We use cookies to understand how you use our site and to improve your experience. This includes personalizing content and advertising. To learn more, click here. By continuing to use our site, you accept our use of cookies. Cookie Policy.

hp

Advertise with Us

Latest Issue

Expo Clinical Chem.Molecular DiagnosticsHematologyImmunologyMicrobiologyPathologyTechnologyIndustry Events Webinars

Expo Clinical Chem.Molecular DiagnosticsHematologyImmunologyMicrobiologyPathologyTechnologyIndustry Events Webinars Advertise with Us

INTEGRA BIOSCIENCES AG

RANDOX LABORATORIES

Sekisui Diagnostics

Download Mobile App

Trending Articles

New Blood Biomarker Predicts May Predict Preeclampsia and Fetal Growth Restriction

Label-Free Imaging Reveals Hidden Immune Activity in Blood Samples

Biomarker Score Helps Differentiate Takotsubo Syndrome from Myocardial Infarction

Urine Genomic Test Detects More Than Nine in Ten Suspected Bladder Cancers

Researchers Identify Shared Molecular Networks Behind Fatigue-Related Illnesses

New Liquid Biopsy Platform Uses Red Blood Cells to Detect Hidden Cancer Signals

Blood Biomarker May Track Bone Metastases in Medullary Thyroid Cancer

Partner Sites

HospiMedica

AI Models Evaluated for Spotting Ischemic Stroke Lesions on Routine MRI

FDA Clears Integrated Platform for Real-Time Cardiac Imaging and Catheter Guidance

Scotland Adopts Respiratory Infection Control Guidance Informed by Aerosol Research

Hospital Safety Program Linked to 65% Reduction in MRSA Bloodstream Infections

Noninvasive MRI Spectroscopy Classifies Pediatric Medulloblastoma Molecular Subgroups

Robotic Next Generation Sequencing Platform Accurately Screens Thousands of COVID-19 Samples at Once

By LabMedica International staff writers
Posted on 04 Mar 2021

A robotics platform to screen thousands of COVID-19 samples at once has the potential to revolutionize how labs track the spread of viruses and other pathogens, according to new findings.

The study by researchers from the Lunenfeld-Tanenbaum Research Institute (LTRI) at Sinai Health (Toronto, ON, Canada) found that their next-generation, ultra-high-throughput sequencing platform, called C19-SPAR-Se, has a sensitivity rate greater than 95% in positive cases during peak onset. More...

The platform is also cost-effective. The study notes it only costs about USD 8 per test when running thousands of samples at once, as the cost per sample decreases due to economies of scale.

"Identifying positive samples quickly and accurately is critical in beating this pandemic," said Dr. Jeff Wrana, senior investigator at the LTRI and professor in the Department of Molecular Genetics at the University of Toronto. "With new and potentially dangerous variants now circulating, this is a platform that is scalable, automated and capable of analyzing thousands of COVID-19 patient samples in a single instrument run."

Related Links:
Lunenfeld-Tanenbaum Research Institute

Visit expo >

Platinum Member

Fully Automatic ACLIA Analyzer

MAGLUMI X8

Gold Member

SARS‑CoV‑2/Flu A/Flu B/RSV Sample-To-Answer Test

SARS‑CoV‑2/Flu A/Flu B/RSV Cartridge (CE-IVD)

New

Gastrointestinal Panel

Xpert® GI Panel

New

MR-proADM Test

B•R•A•H•M•S MR-proADM KRYPTOR test

Read the full article by registering today, it's FREE!

It's Free!

Register now for FREE to LabMedica.com and get access to news and events that shape the world of Clinical Laboratory Medicine.

Free digital version edition of LabMedica International sent by email on regular basis
Free print version of LabMedica International magazine (available only outside USA and Canada).
Free and unlimited access to back issues of LabMedica International in digital format
Free LabMedica International Newsletter sent every week containing the latest news
Free breaking news sent via email
Free access to Events Calendar
Free access to LinkXpress new product services
REGISTRATION IS FREE AND EASY!

