Insights

New CPI Study Reveals a Smarter Path to Scalable mRNA-LNP Manufacturing with AXF Horizon Mini™

A recent paper, “Evaluation of AXF Pathfinder and Horizon Mini™ for Poly(A) and mRNA Lipid Nanoparticle Production”, has been released by the Centre for Process Innovation Ltd (CPI) in the UK.

How Exosomes and Nanoparticles Are Advancing Diagnostic Tools and Therapies

Exosomes — membrane-bound vesicles, roughly 100 nm in size, shed by virtually every cell type in the body — were once dismissed as cellular waste products.

How Cell-Free DNA Synthesis is Revolutionising Biotechnology

Traditional plasmid DNA manufacturing can take over a year. This is a fundamental barrier to innovation.

How to Test Microplastics: Characterisation Techniques

Microplastics analysis has become one of the most pressing challenges in environmental science.

The future of Tissue Adhesives & Biocompatible Coatings 2026

Explore the materials science behind modern tissue adhesives and biocompatible coatings.

How extracellular vesicles and nanoparticles are transforming drug delivery

Nanoparticles and extracellular vesicles are reshaping modern drug delivery.

Why Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) is Essential for Additive Manufacturing

Additive manufacturing (AM) is on track to revolutionise manufacturing processes.

How to Identify Defects in 3D-Printed Materials and Improve Print Quality

3D printing is enabling production of complex geometries not possible using traditional methods.

How to Measure Surface Tension for High-Performance Battery Manufacturing

Surface tension measurement in batteries is a critical factor in manufacturing and R&D.

How to Integrate Analytical Techniques in Battery Recycling

The Australian battery market is witnessing significant growth.

How Much Can AI Really Improve Battery Materials Development?

Advances in battery materials development are driving a new era of energy storage innovation, paving the way for safer, more efficient, and longer-lasting batteries.

Advancements in Predicting Coatability: A Surface Science Approach for Optimised Adhesion

Coatings play a critical role in a wide range of industries, from automotive and aerospace to medical devices and consumer electronics.

A Hydrogen Future Could be the Answer to Clean Energy

With global energy demand set to grow by about 47% over the next 30 years, the need for a sustainable energy transition has never been higher. Hydrogen is the most abundant element in the universe and can therefore become the perfect fuel for the future. 

Why Automated Cell Counting is Important for Modern Research

Quantifying the number and type of cells in a sample is a cornerstone of life sciences research, essential for ensuring reproducibility and accuracy across various disciplines, from fundamental biology to clinical diagnostics and bioproduction.

Exosome Isolation: Purification and Characterisation Tools

Exosomes are a type of extracellular vesicle (EV) typically 30-150nm in diameter secreted by most human cells and enable cell-to-cell communication.

Advancing Tissue Engineering using Phenom Desktop SEM

Tissue engineering is an innovative and rapidly evolving field in medical science focused on creating biological substitutes to repair, replace, or enhance the function of damaged tissues and organs.

Additive Manufacturing: Role of Particle Analysis in 3D Printing

Additive manufacturing (AM), or 3D printing, is rapidly transforming industries in Australia, from aerospace and biomedical engineering to automotive and defence.

Battery Technology Breakthrough: Shaping Energy Storage

We are helping to Build Better Batteries during development and manufacturing processes.

Precision Engineering nanoparticles for drug delivery

“This is where formulations come to die!” These are words of a prominent pharmaceutical company GMP formulations lead. What makes this so difficult?

How to make Cryo EM more available to researchers

Back in 2017 Jacques Dubochet, Joachim Frank and Richard Henderson had won the 2017 Nobel Prize in chemistry for their work developing cryo-electron microscopy technology – or cryo-EM.

The Key Considerations For Developing Lnps As Drug Delivery Vehicles.

Lipid Nanoparticles (LNPs) continue to grow in popularity as they enable the efficient delivery of therapeutic payloads such as RNA. LNPs as delivery vectors hold immense promise for nucleic acid-based gene therapy, oncology, and vaccine development.

WHITEPAPER: A Better Way to Create Nanoparticles for in vivo Treatments.

The production of technologies, like most things, is not immune to imperfection, and sure as eggs, as soon as someone makes a product that enjoys popularity, another tries to compete with a new improved variant attempting to cash in on the success without the massive development cost – virtually reverse engineering.

