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Laboratory medicine news
New biomarker may extend detection window for date-rape drug GHB
Every hour is critical when it comes to detecting the use of drugs used to render victims unconscious. The substance GHB, which is commonly used in this way, is excreted rapidly from blood and urine. Researchers at the University ...
12 hours ago
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Three-week Arctic operation shows blood products can survive harsh transport conditions and remain transfusion-ready
Getting blood products for transfusions to a battlefield in Canada's High Arctic is feasible but complex, according to newly published research in the journal Transfusion.
13 hours ago
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Researchers detect signs of neuronal damage in the earliest stage of Huntington's disease
Before motor or cognitive impairments appear and before brain volume loss becomes evident, some individuals carrying the genetic mutation that causes Huntington's disease already show signs of neuronal injury. This is demonstrated ...
20 hours ago
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What are biomarkers? How doctors assess health and pooling people's cells reveals new markers—a biologist explains
A family of five is exposed to the flu virus, but only two of them get sick. A lifelong chain-smoker lives 100 years, while a professional athlete in their prime dies of an unexpected heart attack. A drug fails a clinical ...
18 hours ago
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Portable test detects Zika and hepatitis C in hours without lab-grade equipment
A new protocol detects RNA viruses such as Zika and hepatitis C without traditional medical laboratory equipment. Requiring only a handheld reader and a portable heater, it has the potential to bring rapid testing to low-income ...
Nov 9, 2026
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Blood protein panel outperforms leading ALS biomarker in distinguishing patients from healthy individuals
Researchers at Emory University School of Medicine have identified 10 blood proteins that, when analyzed together, can distinguish people with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) from healthy individuals with nearly 98% balanced ...
Nov 6, 2026
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New blood count ranges could prevent unnecessary testing for people with Duffy-null trait
The American Society of Hematology has developed new reference ranges for children and adults with Duffy-null status, a common genetic trait associated with naturally lower circulating white blood cell counts that affects ...
Nov 5, 2026
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Lower immunity after lockdown likely impacted outbreak of deadly strep A infections
Researchers studying the winter 2022/2023 outbreak of group A streptococcus infections in Scotland have found strong evidence that the outbreak was not caused by a new virulent strain of the bacteria, but was likely the result ...
Nov 5, 2026
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EARLY-PREG enables day-by-day tracking of thousands of proteins in the female reproductive tract
A study by MELISA Institute, published in Scientific Reports, shows how researchers can track thousands of proteins in cervicovaginal fluid over seven consecutive days. By analyzing samples collected daily from the same women, ...
Nov 5, 2026
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HIV prevention medication is highly effective, but it can complicate blood donor screening
Taking medicine to prevent HIV might seem a good reason to feel confident about being able or eligible to give blood. Yet people taking pre-exposure prophylaxis, known as PrEP, cannot donate while using it and must wait for ...
Nov 5, 2026
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How a CRISPR sickle cell therapy moved from lab to clinical trial
A UCLA-led team has described how it advanced an experimental CRISPR approach for sickle cell disease into a blood stem cell therapy that can be manufactured at the scale and quality required for a clinical trial.
Nov 4, 2026
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AI system may help clinical labs spot problems before they affect patients
Weill Cornell Medicine researchers have designed an AI system that could help clinical laboratories identify problems before they disrupt testing and delay patient care. These laboratories analyze samples such as blood, urine, ...
Nov 3, 2026
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In the future, a blood test may be able to replace a biopsy
Doctors often have to take a tissue sample to understand what is happening inside a tumor or another affected organ. Biomedical scientist Danilo Mladenović is working to find the same information from a blood sample. Research ...
Nov 3, 2026
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Most comprehensive atlas of healthy human tissue launched to help understand disease
Researchers and data scientists from dozens of universities, hospitals and other institutions across the United States have built an online portal that provides free, open access to one of the most comprehensive atlases of ...
Nov 2, 2026
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Single blood protein stands out among 30 tests for assessing fatty liver disease
The reliable assessment of metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD) is crucial for determining the stage of the disease, initiating appropriate treatments and monitoring the course of therapy. To date, ...
Nov 1, 2026
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Spinal fluid DNA testing may clarify brain tumor diagnoses when MRI leaves questions
A Mayo Clinic study published in the Journal of Neuro-Oncology suggests that analyzing DNA in cerebrospinal fluid could provide another source of information when MRI cannot provide a clear brain tumor diagnosis or obtaining ...
Oct 27, 2026
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Rapid on-site screening could help protect bar staff from hidden drug exposure
The study, published in the Journal of Mass Spectrometry, tested the method in a working U.K. pub and found traces of cocaine and ketamine on surfaces across bathrooms, tables and bar areas.
Oct 27, 2026
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Added antibody step improves the reliability of Alzheimer's blood tests
Researchers at University Medicine Halle have developed a new method that could improve the reliability of blood tests for Alzheimer's disease. Current commercial tests often rely on the protein biomarker p-tau217, whose ...
Oct 26, 2026
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Airborne ESKAPE pathogens at inner-city clinic resist advanced antibiotics
At a clinic in South Africa, researchers have identified airborne ESKAPE bacteria that survive most antibiotic medicines. The clinic is in a densely populated inner-city area.
Oct 26, 2026
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Creating 'satellite maps' of thousands of proteins across tissue could transform drug therapies
Much like a satellite provides a full picture of Earth, a new technology can generate thousands of detailed "satellite maps" showing where individual proteins are located and distributed across an entire tissue in the body ...
Oct 24, 2026
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10 years after Ebola in West Africa: Laboratory partnership improves viral hemorrhagic fever diagnostics in Guinea
Drawing on nearly a decade of surveillance, the researchers document the burden of Lassa fever in the region and explain how sustainable diagnostic structures can support prevention and help reduce the risk of major viral ...
Oct 24, 2026
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Blood test can help clinicians better identify brain injury severity in patients
Clinician-scientists hope to expand the use of blood-based biomarker tests for traumatic brain injury (TBI) to improve identification and escalation of care for patients whose diagnosis otherwise might be missed.
Oct 23, 2026
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Daily blood tests flag potential to stop sepsis antibiotics nearly two days early
A simple daily blood test could help critically ill sepsis patients come off antibiotics sooner, potentially reducing drug overuse and helping tackle the growing threat of antibiotic resistance, new research shows. The study, ...
Oct 21, 2026
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Novel blood test detects lung cancer traces long before scans
Despite advances in early-stage lung cancer treatment, a significant number of patients experience disease recurrence after surgery or initial therapy. A study has now demonstrated that a blood test (liquid biopsy) can reliably ...
Oct 20, 2026
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AI is helping pathologists find harmful lesions the eye can't see
As a pathologist, Dr. Christopher Owens has spent his career trying to improve his methods of catching precancerous colorectal polyps in patients. If he could catch cases earlier, fewer people would develop colorectal cancer, ...
Oct 20, 2026
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