Sign in: Registered website members

Sign in: Registered magazine subscribers

Latest COVID-19 News

Channels

Clinical Chemistry

view channel

Image: A large, international study led by City of Hope found that the new, investigational liquid biopsy, called PANXEON, was highly sensitive in detecting stage 1 and 2 pancreatic cancer and had a low rate of false positives. The test was also able to identify high-grade dysplasia, a precancerous condition of the pancreas, potentially enabling intervention before cancer develops. (Photo courtesy of City of Hope)

Multi-Biomarker Blood Test Shows Promise for Early Pancreatic Cancer Detection

Pancreatic cancer has the lowest survival rates of any cancer, with only 14% of patients alive five years after diagnosis. The disease is typically discovered after it has spread, and an estimated 90%... Read more

Image Credit: Diane E. MacDougall et al., FIND Lp(a) Machine Learning Model: Targeted Screening Enrichment of Elevated Lipoprotein(a) in Atherosclerotic Cardiovascular Disease, JACC: Advances (2026). DOI: 10.1016/j.jacadv.2026.103114

Machine Learning Supports Targeted Screening for Elevated Lipoprotein(a)

Lipoprotein(a) is an independent, genetically determined risk factor for atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease, yet routine screening remains uncommon despite guideline recommendations, leaving many high-risk... Read more

Blood Biomarker May Help Monitor Early Response to Lecanemab in Alzheimer’s Disease

Alzheimer’s disease is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder marked by amyloid-beta and tau pathology and remains a leading cause of cognitive decline in older adults. Although lecanemab, an anti-amyloid... Read more

Blood Antibody Linked to Lower Depression and PTSD Symptoms After Brain Injury

Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is associated with a two- to four-fold increase in risk for depression, anxiety, and post‑traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), yet many patients do not develop psychiatric symptoms.... Read more

Molecular Diagnostics

view channel

Blood-Based DNA Analysis Method Detects Early-Stage Solid Cancers

Early detection of stage I solid cancers remains a significant unmet clinical need. Liquid biopsy approaches that can distinguish tumor-derived signals from background cell-free DNA are therefore drawing... Read more

Combined Blood and Genetic Tests Estimate Timing of Alzheimer’s Symptom Onset

Predicting when Alzheimer’s disease will manifest remains a major clinical challenge, particularly before cognitive decline is evident. Blood biomarkers and genetic risk markers can flag elevated risk,... Read more

Image: Blood protein levels can reveal whether genetic variants have biological effects, potentially offering a more scalable, noninvasive way to obtain additional patient information (Image Credit: 123RF)

Blood Protein Analysis Helps Interpret Uncertain Rare Disease Variants

Many patients with suspected rare genetic conditions remain undiagnosed even after genome or exome sequencing, leaving clinicians with limited evidence to interpret uncertain variants. Variants of uncertain... Read more

40-Gene Test Validated for High-Risk Squamous Cell Carcinoma

High-risk cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) requires accurate stratification to align surveillance and adjuvant therapy with each patient’s risk. Clinicopathologic staging alone may not precisely... Read more

Hematology

view channel

Hidden Molecular Mechanism Behind HIT Blood-Clotting Disorder Revealed

Immune-mediated thrombosis following heparin therapy can be sudden and severe, creating urgent diagnostic challenges. In heparin-induced thrombocytopenia (HIT), antibodies against platelet factor 4 (PF4)... Read more

Image: New findings indicate that people with borderline anemia—hemoglobin just above WHO anemia thresholds—face a higher mortality risk than those with higher hemoglobin levels within the normal range (Image Credit: 123RF)

Borderline Anemia May Carry Higher Risk Than Current Thresholds Suggest

Hemoglobin concentration is among the most frequently ordered blood tests in primary and hospital care. In older adults, both high and low values have been linked to adverse outcomes, including cognitive... Read more

