Clinical biochemist describes immunofluorescence techniques using commercial antibodies employed to investigate subcellular location of ALDP in cultured fibroblasts
Camilla Reed, a clinical biochemist from the department of clinical chemistry at Bristol's Southmead Hospital, has received the 2003 Bayer Award for an oral presentation she made at the recent ACB Wales and South West and Wessex regional meeting in Cardiff.
Reed's presentation described a research project which she had undertaken as part of her final Grade A training, concerned with the distribution of peroxisomal proteins in X-linked adrenoleukodystrophy (X-ALD).
Using brightly coloured fluorescent markers, she described how immunofluorescence techniques using commercial antibodies against adrenoleukodystrophy protein (ALDP) were employed in her laboratory to investigate the subcellular location of ALDP in cultured fibroblasts from patients and carriers with X-ALD. "This is a novel approach which provides a useful diagnostic tool for the identification of carriers and patients with peroxisomal disorders", explains Reed.
In all, four presentations were made at the meeting, with Reed's being judged most worthy of winning the prestigious Bayer Award which is sponsored by the company on an annual basis.
The four entries were assessed by a panel of judges during the course of the meeting, with the award being presented following dinner.
"I found it quite daunting to make a presentation to an audience of over 100 people at a regional scientific meeting, so was both surprised and excited to receive the Bayer Award", she says.
