Latest news with #biomedicalresearch
Globe and Mail
2 days ago
- Health
- Globe and Mail
Boster Bio Launches Free Antibody Validation Service to Transform Research Reproducibility
In a bold move that could reshape the future of biomedical research, Boster Bio is launching a Free Antibody Validation Program —giving scientists the power to test antibodies under their exact experimental conditions before purchase. It's a first-of-its-kind, no-cost service that tackles one of science's most frustrating pain points: unreliable antibodies. 'For too long, researchers have had to gamble on antibodies that may or may not work,' said CJ Xia, Founder and VP of Boster Bio. 'We believe that's unacceptable. Our free validation service gives you proof before you pay—so your research runs smoother, faster, and with far fewer surprises.' Why It Matters Antibodies are the backbone of modern life sciences. Yet according to studies, over 50% of research antibodies are poorly validated, leading to inconsistent results, failed experiments, and wasted budgets. Boster Bio's solution? A fast, AI-assisted validation pipeline that tests antibodies for specificity and performance using over 500 in-house tissue and lysate types across applications like Western blot (WB), IHC, IF, ELISA, FC, and IP—all tailored to the researcher's exact assay needs. How It Works: Submit in 2 Minutes: Fill out a quick online form or reply by email with your biomarker list, sample types, and applications. We Test for You: Our team validates your requested antibodies in-house—no samples or reagents needed from your lab. Fast Turnaround: You'll receive a full validation report, including protocols and results, in 4–10 days. Built for Today's Research Environment With time and funding tighter than ever, researchers deserve tools that help them focus on publishing, not troubleshooting. Boster Bio's Free Validation Service eliminates trial-and-error by front-loading the proof. Labs can even submit up to 100 biomarkers at once, making it ideal for screening large panels. 'We're not just providing reagents,' Xia adds. 'We're changing expectations. In five years, people will look back and wonder how they ever ordered antibodies without seeing validation data first. This is the new normal.' Try It Now Interested researchers can submit their validation requests visit: Precision, On Demand: Custom Monoclonal Antibodies Designed for Your Research In addition to its free validation service, Boster Bio offers custom monoclonal antibody production —a fast, tailored solution for researchers who need highly specific, high-affinity antibodies built from the ground up. Leveraging decades of expertise in immunogen design and hybridoma technology, Boster Bio guides researchers through every step: from antigen design and immunization to hybridoma screening and large-scale production. 'We design each antigen strategically—accounting for homology, post-translational modifications, epitope localization, and protein structure—so you get antibodies that hit exactly where you need them,' said CJ Xia. With turnaround times as short as eight weeks, the process balances speed with scientific rigor. Each batch undergoes strict quality controls, including titer testing and cross-reactivity screening, ensuring performance you can trust in assays like WB, IHC, IF, ICC, ELISA, and Flow Cytometry. Researchers can choose from a growing inventory of over 8,000 antibodies and 500 sample types (including human, mouse, rat, monkey, and zebrafish), or start completely from scratch. By combining free validation with custom development, Boster Bio now delivers a true end-to-end antibody solution—positioning itself as a single, reliable partner for labs aiming to publish faster, waste less, and innovate more. About the Company: Boster Bio is a leading manufacturer of antibodies and ELISA kits critical to advancing life science research. Specializing in custom monoclonal antibody production services and offering free antibody validation, the company supports researchers with high-quality reagents and exceptional service. Based in Pleasanton, CA, Boster Bio continues to innovate in antibody development and immunoassay solutions. Media Contact Company Name: Boster Biological Technology Contact Person: CJ Xia Email: Send Email Phone: (888) 466-3604 Address: 3942 Valley Ave City: Pleasanton State: CA 94566 Country: United States Website:
Al Bawaba
6 days ago
- Health
- Al Bawaba
WCM-Q concludes 2025 cycle of biomedical research training program
Four aspiring biomedical scientists have gained key research skills by completing the 2025 cycle of Weill Cornell Medicine-Qatar's (WCM-Q) Biomedical Research Training Program (BRTP) for Nationals. The interns who participated in this year's program are Raghad Rabie El Ghali, Hadeel Alashwal, Maryam Ali, and Sara Muhamed program is designed to give Qatari nationals and long-term residents who have recently graduated from college a firm foundation in practical laboratory and research administration skills, and experience conducting real clinical research projects while working alongside WCM-Q's highly qualified scientific faculty in the college's state-of-the-art celebrate their successful completion of the program, the interns were presented with certificates at a special graduation year marks the 13th annual cycle of the Biomedical Research Training Program for Nationals, which was launched in 2011. To date, the program has helped 62 graduates, including this year's cohort, take their first steps toward successful careers in