5 Reasons Why Zetasizer Is Still The Most Widely Used Dynamic Light Scattering (DLS) System

Dynamic light scattering (DLS) is now a ubiquitous tool in many laboratories, and offers an accessible and accurate way to determine hydrodynamic size distribution in minutes.

Next Generation LNP Manufacturing

Producing COVID-19 vaccines for the entire world population rapidly demonstrated the microfluidic development scale up roadblock. Discovery formulations developed using microfluidics had to be scaled up using alternative higher throughput formulating technology with different operating parameters.

A Fundamental History of RNA

Whilst the planet soon learnt these few letters, mRNA, thanks to COVID and the lifesaving vaccine approach it afforded; RNA arguably is a molecular fossil – a piece of evolution that likely existed before modern cells.

Brownian Motion

What is Brownian Motion and Why Is It Important?

A Simple Guide For Preparing Samples For Sem Imaging

Scanning electron microscopes (SEMs) are versatile instruments and they can do much more than you would expect.

3 Factors to Consider for Automated Live-Cell Imaging

Live-cell imaging is important for many applications however limitations of conventional methods have constrained its routine use.

5 Step Guide to Improving the Accuracy of Automated Cell Counting

Cell counting underpins numerous applications, spanning basic research through to the development and production of cell therapies.

Simplifying Large Scale Genetic Medicine Manufacturing

Consider the explosion Nanomedicine where huge advances are being made daily.

The power of orthogonal approaches to accelerate development of targeted therapies

A common challenge found in the world of scientific research is achieving recognition for topics not typically trending among influencers for the importance of fundamental research. Dr Georgia Atkin-Smith, a researcher at the Walter and Eliza Hall Institute and founder of the “Some Blonde Scientist” website noted in a recent post “most people think we should just fund the research that makes the drugs.

Creating a World Leading Instrument Company from a Garden Shed

This is a story of the origin of a key analytical technology and how this led to the Australian distributor ATA Scientific, analytical instruments supplier.

The Technologies That Best Communicated The “Power Of Particle Science” To The World.

The measurement of particle size distribution is important in many fields of science. Most notably materials testing, life sciences, food testing, and pharmaceutical companies all use it to understand how size affects the performance of their final product.

The Essential Tools That Are Driving Advanced Additive Manufacturing

Australia’s Additive manufacturing (AM) industry is off and running, transforming the way we produce and distribute goods.

The Importance of RNA Research in Australia

RNA science has sparked a wave a new studies that offer significant potential not only as broad-spectrum vaccines but also treatments for cancer, genetic and autoimmune diseases.

An Introduction to Battery Research and Manufacturing

The need to build new energy storage solutions to address the increasing global demand has helped drive a power revolution in battery research and technology.

Creating a Genetic Medicine Manufacturing Ecosystem: Part Three

Close to a year ago I wrote in the first article of this series with the theme “and we wait”- for the Federal Government to deliver funding and a plan forward for a genetic medicine ecosystem.

Characterising Lipid Nanoparticles for Vaccine Development

Lipid nanoparticles (LNPs) either loaded with nucleic acids or as liposomes containing an aqueous core, have received great interest from pharma as delivery vehicles for different therapeutic treatments for many different reasons.

Changing the Way We Measure ‘Undetectable’ Differences in Protein Structure

How do you resolve an issue in a product when your analytical methods fail to indicate any difference between batches?

5 Reasons to Combine Laser Diffraction Particle Sizing and Image Analysis

Particle size is by far one of the most important physical properties of particulate samples. The measurement of particle size distribution is routinely carried out across a wide range of industries for mainly two reasons; to better understand how particle size will affect their product performance and to optimise and control the quality of products and processes during manufacturing.

Engineering Vaccine Delivery: Fundamentals Of Creating Lipid Nanoparticles And Liposomes For Encapsulating Therapeutic Drug Molecules

The terms Liposome and Lipid Nano Particle (LNP) are coined interchangeably. Whilst they are quite similar, they have some key differences that affect their application particularly as a drug delivery vehicle.

Why You Need an Electron Microscope in Additive Manufacturing

Additive manufacturing (AM) is a technology that uses three-dimensional computer models to print parts by building the component layer-by-layer.

Creating a Genetic Medicine Manufacturing Ecosystem

This article was published in the April/May issue of Lab & Life Scientist.

How the Right Technology Can Help Australian Researchers Meet the Present Urgency Surrounding a COVID Vaccine

Vaccine development is a complicated process that can span a decade or even longer.

