European scientists unveil research to protect water against bioterrorism

EU-funded DINAMICS project presented at inaugural Pharma Test Expo 2011 in Cologne, Germany. Innovations have applications for pharma and food testing

DINAMICS presentation at the Pharma Test Expo

Our drinking water will be safe from potential terrorist attacks thanks to four years of collaborative efforts by European scientists from eight countries working on the DINAMICS research project, visitors to the inaugural Pharma Test Expo 2011 in Cologne, Germany, learned on February 10.

Civilian security became a hot issue of concern following the terrorist attacks on New York’s World Trade Center on September 11, 2001, and the subsequent wave of anthrax letters.

The European Commission responded by co-funding the development of a new water quality warning system to help prevent bioterrorist attacks through its detection of dangerous infectious agents, such as bacteria and viruses.

Scientists representing seven of the 12 leading-edge technology companies and public research institutes involved in the over 7 million-euro DINAMICS project reported on the innovations made since the research began in 2007 at a workshop at the Pharma Test Expo 2011 sponsored by Provenion Engineering, a partner in the DINAMICS project and an exhibitor at the Expo.

Provenion Engineering Stand at the Pharma Test Expo

“The aim of the project is to develop an online monitoring system for detecting the presence of pathogens in drinking water,” said Dr. Sabine Müller, project manager at the German technology transfer center Steinbeis-Europa-Zentrum, which is currently in charge of financial and administrative management of the project as well as knowledge management and dissemination.

The project name, DINAMICS, reveals just how complex the research is. DINAMICS stands for Diagnostic Nanotech & Microtech Sensors.

The DINAMICS consortium brought together experts in the fields of:

• Water supply Management,
• Microbiological and molecular biology specimen handling,
• Nanometric film technology
• DNA nanostructures
• Sensor and chip technology (optical and electronics)
• Microfluidic components (chips)
• Automated fluid handling
• Microelectronics and signal processing
• Scientific instrument engineering
• Technology transfer
• Product development

The team produced what Dr Müller called a “lab-on-a-chip platform” to quickly detect pathogens in water. Their prototypes, which should be on the market in several years as both handheld and stationary instruments, include a “cost-effective DNA sensor,” that is combined to microfluidic components and electrical and electronic circuits.

Presentation by Dr. Sabine Müller, Steinbeis-Europa-Zentrum

“These devices are next generation diagnostic tools for our water supply,” said Rolf Boetzel, Sales Manager at Provenion Engineering, the German company that engineered the prototype devices by integrating the various components of the project.

The beauty of the innovation is that it has possible applications in medical diagnostics, the food industry and in pharmaceutical testing, Boetzel added.

To view the DINAMICS workshop presented at the Pharma Test Expo 2011, click here.

For more information on the project, contact:

Dr. Christian Mittermayr, Project coordinator
Lambda GmbH
Tel. +43 7949 2090 3011
E-Mail Mittermayr@lambda.at
www.lambda.at

or

Dr. Sabine Müller
Steinbeis-Europa-Zentrum
Tel. +49 721 9351914
E-Mail: sabine.mueller@steinbeis-europa.de
www.steinbeis-europa.de

or

Rolf Boetzel
Business Development
Provenion GmbH
Tel.:+49 (0)8091-5505-17
E-Mail: r.boetzel@provenion.de
www.provenion.de


You may also want to view the DINAMICS dedicated website:
http://www.dinamics-project.eu/

Cosmetics Test Expo - New to the HuLST Expo for 2012

Inaugurating a new era in cosmetics testing

Cosmetics industry testing professionals, mark your calendars: The inaugural Cosmetics Test Expo 2012, to be held at koelnmesse in Cologne, Germany, next February 7, 8 and 9, will be the one trade fair you cannot miss. A HuLST Expo umbrella event.

Consumer trust is the key to the cosmetics industry, which in 2009 generated EUR 69.5 billion in Europe alone, about one-third of the global market. European consumers know their shampoos, hair dyes, moisturizers and cleansers, anti-ageing and anti-cellulite creams, antiperspirants, sunscreens, toothpastes and fragrances are safe.

Product safety is the backbone to consumer confidence, but it is not the only strength of today’s cosmetics industry. Consumers demand that products work, that they deliver on their promises. And in recent years, consumers are looking for more natural products. How does the cosmetics industry meet these demands?

Testing is the only means to ensuring cosmetics are safe, that they work and can be formulated with more natural ingredients.

Cosmetics Test Expo 2012 will showcase the latest in cosmetics testing processes, equipment and legislative requirements. Visitors will want to participate in the Expo’s Forums and Workshops, which will focus on how manufacturers must conduct safety assessments of new products under the European Union’s new Cosmetic Regulation, which was published in 2009 and comes fully into force in mid-2013.

