Welcome to this week's newsletter from Zimmer and Peacock. This newsletter is a mixture of news, stories and tech notes from Zimmer and Peacock. If you want to subscribe to our newsletter or have any questions regarding Zimmer and Peacock and our passion for biosensor technologies please don't hesitate to contact us.

How to design and manufacture a glucose strip?

Though Zimmer and Peacock design and manufacture sensors for ions, small molecules, proteins, enzymes, RNA, DNA, whole cells and microbes etc, we started a long time back designing and manufacturing glucose strips.

We recently had an enquriy with three questions:

QUESTION ONE - How to design a new Glucose Strip?

QUESTION TWO - How to optimize an enzyme solution formulation?

QUESTION THREE? - How to manufacture strips?

ZP - the friendly sensor and biosensor company

Zimmer and Peacock are committed to excellent science and excellent work, so we are delighted to meet like minded people on our travels around the world.

If you have an electrochemical sensor or biosensor idea, and you are looking for a company that is fundamentally interested in the technology and getting ideas to market then please don't hesitate to contact us.

Portuguese Electrochemistry Society

Zimmer and Peacock were delighted to exhibit at the Portuguese Electrochemical Society.

We discussed our standard products and our williness to collaborate on biosensors and sensor related programs.

If you have any questions regarding Zimmer and Peacock and our commitment to getting research and ideas to market through a combination of standard products and services please don't hesitate to contact us.

International Society of Electrochemistry Vilnius

Zimmer and Peacock were delighted to exhibit at the 23rd ISE Meeting in Vilnius.

We discussed our standard products and our williness to collaborate on biosensors and sensor related programs.

If you have any questions regarding Zimmer and Peacock and our commitment to getting research and ideas to market through a combination of standard products and services please don't hesitate to contact us.

Die MessTechnik-Messe 2018

Zimmer and Peacock are exhibiting at the Sensor and Test 2018 on 26-28 June 2018 in Nuernberg.

Zimmer and Peacock are focused on the contract development and manufacture of biosensors, sensors and medical diagnostics, please join us there.

Zimmer and Peacock is a contract developer and manufacturer of electrochemical sensors and biosensors please don't hesitate to contact us if you have any questions.

Welcome to this week's newsletter from Zimmer and Peacock. This newsletter is a mixture of news, stories and tech notes from Zimmer and Peacock. If you want to subscribe to our newsletter or have any questions regarding Zimmer and Peacock and our passion for biosensor technologies please don't hesitate to contact us.

Strategic talks with 3Dit

This week ZP were in strategic talks with 3Dit regarding the technologies and capabilities of Zimmer and Peacock and 3Dit, with the intention to develop collaborative programs together.

Tour of ZP facility in Wolverhampton

In this quick video we discuss the new facility in Wolverhampton UK

Zimmer and Peacock is a contract developer and manufacturer of biosensors and medical diagnostics and the Wolverhampton facility runs alongside our facilities in Norway and the USA.

Cleaning gold electrodes for SAM

On our website ZP has put links to articles or notes we have generated with hints, tips and suggestions for cleaning gold electrodes and gold screen printed electrodes.

Click here to find out more. 

Zimmer and Peacock are a contract developer and manufacturer of screen printed electrodes if you have questions or woudl like to know more please don't hesitate to contact us.

Welcome to this week's newsletter from Zimmer and Peacock. This newsletter is a mixture of news, stories and tech notes from Zimmer and Peacock. If you want to subscribe to our newsletter or have any questions regarding Zimmer and Peacock and our passion for biosensor technologies please don't hesitate to contact us.

Biosensors - São Paulo

Zimmer and Peacock are delighted to be speaking at SIMPECTT

The first SIMPECTT will take place at the Institute of Chemistry of USP (Campus of São Paulo), on September 13-14, 2018.

The objective will be to discuss the statistical tools needed in research and publications. The first day is an SPSS workshop and the second day will focus on the case of chemical sensors for the health area: what is needed to transform a successful laboratory sensor into a commercial product?

CHI versus AnaPot

At ZP we have products and services, but what's unusual is that we use the products within the company, so when you get a product from Zimmer and Peacock we are the biggest users and experts on the product as we use them day in day out.

We have a vast range of electrochemical equipment at ZP and so in a recent study we compared the AnaPot EIS versus a CHI instruments potentiostat.

iPhone apps for measuring the hotness of chillies

Zimmer and Peacock have developed an iPhone app to use alongside their chilli sensing technology for determining the hotness of chillies.

Visit our website to find out more. 

Graphene pH sensors on low cost substrate

In this video Zimmer and Peacock demonstrate a graphene flexible electrode system, in this example we have functionalized it for pH.

Zimmer and Peacock is a company focused on our clients and collaborators and getting them to market with the right technology.

Electrochemistry in Bolognia

Zimmer and Peacock are delighted to be exhibiting at the 69th Annual ISE Meeting to be held in Bologna, Italy, from 2-7 September 2018. The meeting will be hosted by the “Nuovo Polo Congressuale Bologna”.

Bologna, seat of the oldest university in the western world, has been for centuries the place where academic knowledge is generated and transmitted throughout generations. Now the town is the centre of a vibrant, innovation-driven, high-tech area. To mark the continuity between academic culture and technological progress, the scientific theme of the meeting is Electrochemistry from Knowledge to Innovation.

The scientific program of the 69th Annual Meeting will comprise symposia sponsored by all ISE Divisions, covering all the scientific interests of the ISE membership and of the electrochemical community at large. Fundamental aspects of analytical, molecular, physical and bioelectrochemistry will be discussed, as well as their applications to (nano)materials science, energy, environment and biomedicine.