How to Efficiently Transport Live Cell Cultures Without Freezing Them

Ross Harrison first attempted cell culture in the early 1900s. Fast forward 100 years and 3D in-vitro cell culture is routine, and an organ on a chip is a reality.

Working with X-CLARITY – Key Considerations for Tissue Clearing

Understand just what tissue clearing is and negotiate the minefield of promises and misinformation around this topic. 

Types of Catalysis and the Best Ways to Measure Them

A catalyst pore is an important performance-defining characteristic that affects the available surface for reactions to occur.

17 SCIENCE BLOGS EVERYONE SHOULD FOLLOW

Thanks to the Internet, science has never been so accessible. Entire scientific communities now connect through social media, and science blogs have prospered and grown into rich platforms of discourse.

Tensiometers and How They Work to Measure Surface Tension

Tensiometers like the KRUSS tensiometers measure the surface tension of fluids to give you a better understanding of their interfacial behaviour.

How to measure cell death and why it’s important

Years of study have proven that cells die for many reasons: to create structure within the body, to remove excess cells after infection, or to cope with damage from radiation, toxins or viruses.

13 Technologies for Modern Forensic Sciences

Technology is quickly taking over every aspect of our lives, including solving crimes. The rapid improvements in technology have meant that solving crimes almost takes on a futuristic factor, like something from a work of fiction.

Spectrometry and Spectroscopy: What’s the Difference?

Scientific terms are often used interchangeably, and scientifically-accepted descriptions are constantly being refined and reinterpreted, which can lead to errors in scientific understanding.

Using Laser Diffraction for Semisolid Formulations

Because they provide a solution to issues of bioavailability often seen in new drug candidates, semisolid drug formulations are becoming more and more common.

What is Particle Characterisation?

In the manufacturing and development stages of many products, understanding the properties of the materials being used is very important. Perhaps the most important aspect is knowing the size and shape of particles in those materials.

Particle Size Analysers and Their Industry Uses

For many industries, the ability to determine and analyse the average size of particles in a sample is important and informative.

Particle Imaging Techniques

Where particle size analysis is used to produce a distribution curve showing how large the majority of particles in a given solution are, particle imaging also provides the ability quantify morphological (ie. shape) characteristics of particles.

Different Methods of Particle Size Measurement

The thought of attempting to measure and draw conclusions about microscopically small particles can seem incredibly confusing and the techniques used to measure particles can perhaps seem daunting. 

Particle Size Analysis: A Glossary of Terms

In the fascinating world of particle size analysis, there are many difficult terms that you may need to get to grips with.

A Guide to Understanding Laser Diffraction Principles + Theory

Laser diffraction has emerged as one of the most important and effective techniques in the world of particle size analysis thanks to its fast, non-destructive properties, its suitability for a broad range of particle sizes, and its ability to be fully automated.

How to Choose a Scientific Equipment Supplier

When you’re investing money in scientific equipment, such as a laser diffraction particle size analyser, it’s important to investigate your options before making a final decision.

Using Dynamic Imaging Particle Analysis to Characterise Biologics

In recent years we have seen an increase in the role of biologics in medicine.

Understanding and Choosing a Particle Size Analyser

Research today would not be so advanced and precise were it not for the existence of Particle Size Analysers.

10 Benefits of Real-Time Particle Size Analysis

If you’re looking for optimal performance in the particle size analysis process, then real-time or ‘on-line’ particle size analysis methods, such as laser diffraction, are the way to go.

The Benefits of the Zetasizer

In order to be effective, topical oil-based products, or ‘semisolid’ drugs, need to be able to penetrate the skin in a manner that allows them to be delivered to the body’s circulation.

Basic Principles of Particle Size Analysis

Particle size analysis is used to characterise the size distribution of particles in a given sample. Particle size analysis can be applied to solid materials, suspensions, emulsions and even aerosols.

10 Applications for Particle Size Analysis

Particle size analysis involves using methods such as laser diffraction to measure the size of particles within a sample. By measuring and controlling particle size, manufacturers are able to deliver higher quality products.

7 Reasons Particle Size Analysis is Essential

An examination of the various industries that use particle size analysis during the manufacturing or production stage reveals that the process is used for a similar reason.

Factors Affecting Reaction Rate in Chemical Kinetics

Chemical kinetics or reaction kinetics is the study of rates of chemical processes.

