Ensuring the vaccines aren’t exposed to adverse temperatures will be the biggest challenge for the -80°C Pfizer vaccines Joe LaPorte is director of projects and regulatory at PHC Corporation of North America. Joe has over 30 years of international experience in the field of cold chain management and ultra-low refrigeration. He has served on the ENERGY STAR stakeholder committee for [...]
Containment of biological agents and infectious substances is an essential element in maintaining a safe environment for biomedical and microbiological laboratories, Biosafety Levels labs, and vaccine production facilities. Protecting against the potential release of hazardous aerosols into a lab during centrifugation requires good laboratory practices. 1. First Level of Protection: Labware Protecting lab and personnel from aerosol leakage and spills [...]
The ability to cool and store items at particular temperatures is an important need for most laboratories. The problem is that there is no ‘one size fits all’ when it comes to laboratory refrigeration, the only common denominator is that any lab fridge or freezer has to be: Robust Secure Fit for purpose Capable of maintaining a stable temperature [...]
As cell culture has gained more importance in research, it has evolved—and the incubator has evolved along with it Carl earned his undergraduate degree in molecular and cellular biology from the University of Illinois and completed his master’s degree from Northwestern University’s Master of Biotechnology program. Prior to PHCNA, Carl was involved in various areas of biomedical research including cell [...]
Since SARS-CoV-2 first appeared in December 2019, scientists around the world have been racing to find out more about the novel coronavirus. While the virus has claimed almost four million lives, new developments in COVID-19 research have offered hope to pandemic-stricken countries around the world. Below, we spotlight some of the most exciting new developments and answer some key [...]
A study has found that lateral flow tests detect COVID-19 with similar accuracy to laboratory-based PCR tests A new study by researchers at Queen Mary University of London, University of Oxford, Institute for Advanced Studies, Vienna, and the Medical University of Graz, has found that lateral flow tests detect COVID-19 with similar accuracy to laboratory-based PCR tests, providing they are [...]
There is an urgent need to set up new COVID-19 diagnostic testing labs and put procedures in place for existing labs to handle the new COVID-19 testing processes. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) provides specific guidelines on how best to collect, handle and ship COVID-19 specimens. The CDC provides current guidelines related to laboratory biosafety and COVID-19. [...]
Clinical labs should put these basic measures in place to reduce infection rates and prepare for continuity Safety Here are the basic safety measures clinical labs can take to prevent the spread of infection: Any staff member who becomes sick should stay home until they are asymptomatic. All staff should avoid spending time around other people who are sick. All [...]
Biosafety cabinets – or BSCs, for short – are the equipment used in a laboratory for handling and working with hazardous biological substances. For reasons of sterilisation and containment, it’s vital that biosafety cabinets are decontaminated thoroughly and responsibility. In most hospitals, medical institutions and research facilities, it will be sufficient to decontaminate a BSC once or twice during its [...]
Reliable storage and temperature monitoring are essential to maintain the cold chain and avoid catastrophic vaccine loss The key to successfully completing vaccination campaigns is safely storing the vaccines until they are administered. Every time vaccines encounter heat, cold, or light, they lose efficacy. In order to maintain an ideal environment, vaccines are often stored in dedicated refrigerators and freezers—or [...]
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