October 2020

Retrograde ejaculation (a proposed accreditation method)

David Sanders and colleagues discuss laboratory assessment of samples for retrograde ejaculation and outline how accreditation could work.

Medical eponyms (part 2): Aloysius Alzheimer

This is the second of selected short biographies of persons whose names are directly used for diseases, conditions, syndromes or tests familiar to those working in clinical pathology laboratories.

The great big biomedical lockdown quiz (part 3)

The third instalment of our biomedical science quiz. This time, we have a picture round and eight questions relating to ultrastructure, compiled by Catherine Griffiths, an Electron Microscopist from the Biomedical Imaging Unit at University Hospital Southampton.

Triad of molecules for COVID-19

Professor of immunobiology Adrian Hayday explains how three molecules could be used to predict deterioration in patients with COVID-19.

Boiling point: workplace pressures

Senior Specialist Biomedical Scientist Azuma Kalu looks at pressure in the workplace and presents two case studies.

Hong Kong flu

The Hong Kong flu outbreak of 1968-70 claimed over one million lives worldwide. Retired GP Elizabeth Clyde reflects on her first-hand experiences from this widely forgotten pandemic.

COVID-19 not characterised by a cytokine storm

Inflammatory proteins known as cytokines play a crucial role in the immune response. If this response is too strong – a phenomenon known as “cytokine storm” – it can cause harm to the patient.

"Genome sequencing accelerates cancer detection"

A statistical model has been developed that uses genomic data to accurately predict whether a patient with Barrett’s oesophagus has a high or low risk of developing cancer.

Uncovering order in cancer's chromosomal chaos

Researchers at the Francis Crick Institute and the UCL Cancer Institute have identified how different cancers go through some of the same genetic mutations at the same point in their evolution.

Patient zero discovered?

A person on a poorly ventilated Chinese bus infected nearly two dozen other passengers with coronavirus and may be patient zero, it is claimed.

Top