Spectroscopy Europe

Researchers at the University of California, San Diego have revealed new details about how cannibalistic bacteria identify peers suitable for consumption. The work, which employed imaging mass spectrometry, is a first step toward a broader effort to map all signalling molecules between organisms.

Read more: Imaging MS reveals key metabolic factors of cannibalistic bacteria

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Doping remains a problem throughout sport despite increases in technology to catch the cheats and increased sampling of competitors. At the World Cup, due to start on 11 June, two mass spectrometry companies are providing instrumentation for the anti-doping labs. AB Sciex is providing LC-MS/MS instrumentation and Agilent, GC/MS systems.

Read more: Spectroscopy at the World Cup

Kenneth Standing and Werner Ens from the University of Manitoba have won the Manning Innovation Award, which has been recognising and encouraging innovation in Canada since 1982. The award is given to Canadians who have demonstrated recent innovative talent in developing and successfully marketing a new concept, process or procedure.

Read more: ToF innovation produces award for Canadian scientists

Counterfeiting of drugs is a huge industry with an annual turnover of more than €50 billion. In Africa the situation is extremely serious: half of the malaria medication sold there could be ineffective or even harmful. Researchers from Lund University, Sweden, and King’s College London, UK, have now developed a technique based on nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) that could provide a good way to identify counterfeit drugs.

Read more: Problem of fake medicines in developing countries could be solved by NMR