in primary care, with the potential to reduce delays that currently average more than nine years for many women in the UK.

Sports Labs has been acquired by a private investment firm.

The company, which provides sports surface testing, certification and consultancy services, said the investment will support its international growth while maintaining its technical testing and consultancy activities.

Genoskin has expanded its US operations with local production of primary human mast cells in Salem, Massachusetts.

The move follows increased manufacturing capacity in France and is intended to meet growing demand for predictive human immune cell models used in drug discovery and safety assessment.

Pic (clockwise, from top): UNiD, Loughborough Dr Mhairi Morris, AIME staff with Patrick Vallance