Thermo Fisher Scientific extends legacy of innovation at Pittcon 2011

Thermo Fisher Scientific will reinforce its long-term commitment to innovation at Pittcon 2011 by showcasing best-in-class instruments, consumables, software and services that drive advancements in global health, environmental and safety applications.

The company's leading offering of analytical technologies will be highlighted in its Thermo Scientific Booth 2835, and the latest edition of its comprehensive catalogue, with more than 10,000 new products, will be featured in its Fisher Scientific Booth 3135. Thermo Fisher continues to deliver new solutions to support future generations of scientists, and was recognised this year for its legacy of innovation as company founders received the Pittcon Heritage Award.

‘With the growing number of complex analytical challenges our customers are facing around the world, there has never been a better time to invest in innovation,’ said Marc N. Casper, president and ceo of Thermo Fisher Scientific. ‘The need to offer individualised healthcare, protect the global environment and provide safer consumer products calls for innovative ways of applying technology in the lab, at the line and in the field.

‘As the world leader in serving science, our portfolio is not only the most comprehensive, it also meets our customers' demands for greater speed, increased precision and cost efficiency.’

Accelerating healthcare research

Highlighting new developments in Thermo Scientific analytical instrumentation and laboratory informatics, Casper said, ‘Advancements in proteomics research, made possible in large part by our leading life sciences mass spectrometry technologies, are enabling new breakthroughs in the understanding and treatment of disease.’

For example, using the LTQ Orbitrap Velos and the TSQ Vantage systems, researchers from Massachusetts General Hospital are performing critical tests for stroke patients, providing an increased understanding of the role biomarkers play in preventing and treating the disease.

New at Pittcon this year is ExactFinder software, used with the company's Exactive liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS) system, powered by Orbitrap technology. This powerful combination of software and instrumentation offers clinical researchers a streamlined data processing, review and reporting workflow for screening results with confidence and easy quantitation.

Before the introduction of ExactFinder software, laboratories relied on multiple mass spectrometers and data processing systems to perform targeted and unknown screening experiments. In addition to research applications, ExactFinder can be used by forensic toxicology and environmental testing laboratories.

Protecting the environment

At no time in history has there been more emphasis on the environmental effects of industrialisation in emerging economies. While developed countries such as the US, Europe and Japan serve as models for reducing pollutants through regulatory controls, fast-growing economies such as China are just beginning to take major steps in this regard.

Thermo Fisher is uniquely positioned to support a range of environmental testing needs. A number of products featured at Pittcon are used to accurately measure the level of contaminants in water and soil, for example. The iCAP 6200 inductively coupled plasma-optical emission spectrometer (ICP-OES) provides a robust analytical solution for environmental laboratories that process hundreds of samples per day. With the ability to measure a number of elements, including sulfur, mercury and arsenic, the iCAP 6200 delivers a powerful and cost-efficient trace elemental analysis solution for customers who need to comply with increased regulation.

The company also provides its customers with a growing selection of products that are environmentally sound. From laboratory workstations made of renewable materials to energy-efficient equipment for sample handling, processing and storage, Thermo Fisher continues to introduce new solutions that lead to greater laboratory productivity while helping customers meet their goals for sustainable growth.

Ensuring consumer safety

During the recent dioxin crisis in Europe, when 3,000 tons of animal feed was contaminated, researchers turned to a method developed by Thermo Fisher for screening these persistent organic pollutants (POPs). By combining Thermo Scientific application kits, consisting of columns, consumables and methods, with TSQ Quantum XLS triple quadrupole and DFS high-resolution gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) systems, the rate of low-level dioxin detection increased significantly.

The new POPs workflow featured at Pittcon also includes Thermo Fisher's TargetQuan software, designed specifically for large-scale data processing. To further facilitate the flow of data, TargetQuan integrates with the company's leading SampleManager LIMS (laboratory information management system) platform.

Thermo Fisher's latest LIMS release, SampleManager 10.0, incorporates 25 years of experience as the informatics standard for process industries, including oil and gas, food and beverage, environmental, and metals and mining. Features of the new system include key business metric (KBM) dashboard functionality, an intuitive user interface and a workflow for laboratories looking to standardise operating processes and streamline data exchange across their global enterprise.

Bringing analysis to the field

During Pittcon, Thermo Fisher will feature its diverse line of Thermo Scientific handheld and portable analytical instruments, serving applications ranging from airport security and consumer product testing to supply chain integrity and industrial hygiene.

The Niton FXL field X-ray analyser is the newest addition to its leading offering of X-ray fluorescence (XRF) analysers. This compact unit offers the highest performance and lowest levels of detection available in the product line, with superior accuracy and encrypted tamperproof data. The Niton FXL instrument is ideal for importers, brand owners and retailers implementing a standardized inspection protocol for lead, cadmium and other toxic metals, verifying compliance at all stages of the supply chain.

The TruScan RM analyser, also new this year, is a handheld Raman instrument designed for rapid identification of raw materials and finished product inspection. With a new optical platform, it performs materials identification on a broader range of chemical compounds. Specifically designed to meet the stringent requirements of good manufacturing practice (GMP) facilities, the TruScan RM analyser identifies molecular differences in raw materials, as well as finished products, and provides a simple pass or fail reading within seconds.

Expanding customer access

Thermo Fisher continues to innovate by improving scientists' access to the latest technologies and tools through its Fisher Scientific brand. ‘Using multiple customer touch points, such as application specialists, catalogues and e-commerce capabilities, our Fisher Scientific channel delivers its comprehensive product portfolio to a broad range of customers,’ Casper added.

The new 2011-2012 Fisher Scientific catalogue contains more than 10,000 new products and provides customers with the latest technologies to address a wide variety of needs. Building on a commitment to offer the most convenient purchasing options, the Fisher Scientific catalogue is also available electronically and can be installed on a personal computer or an enterprise network.

In addition, the company announced its new Fisher Scientific RESULTS program for life science and routine analytical laboratory applications. By focusing on specific workflows, such as genomics, proteomics, cell biology, microbiology and chromatography, the Fisher Scientific RESULTS program delivers complete solutions that draw on its leading portfolio of products.

Thermo Fisher also introduced a new enterprise services program to leverage expertise across its comprehensive offering. The program is designed to support customer goals of operating their laboratories more efficiently, safely and productively.