Khaled Machaca, professor of physiology and biophysics/senior associate dean for research, innovations, and commercialization at WCM-Q, said: 'I am honored to congratulate our latest cohort of talented graduates from the Biomedical Research Training Program. These impressive young scientists have dedicated the last 10 months to acquiring the skills and knowledge needed to become not only exceptional scientists but also vital contributors to Qatar's thriving biomedical research sector. I wish them every success in the next stages of their careers.' This year's BRTP interns are graduates of Hamad Bin Khalifa University, Qatar University, the University of Zhengzhou in China, and the International Medical University in Malaysia. Tembela Eweje, associate director, grants, contracts and research training, said: 'This program is more than just training; it's about building a diverse and capable biomedical workforce for Qatar. The program is designed to equip emerging scientists with critical skills and provide the mentorship they need for their careers after completion. During the graduation ceremony, our trainees expressed their excitement about the future and their eagerness to engage in activities that will help them gain the expertise needed to lead transformative research. One trainee mentioned that the program provided them with what they would equate to about 10 years of experience in just 10 months.' The program has become an established bridge for college graduates to transition to the workplace and kickstart successful careers in research. Graduates from previous cycles have gone on to publish in leading journals and have been accepted to graduate school programs in Qatar and abroad, while others have established careers in research at prestigious institutions across Qatar and the region. © 2000 - 2025 Al Bawaba ( Signal PressWire is the world's largest independent Middle East PR distribution service.
Zawya
7 days ago
- Health
- Zawya
WCM-Q concludes 2025 cycle of biomedical research training program
Doha – Four aspiring biomedical scientists have gained key research skills by completing the 2025 cycle of Weill Cornell Medicine-Qatar's (WCM-Q) Biomedical Research Training Program (BRTP) for Nationals. The interns who participated in this year's program are Raghad Rabie El Ghali, Hadeel Alashwal, Maryam Ali, and Sara Muhamed Saleh. The program is designed to give Qatari nationals and long-term residents who have recently graduated from college a firm foundation in practical laboratory and research administration skills, and experience conducting real clinical research projects while working alongside WCM-Q's highly qualified scientific faculty in the college's state-of-the-art laboratories. To celebrate their successful completion of the program, the interns were presented with certificates at a special graduation ceremony. This year marks the 13th annual cycle of the Biomedical Research Training Program for Nationals, which was launched in 2011. To date, the program has helped 62 graduates, including this year's cohort, take their first steps toward successful careers in research. Dr. Khaled Machaca, professor of physiology and biophysics/senior associate dean for research, innovations, and commercialization at WCM-Q, said: 'I am honored to congratulate our latest cohort of talented graduates from the Biomedical Research Training Program. These impressive young scientists have dedicated the last 10 months to acquiring the skills and knowledge needed to become not only exceptional scientists but also vital contributors to Qatar's thriving biomedical research sector. I wish them every success in the next stages of their careers.' This year's BRTP interns are graduates of Hamad Bin Khalifa University, Qatar University, the University of Zhengzhou in China, and the International Medical University in Malaysia. Tembela Eweje, associate director, grants, contracts and research training, said: 'This program is more than just training; it's about building a diverse and capable biomedical workforce for Qatar. The program is designed to equip emerging scientists with critical skills and provide the mentorship they need for their careers after completion. During the graduation ceremony, our trainees expressed their excitement about the future and their eagerness to engage in activities that will help them gain the expertise needed to lead transformative research. One trainee mentioned that the program provided them with what they would equate to about 10 years of experience in just 10 months.' The program has become an established bridge for college graduates to transition to the workplace and kickstart successful careers in research. Graduates from previous cycles have gone on to publish in leading journals and have been accepted to graduate school programs in Qatar and abroad, while others have established careers in research at prestigious institutions across Qatar and the region. About Weill Cornell Medicine-Qatar Weill Cornell Medicine-Qatar is a partnership between Cornell University and Qatar Foundation. It offers a comprehensive Six-Year Medical Program leading to the Cornell University M.D. degree with teaching by Cornell and Weill Cornell faculty and by physicians at Hamad Medical Corporation (HMC), Sidra Medicine, the Primary Health Care Corporation, and Aspetar Orthopedic and Sports Medicine Hospital, who hold Weill Cornell appointments. Through its biomedical research program, WCM-Q is building a sustainable research community in Qatar while advancing basic science and clinical research. Through its medical college, WCM-Q seeks to provide the finest education possible for medical students, to improve health care both now and for future generations, and to provide high quality health care to the Qatari population. For more info, please contact: Hanan Lakkis Associate Director, Media and Publications Weill Cornell Medicine - Qatar hyl2004@