Comparing SEM & TEM – Understanding the Pros and Cons

While Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) and Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM) both encompass means of electron imagery, there are some key differences between the two.

The Applications and Practical Uses of Scanning Electron Microscopes

Scanning Electron Microscopes (SEMs) are used across a number of industrial, commercial, and research applications. From cutting edge fabrication processes to forensic applications, there’s a diverse range of practical applications for the modern SEM.

Uncovering the Relationship Between Genes and Proteins

A gene is a basic unit of heredity in a living organism that normally resides in long strands of DNA called chromosomes.

Protein Analysis Techniques Explained

Proteins, also known as polypeptides, are organic compounds made up of amino acids. They’re large, complex molecules that play many critical roles in the body.

Go Beyond Traditional Microscopy: How To Use Label-Free Techniques for Live Cell Imaging

Live Cell Imaging is a major area of growth in the microscopy world as researchers search for techniques to elucidate further mysteries of the human body.

How Live Cell Research is Changing the Face of Biological Research

If you want to see in real time what’s going on inside living cells, then you should be performing live cell imaging.

How Nanoparticle Tracking Analysis Compares to Dynamic Light Scattering for Measuring Particle Size

NTA and DLS are complementary techniques that offer different insights into your samples.

How to Describe a Particle Using a Single Number — Understanding Equivalent Sphere Theory

Laser diffraction is one of the most popular methods for particle size analysis due to its dynamic nature and range.

Key Advantages and Challenges in Laser Diffraction for Particle Analysis

Laser diffraction is a popular particle sizing technique because it offers a number of advantages. However, laser diffraction is not without its challenges.

Dental Applications of Scanning Electron Microscopes

SEMs use a beam of electrons to scan a sample’s surface and produce images of high magnification with a great deal of topographical information.

How Technology is Helping Forensics in Gunshot Residue Analysis

Within forensics, one technological innovation that has had a major contribution in ensuring the precision and accuracy of investigations is the automated analysis of gunshot residue (GSR).

The Role of Particle Morphology in the Pharmaceutical Industry

There are several particle characteristics that are of critical importance when considering pharmaceutical properties.

A Short Guide to Differential Scanning Calorimetry Processes and Technology

Differential Scanning Calorimetry (known as DSC) defined simply, is a way of measuring and assessing heat energy intake, commonly in studies with polymers, liquid crystals, drugs and general chemical analysis.

Introduction to Aerosol Measurement Techniques and Applications

Over the past few decades, it has become increasingly important to actively measure and control aerosol use. The application of aerosols remains critical to the function of a wide range of industries, including manufacturing and agriculture.

Under the Microscope: Key Differences Between SEM and Optical Microscopy

In the field of scientific imaging, operators typically rely on optical and scanning electron microscopes. While both instruments help characterise microscopic samples, they do so in very different ways.

How Isothermal Titration Calorimetry (ITC) Measures Biomolecular Interactions

Isothermal Titration Calorimetry has become more prevalent in biomolecular science, research and engineering. With an increasing need to characterise biomolecules and their interactions, it’s important for researchers and scientists across many fields to understand how this unique instrumentation functions.

How Differential Scanning Calorimetry (DSC) Works to Measure Biomolecular Stability

Differential Scanning Calorimetry (DSC) is primarily used to characterise the stability of biomolecules like proteins. Importantly, it is a direct measurement of the biomolecule in its native form.

Benefits of Using Nanoparticle Tracking Analysis in Particle Detection

Knowing the size distribution of individual nanoparticles offers a competitive advantage in many Industries and fields of research.

Particle Size Analysers and How They Work

Particle size analysis employs a number of different methods to measure the size distribution of particles in the nano, micron and millimetre range.

Benefits of Online Particle Size Measurement in Mineral Processing

Automated online particle size measurement is being embraced more and more by the mineral processing industry because of the distinct advantages it offers over manual offline measurement and the cost efficiencies it is able to deliver.

What is Particle Size Analysis?

Particle size analysis: it sounds tricky, but mark our words, it’s something that everyone would be well-served learning more about.

Particle Size Analysis – What You Need to Know

Particle size analysis has many important uses for many industries.

What’s Biotechnology?

Biotechnology is a field of science that uses living organisms and bimolecular processes to make useful products.

Particle Sizing Techniques and Laser Diffraction

The ability to measure the size of very fine particles is an integral part of many industries today.