Biomarker-Guided Framework Aims to Guide Mantle Cell Lymphoma Therapy

Mantle cell lymphoma can follow widely variable courses, from indolent disease to rapidly progressive cancer, complicating initial treatment selection. Many therapeutic decisions still rely on patient... Read more

New Genetic Findings Reveal Cause of Bone Marrow Failure Syndrome

Inherited bone marrow failure syndromes (IBMFS) impair the bone marrow’s ability to produce sufficient healthy blood cells and are associated with an increased risk of early-onset myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS).... Read more

Immunology

view channel

Image Credit: Adobe Stock

New Cellular Map May Help Predict Crohn’s Disease Course in Children

Crohn’s disease in children is a common and debilitating form of inflammatory bowel disease, marked by chronic intestinal inflammation and limited pediatric-specific treatments. Clinicians must decide... Read more

Image Credit: Adobe Stock

Temporal Immune Profiling Reveals How Sepsis States Change Over Time

Sepsis is a life-threatening condition in which the immune response to infection becomes dysregulated, leading to rapid organ failure and death. Although antimicrobials and organ support remain standard... Read more

Study Identifies Immune Cells That Drive Harmful Autoantibody Responses in COVID-19

Autoantibodies that mistakenly attack the body’s own tissues have been linked to severe COVID-19, Long COVID, and increased risk of autoimmune disease. However, the origins of these autoantibodies during... Read more

Gut “Memory” May Explain Why IBD Flares Return

Inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD), including Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis, are characterized by recurring flare-ups that damage the intestinal mucosa and remain difficult to predict.... Read more

Microbiology

view channel

Magnetic Nanoparticles Enable More Sensitive Beta-Lactam Allergy Testing

Penicillin allergy labels are common in clinical practice, yet many are incorrect and can lead to suboptimal antibiotic choices. Although 8%–25% of people report a penicillin allergy, only 1%–10% are truly... Read more

Image: Graphical Abstract (Zeyang Shen et al., Shotgun Metagenomics Reveals Skin Microbiome Composition and Function in Infant Atopic Disease, Allergy, 2026. DOI: 10.1111/all.70449)

Infant Skin Microbiome Show Links to Later Eczema and Food Allergies

Eczema, or atopic dermatitis, and food allergies often begin in infancy and are among the earliest stages of the atopic march. Atopic dermatitis alone can affect up to 20% of children, yet objective indicators... Read more

Diagnostic Stewardship Guide Targets Testing Overuse and Hospital Cost Pressures

Hospitals face persistent pressure to improve diagnostic accuracy while reducing unnecessary testing and costs. Misordered or overused assays can complicate infection metrics, trigger penalties, and strain... Read more

Research Strengthens Bundibugyo Virus Outbreak Readiness with Faster Diagnostics

Bundibugyo virus (BDBV), a species of ebolavirus, causes severe hemorrhagic disease and can be difficult to diagnose rapidly during outbreaks. Recent regulatory changes have further complicated swift deployment... Read more

Pathology

view channel

Image: The workflow analyzes slides already generated during routine care, providing added prognostic information without requiring another tissue test (Image Credit: Shutterstock)

AI Spatial Analysis of Routine Slides Helps Predict Pancreatic Cancer Recurrence

Predicting which patients with pancreatic cancer will recur after treatment and surgery remains challenging. Pathology evaluation typically measures residual tumor burden, but recent work found that tumor... Read more

Hybrid Computational Imaging Method Improves Digital Pathology Resolution

Digital pathology depends on high-resolution whole-slide imaging to capture diagnostically relevant cellular and tissue features, yet conventional methods often force trade-offs between speed, cost, and detail.... Read more