Harvard Business Review
27-05-2025
- Health
- Harvard Business Review
AI Alone Won't Transform U.S. Healthcare
Imagine it's the middle of the night, and your child is seriously ill. You rush to the hospital, bracing for mountains of paperwork, long waits, and an overburdened staff. Instead, you meet a clinician who knows your child's medical history in precise detail. Within minutes, a specialist team evaluates your child and prescribes a personalized treatment plan tailored to her genetics and thousands of similar cases. No guesswork. No redundant testing. The diagnosis is clear, as is the path forward. Artificial intelligence could make this story the new normal. Not since the discovery of antibiotics has medicine faced such transformative potential. But AI alone will not deliver this future without serious structural reforms in the United States. We need to fix the flaws that have broken the current healthcare system. If we don't, AI could amplify the inefficiencies, misaligned incentives, and inequities that pervade healthcare today. With AI evolving at a blinding speed, the window to act is closing—along with the opportunity to ensure AI's benefits reach everyone. At Stanford, where I work, and across the industry, we are already seeing AI's real-world promise. Complex biological processes that once took scientists decades to describe are being illuminated by AI in a matter of months. AI is streamlining clinical trials, helping scientists identify new drug targets, and is even aiding in the development of novel therapeutics. The open question is whether these breakthroughs will translate into meaningful improvements in human health. Turning discoveries into better patient outcomes demands more than technological progress; it will require deep reforms in the U.S. healthcare infrastructure, payment systems, and clinical workflows. Without these changes, even the most promising innovations risk remaining stuck in research labs or limited to only those who can afford them. Avoid a Repeat of the EHR Experience The Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health (HITECH) Act of 2009, which mandated the adoption of electronic health records (EHR) systems, ushered in the digital age of medicine in the United States. But rather than improving the experience of care, for years, the transition saddled clinicians with overwhelming administrative burdens. Designed largely to satisfy insurers' complex billing requirements, EHRs often neglected the practical needs of doctors and patients. Even as EHRs have improved over time, they remain cumbersome, inefficient, and, in some cases, pose safety risks due to their user-unfriendly interfaces. Studies published in recent years have found that physicians spend a huge amount of their time on tasks related to EHRs, contributing to high burnout rates. We risk repeating this mistake with AI. Already, we see an AI arms race developing between physicians and insurance companies. Insurers are deploying AI tools to scrutinize and often rapidly deny treatment coverage, while physicians counter with AI-driven systems to justify necessary care. This technological tug-of-war doesn't improve care delivery; it merely shifts resources from patient care to battling within the system. To steer AI toward delivering a healthier future, we must pursue three urgent priorities: 1. Revamp incentives. The first step is to confront the incentives that shape healthcare today. Historically, market incentives have profoundly influenced the adoption of technologies, and not always for the greatest good. We must carefully design incentives to promote the outcomes we want and mitigate any adverse effects. AI cannot transform a system built on misaligned incentives. Today, fee-for-service reimbursement remains the dominant payment model in the United States, rewarding the volume of care delivered, not the quality or long-term impact of that care. This model prioritizes billing over clinical impact and continues to discourage interventions that emphasize prevention, early detection, and long-term health improvement. For instance, better management of early-stage diabetes could reduce all-cause mortality in patients by nearly 20%, yet reimbursement structures in the United States often fail to support the necessary long-term interventions. And across the board, tools that enable continuous monitoring, early diagnosis, or personalized treatment planning are often unfunded and underused. The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) has been steadily advancing the shift toward value-based care —championing models that prioritize health outcomes over volume. While this represents an important step in the right direction, to realize the full potential of these reforms, we must ensure that AI is embedded in the next generation of value-based care strategies. That includes updating billing codes to reflect AI-enabled procedures, expanding coverage for digital diagnostics and remote monitoring tools, and creating reimbursement pathways that reward the use of AI in preventing disease, not just treating it. Legislation like the recently introduced bipartisan Health Tech Investment Act offers a timely and promising framework. The bill proposes expanding reimbursement pathways for digital health technologies, including AI, and enabling their adoption across diverse clinical settings. Structured financial support like this is critical to avoiding a fragmented future where only well-resourced institutions have a role in shaping AI-supported care. AI can also be part of the solution to reimbursement challenges, but it must be approached thoughtfully. By carefully deploying AI to automate processes like eligibility verification, claim submissions, and real-time error detection, we can reduce administrative burdens without exacerbating the tug-of-war between payers and providers. Done well, this could free up time and resources to focus on what matters most: the patient. 