The European cosmetics industry is working hard toward the final goal of the new legislation, which is that no cosmetic product containing an ingredient safety tested using animals, will be allowed for sale in Europe.

Cosmetics Test Expo 2012 will examine the industry’s progress in the development of alternative testing methods.

Medical Device & Technology Test Expo 2011

After much anticipation, the medical device testing community was given an event to remember at HuLST Expo 2011.

Walter+Bei enjoyed a productive show, with many interested visitors stopping by the stand

The inaugural Medical Device & Technology Test Expo offered many visitors their first chance to see a number of industry products, such as Mark-10’s Series 5 digital force gauge and the Falcon video measuring solution from Vision Engineering.

Mark 10's Series 5 digital force gauge.

Mark-10 believes the Series 5 gauge is perfect for a broad range of industries, including medical device. Available in capacities from 0.12lb to 500lb (0.5N to 2,500N) and boasting ±0.1% accuracy, the gauge is overload protected to 150% of capacity. An analog load bar tells users when such an overload is imminent.

Many visitors saw Vision Engineering's Falcon measurement machine for the first time

Falcon has been designed with 3-axis measurement of precision machined component parts in mind, according to its creator, Vision Engineering. The technology works with a touchscreen display that shows accurate measurement results in microns.

Medical Device & Technology Test Expo 2011 also played host to Bose Corporation’s ElectroForce Series 7 software, which works with the company’s range of test equipment. Operating on the Windows 7 platform, the software allows users to alter testing protocols, and change loading profiles based on specimen response.

Other product debuts came courtesy of Mecmesin, with the MultiTest-xt, and Lloyd Instruments, manufacturers of the LS1

The big news from the Lloyd Instruments stand was the breakthroughs being made in materials testing. Such advances have been made possible due to the LS1, a 1kN testing machine, that made its debut at the show. The LS1 features a wider crosshead speed range and improved measurement accuracy for evaluating the mechanical properties and performance of medical devices.

Visitors were keen to talk to industry heavyweights Instron and Marposs about their latest developments and products for the medical device market

Other stands of great interest were Instron’s, which featured a range of test equipment including the 5900 series and the latest ElectroPuls instruments and Marposs’, which featured the first public outing Orthoflex, the company’s latest optical vision system. Over at Mecmesin, all the talk was about MultiTest-xt, a touchscreen force measurement system that is specifically designed for conducting quality control assessments.

Away from the exhibition floor, there was a full program of presentations and workshops, giving audiences the chance to find out about industry developments and trends that could have an impact on the way they operate. Kicking off proceedings was Kathleen Johnson, president and founder of Medical Device Approvals, who talked about the implementation of FDA requirements into the new product design process.
There were also presentations from key organisations in the industry including Sterigenics, Intertek, SpineServ, LMS International and Underwriters Laboratories.

Human.Life.Science.Test Expo comes to Cologne, Germany - Feb 2011

At last, a trade fair that delivers the full portfolio of test technologies, solutions and services specifically for test professionals and technicians working in the life science product development and manufacturing sector.

If you are looking for best of breed testing technologies and leading test service providers and laboratory partners, register here for your ticket to HuLST Expo. Never before has there been an exhibition exclusively focused on test for the Human Life Science Industry.

Medical Device & Technology Test Expo 2011 is the trade show for quality assurance and test professionals working in medical device and technology manufacturing industries. Visitors who have already pre-registered include key quality assurance and test professionals from some of Europe's leading medical device and technology manufacturers, including B. Braun, Medtronic, Philips, and Zimmer, to name but a few.

 

Food & Beverage Test Expo 2011 is the 'must-attend' trade show for quality assurance and test professionals working in Europe's food and drink industry. At both the freely-flowing open forums and the detail-specific workshops, experts will be on hand to provide the answers you need – knowledge that can be implemented in your own laboratory testing and in-line QA testing procedures. 

Pharma Test Expo 2011 is the trade show for Europe's pharmaceutical and bio-pharmaceutical manufacturing industries. Where else can you find all the test and QA solutions you could ever need all under one roof? From applications in early-stage discovery testing of promising entities and subsequent screenings to outsourced CRO testing services and all manner of in-line QA testing – it’s all here.


 
Biotech Test Expo, Here you will find R&D teams, outsourcing managers, analytical/research chemists (organic/inorganic), micro biologists, bio-informatics professionals, regulatory professionals, QA directors and teams, validation professionals and more. For the first time ever, the full range of test and evaluation equipment, together with solutions and service providers, all under one roof. Everything you need for a unique and completely relevant test trade fair.