FDA Clearance Expands Digital Pathology Options for Clinical Laboratories

Hamamatsu Photonics K.K. (Hamamatsu, Japan) announced it received 510(k) clearance from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for the NanoZoomer S20MD and NanoZoomer S540MD slide scanner systems.... Read more

Label-Free Imaging Reveals Hidden Immune Activity in Blood Samples

Peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) are widely used to monitor infection, autoimmunity, cancer, and treatment response, yet most assays depend on fluorescent labels that can perturb cells and provide... Read more

Technology

view channel

Multimodal AI Framework Aims to Guide Cancer Immunotherapy Decisions

Cancer immunotherapy has reshaped oncology, but heterogeneous responses and immune-related toxicities continue to complicate routine decision-making. Standard biomarkers, including programmed death-ligand... Read more

New Multipurpose Centrifuge Combines High Capacity with Sustainable Cooling

Laboratories often need centrifugation that accommodates multiple vessel formats while maintaining controlled temperatures to protect sensitive samples. Intuitive controls and repeatable operation can... Read more

Bacterial Vesicle Expression System Streamlines Production of Cancer Diagnostic Proteins

Recombinant proteins are central to many cancer diagnostics and therapies, but numerous targets remain difficult and costly to produce because they are unstable, toxic to microbial hosts, or require precise folding.... Read more

Autonomous Robotic System Receives FDA Authorization for Blood Collection

Venipuncture is central to many diagnostic pathways, but routine blood collection can be affected by staffing constraints and procedural variability that influence consistency and patient experience.... Read more

Industry

view channel

Veracyte Acquisition Expands Urine-Based Bladder Cancer Monitoring Capabilities

Veracyte, Inc. has acquired Convergent Genomics, expanding its urology diagnostics offerings with the company’s UroAmp platform and proprietary urinary tumor DNA (utDNA) technology. UroAmp has been clinically... Read more

Image: Concentriq AP-Dx supports primary diagnosis from digital pathology slides and is FDA-cleared, Health Canada-licensed, and CE-marked under the EU IVDR. (Photo courtesy of Proscia)

Unilabs Expands Digital Pathology Across European Network with Proscia Platform

As precision medicine expands, digital pathology platforms must connect teams, sites, diagnostic data, and artificial intelligence to accelerate routine diagnosis. Sharing expertise across laboratory networks... Read more

Image: Under the theme “From Tissue to Answer”, the launch of VisiOmics anchors a comprehensive pathology portfolio spanning tissue and molecular pathology (Photo courtesy of MGI Tech Co., Ltd.)

MGI Launches Automated Multiplex Tissue Staining and Imaging System at ECP 2026

MGI Tech Co., Ltd. (Shenzhen, China) introduced VisiOmics (PMIF-20RS), a fully automated multiplex immunofluorescence staining and imaging system, at the 38th European Congress of Pathology (ECP 2026)... Read more

Digital Pathology Partnership Integrates Breast Cancer Diagnostic and Prognostic Tools

Breast cancer diagnostics rely on reproducible histological grading and timely interpretation of immunohistochemical biomarkers to guide therapy. Access to prognostic risk profiling can be limited by long... Read more

LabMedica

About Us
Advertising Info
Subscription
Client Login
Privacy Policy
Terms of Service
Cookie Policy
Journal Info
Contact Us

Channels

Clinical Chem.
Molecular Diagnostics
Hematology
Immunology
Microbiology
Pathology
Technology
Industry
BioResearch
Events
Focus
Webinars

Features

Events Product Showcase LinkXpress Whitepapers archive Video Library

Partner Sites

LabMedica Expo HospiMedica.com Globetech.net

Archive:

BioResearch
COVID-19

2026
ADLM WHX Labs Dubai 2025
Medica ADLM MEDLAB 2024
Medica

ADLM Medlab 2023
Medica AACC EUROMEDLAB Medlab 2022
MEDICA AACC

Copyright © 2000-2026 Globetech Media. All rights reserved.

MOBILE | FULL SITE