2. Embed AI into medical education and training. EHRs fundamentally changed the way healthcare providers work, often in ways that weren't fully anticipated or understood. Studies on EHR rollouts highlighted significant workflow disruptions, unsafe workarounds, and documentation errors, often due to gaps in training and understanding. AI will bring equally profound changes, creating a significant training challenge and cultural shift. In medicine, we contend with a significant 'know-do gap': the lag between when we know something is beneficial and when it is actually adopted in practice. On average, it takes 17 years for new evidence-based practices to become the standard practice in the United States, largely because of a stubborn commitment to entrenched practices and the daunting volume of emerging data that healthcare providers must interpret. Overcoming these barriers requires continuous education and systemic changes to encourage rapid integration and adaptation of new knowledge. Integrating AI into medical education curricula is a critical part of the solution. Future generations of providers must be educated and equipped with the skills and mindset necessary to integrate AI into patient care. Beyond the classroom, health systems must also expand training opportunities and foster a culture of continuous learning to ensure that their healthcare professionals are ready to embrace AI as a tool to enhance what they do best. The opportunities are, indeed, significant. Consider the use of AI-supported tumor boards, which could revolutionize oncology care. Tumor boards are specialized, multidisciplinary teams of healthcare professionals who meet to discuss cancer cases and determine the best treatment plans for patients. AI could enhance how tumor boards assimilate the latest research, patient data, and expert insights, helping close the know-do gap in implementing new cancer treatments. With research grant support, Stanford Medicine is actively exploring this type of AI integration. 3. Engage doctors and patients in AI development and use. Because the development of EHRs largely excluded the voices of doctors and patients, the tools didn't meet their needs. Recent surveys show that 50% of physicians feel EHRs have compromised their clinical effectiveness, and nearly 60% advocate for a complete overhaul of these systems. For AI to avoid this pitfall, physicians and patients must be actively involved in the development, testing, and implementation of AI tools from the beginning. According to an American Medical Association (AMA) survey, 7 8 % of physicians want clear explanations of how AI systems make decisions. Yet, many systems still lack the transparency needed for clinicians to understand and trust AI-generated recommendations—a challenge we cannot afford to overlook. If patients are to trust AI, they, too, need to be engaged. Already, there is concerning evidence of patients growing skeptical of AI. A 2023 Pew Research Center study found that 60% of Americans would feel uncomfortable if their healthcare provider relied on AI for diagnosis and treatment recommendations. To mitigate these risks, AI tools must be developed using diverse data sets that represent a broad range of populations. In addition, involving patients and clinicians in the design and testing phases will ensure that AI tools are equitable, trustworthy, and effective across different demographic groups. In fact, it's the human factor—equipping patients and physicians to use AI to make better care decisions—that will allow for a smoother integration of these tools. As AI systems become more advanced, a critical question is how they should be used in clinical decision-making: as tools to assist physicians or as autonomous agents making decisions independently. At Stanford, we share the view with many others that in the near term AI should be used to support, not replace, clinical judgment. Over time, however, as AI models become more capable and are validated in real-world settings, the line between support and autonomy may blur. This evolution underscores the importance of rigorous, ongoing oversight and regulation. Regulatory frameworks, such as the Food and Drug Administration's approach to monitoring continuously learning algorithms, will need to keep pace with technological change while ensuring safety, transparency, and equity. AI represents a rare opportunity to transform the future of healthcare. But this transformation will not happen automatically. We must act deliberately and learn from past mistakes. By aligning incentives, fostering a culture of continuous learning, and involving all stakeholders, we can ensure that AI delivers a better healthcare system in the United States—one that works for everyone.
