Cushing’s syndrome is related to high production of cortisol and, without timely treatment, it can lead to complications such as heart attacks, strokes and type 2 diabetes. The condition can be diagnosed using a dexamethasone suppression test, which involves tracking the effects of this glucocorticoid medication on cortisol levels. Since the absorption of dexamethasone depends […]

By Dr Maria Ada Prusicki Advances in whole-slide scanning technology enabled the automation of microscopy. Researchers can run image acquisition overnight and check the results remotely, minimizing the need for supervision and optimizing their use of time. Nonetheless, a few steps still require intense human supervision, especially for sample identification and scan area definition, where […]

by D. K. Cecconello, C. Rechenmacher, Prof. L. E. Daudt and M. B. Michalowski Acute lymphoblastic leukemia is the cancer most commonly found in children and asparaginase (ASNase) is used in the treatment. Our laboratory has been working to establish a regular analysis of ASNase activity in Brazil. Monitoring ASNase activity can be an important […]

There are estimated to be more than 7000 rare genetic diseases (RGDs), which are defined as affecting less than 1 in 2000 people in Europe, many of which are monogenic. Although rare individually, collectively they affect 1 in 50 individuals. Diagnosis of these diseases is often very difficult and patients can remain undiagnosed or diagnosis […]

According to the World Health Organization, almost 15% of the world’s population is living with mental illness. We have medications that can be effective, but outcomes can vary. We caught up with Heather Read-Harper (Beckman Coulter) to find out more about the value of therapeutic drug monitoring in treating mental health disorders.