Seal Sickness
A recent study has used a method designed to test human blood to confirm the presence of ciguatoxins in living seals.
In 1978 50 Hawaiian monk seals died mysteriously. Scientists at the time believed that ciguatoxins were responsible but at the time lacked the tools to test for the toxins directly. A recent study has used a method designed to test human blood to confirm the presence of ciguatoxins in living seals.1
Ciguatoxins are neurotoxins, produced by algae, which build up in fish that are then eaten by the critically endangered Hawaiian monk seal. In investigating the levels of seal exposure the researchers used a Neuro-2A cytotoxicity assay to quantify ciguatoxin activity, and liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry to confirm the molecular structure.
According to the study, tissue analysis from dead stranded animals revealed ciguatoxin activity in brain, liver and muscle. Analysis of blood samples from 55 free-ranging seals revealed high levels of ciguatoxin activity in 19% of the animals. Samples from animals in shoreline pens had no toxin in their blood. In some cases blood samples from the exposed seals contained toxin levels as high as several picogrammes per millilitre, which is a high enough level to kill a rat.
The study provides the first confirmation that Hawaiian monk seals are exposed to significant levels of ciguatoxins and the first evidence of transfer of ciguatoxin to marine mammals.
1. M.-Y. Dechraoui Bottein et al., Environ. Sci. Technol., 45(12), 5403–5409 (2011).
This story originally appeared in The Column. Click here to view that issue.
AI and GenAI Applications to Help Optimize Purification and Yield of Antibodies From Plasma
October 31st 2024Deriving antibodies from plasma products involves several steps, typically starting from the collection of plasma and ending with the purification of the desired antibodies. These are: plasma collection; plasma pooling; fractionation; antibody purification; concentration and formulation; quality control; and packaging and storage. This process results in a purified antibody product that can be used for therapeutic purposes, diagnostic tests, or research. Each step is critical to ensure the safety, efficacy, and quality of the final product. Applications of AI/GenAI in many of these steps can significantly help in the optimization of purification and yield of the desired antibodies. Some specific use-cases are: selecting and optimizing plasma units for optimized plasma pooling; GenAI solution for enterprise search on internal knowledge portal; analysing and optimizing production batch profitability, inventory, yields; monitoring production batch key performance indicators for outlier identification; monitoring production equipment to predict maintenance events; and reducing quality control laboratory testing turnaround time.
2024 EAS Awardees Showcase Innovative Research in Analytical Science
November 20th 2024Scientists from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, the University of Washington, and other leading institutions took the stage at the Eastern Analytical Symposium to accept awards and share insights into their research.