Forbes
27-05-2025
- Business
- Forbes
Tying U.S. Drug Prices To Foreign Markets Risks Innovation And Lives
"The higher prices that Americans pay for drugs cover a disproportionate share of the research and ... More development efforts from which the entire world benefits," writes health policy expert Sally C. Pipes. Earlier this month, President Donald Trump signed what he called 'one of the most consequential Executive Orders in our Country's history.' The order is essentially an updated version of his administration's 2020 'Most Favored Nation' policy. It directs pharmaceutical companies to tie the U.S. prices of their drugs to the lower prices that other developed countries pay. It certainly seems unfair that Americans pay more for drugs than foreigners. So the president's insistence that drug companies offer Americans the best deal they provide worldwide has intuitive appeal. But the economics behind this proposition are much more complicated. The higher prices that Americans pay for drugs cover a disproportionate share of the research and development efforts from which the entire world benefits. Like it or not, we have become the world's medicine chest. Pegging drug prices here to those in other countries would yield minimal savings for the United States and devastate funding for biomedical research. In the long run, pharmaceutical companies would develop fewer novel lifesaving drugs. And that would consign Americans and foreigners alike to undue suffering. Other countries pay less for pharmaceuticals because their governments forcibly cap prices. If drug companies want to sell their wares within that country's borders, they have to assent to the foreign government's price. That strategy has trade-offs. For starters, manufacturers prioritize markets where they can garner higher returns. So they tend to delay launching their drugs in countries with price controls. Across the G20 group of middle- and upper-income nations, just 38% of new medicines launched between 2012 and 2021 were available as of October 2022. In the United States, 85% of those novel drugs were available. Even in our peer countries, foreign patients lack access. Just 61% of those drugs were available in Germany, 59% in the United Kingdom, 45% in Canada, and 34% in Australia. One study found that European countries with their own versions of 'most favored nation' policies experience delays of up to one year for new drugs. Such launch delays reduce life expectancy for patients in these countries. Drug companies prioritize markets where they can charge higher prices—like the United States—because drug development is risky and expensive. It takes about $2.6 billion and more than a decade, on average, to bring a single new drug to market. And roughly 90% of drug candidates fail to gain approval. The attractiveness of the U.S. market to drug makers has also resulted in significant benefits for our economy. Currently, two out of three new drugs are developed in the United States. Where will that drug research go if the United States imports foreign price controls with a 'most favored nation' policy? It will likely go to China—if it does not disappear entirely. Already, the outlook for drug research in the United States is growing bleaker. The price controls established in Medicare by the Democrats' 2022 Inflation Reduction Act are projected to result in the development of 139 fewer drugs by 2035. That could include cures for rare cancers or Alzheimer's. But even if the drugs that go undeveloped would simply offer moderate improvements on chronic diseases, sacrificing them is still too high a price to pay for potential short-term price reductions. And about those 'reductions.' Should the Trump administration successfully implement a most favored nation policy, drug companies are likely to respond by raising prices in other countries—or pulling them from the market there altogether. According to a 2022 study by researchers from UCLA, Stanford, and France's University of Toulouse Capitole, 'reference pricing induces a substantial increase in the prices charged in reference countries but only a modest decrease in the prices charged in the US.' Poorer countries are ill-equipped to handle higher prices. So Americans may save figurative pennies—while foreigners lose access to lifesaving drugs entirely. There are better ways to lower drug prices in the United States. Pharmacy benefit managers and other middlemen claim roughly half of every dollar spent on prescription drugs in this country. Congress and the administration can rein in their market-manipulating abuses that drive up prices for consumers. The administration can also insist that other countries pay prices commensurate with the value of new medicines as a condition of striking trade agreements with the United States. Doing so would help ensure that foreign countries pick up a bigger share of the globe's research and development tab. The laws of economics are stubborn things. If the Trump administration really wants to do the most good for patients in the United States and worldwide, they'll scrap this most favored nation order.