Zimmer and Peacock are delighted to be exhibiting at  the 69th Annual ISE Meeting to be held in Bologna, Italy, from 2 to 7 September 2018. The meeting will be hosted by the “Nuovo Polo Congressuale Bologna”.

Bologna, seat of the oldest university in the western world, has been for centuries the place where academic knowledge is generated and transmitted throughout generations. Now the town is the centre of a vibrant, innovation-driven, high-tech area. To mark the continuity between academic culture and technological progress, the scientific theme of the meeting is Electrochemistry from Knowledge to Innovation.

The scientific program of the 69th Annual Meeting will comprise symposia sponsored by all ISE Divisions, covering all the scientific interests of the ISE membership and of the electrochemical community at large. Fundamental aspects of analytical, molecular, physical and bioelectrochemistry will be discussed, as well as their applications to (nano)materials science, energy, environment and biomedicine.

Welcome to this week's newsletter from Zimmer and Peacock. This newsletter is a mixture of news, stories and tech notes from Zimmer and Peacock. If you want to subscribe to our newsletter or have any questions regarding Zimmer and Peacock and our passion for biosensor technologies please don't hesitate to contact us.

Zimmer and Peacock - ISE 23rd Topical Meeting in Vilnius

Zimmer and Peacock will be exhibiting at the 23rd Topical Meeting of the International Society of Electrochemistry, which will be held in Vilnius, Lithuania from 8 to 11 May 2018.

The meeting will provide a good opportunity to present research results, to visit the beautiful city of Vilnius, to access the fastest internet in Europe and to explore the marvellous country of Lithuania.

Lying at the crossroads of East and West, being the geographical centre of Europe, Vilnius is never more than three hours away from any European destination by air. Vilnius, the capital of Lithuania, is the home of the President, the Seimas (Parliament), the Government and the Supreme Court. Diplomatic missions, educational, cultural, financial, research, and healthcare institutions are based here. Electrochemical science has a long and storied tradition in Lithuania.

It is a key field of study at the Centre for Physical Sciences and Technology (FTMC), which houses a large electrochemical research facility where numerous specialized techniques are taught and practised. Additionally, significant electrochemical tests and studies are conducted in the Faculty of Chemistry and the Centre for Life Sciences at Vilnius University.

Other universities, such as Vilnius Gediminas Technical University and Kaunas University of Technology, also use electrochemical methods in a number of applications. In addition to hosting the Annual ISE meeting in Vilnius in 1986, the Lithuanian electrochemists have organized the ISE sponsored “Theodor Grotthuss Electrochemistry Conference” and the “Chemistry and Chemical Technology 2016”, dedicated to the 200th and 210th anniversaries of the first theory of electrolysis by Theodor Grotthuss, a world-famous scientist who spent most of his life in Lithuania. Special issues of “Electrochimica Acta” were entirely devoted to these successful conferences. 

ZP exhibiting at EleCNano

Zimmer and Peacock are delighted to be joining the members of the Electroanalytical Chemistry group of the Laboratoire de Chimie Physique et Microbiologie pour les Matériaux et l’Environnement (LCPME) of CNRS and the Université de Lorraine, and the sub-Division of Electrochemistry of the French Chemical Society at the 8th meeting of Electrochemistry in Nanoscience.

Zimmer and Peacock is the world's leading contract developer and manufacturer of biosensors and medical diagnostics, and so we are delighted to be meeting with colleagues at ElleCNano in Nancy France. 

If you have any questions regarding Zimmer and Peacock please don't hesitate to contact us.

BioMed Boston 2018

Thank you for meeting with Jim and I at the Boston BioMed 2018 Expo 2018.

At the expo we talked about Zimmer and Peacock's commitment to the contract development and manufacture of biosensors, medical diagnostics and wearable sensors.

If you have any questions regarding Zimmer and Peacock please don't hesitate to contact us.

Multiple Working Electrodes

Zimmer and Peacock have standard screen printed electrodes, and we are also able to perform contract development of screen printed electrodes specific to our customers' and clients' needs.

In the video we discuss that our standard screen printed electrodes can also be delivered in multiple electrode configuration.

Please visit our website to find out more and to contact us.

Mass produced graphene electrodes

Zimmer and Peacock are delighted to announce the world's first screen printed graphene electrodes.

ZP is focused on making electrodes and sensors manufacturable and low cost to benefit our clients and collaborators, so we have developed a range of screen printed graphene electrodes and more importantly functionally tested them using electroanalytical techniques.

Please contact us to find out more.

Welcome to this week's newsletter from Zimmer and Peacock. This newsletter is a mixture of news, stories and tech notes from Zimmer and Peacock. If you want to subscribe to our newsletter or have any questions regarding Zimmer and Peacock and our passion for biosensor technologies please don't hesitate to contact us.

Dangers of separating sensor development and electronics development

In the world of biosensors and medical diagnostics every company wants to develop the electronics themselves, but they are happy to outsource the development and manufacturing of the sensor/biosensor.

At Zimmer and Peacock we are contract developers of sensor, biosensors and medical diagnostics and so we are happy to support companies as a contract developer and a contract manufacturer, but we always advise a company if they are developing the electronics to buy a reference system from Zimmer and Peacock. This means that they can test the sensors independently of their electronics which helps these clients to later troubleshoot their electronics.

Biomarkers on the breath

Zimmer and Peacock are able to detect analytes and biomarkers on the breath.

In this video we talk though the one of the tools we use for simulating breath, which we need when developing sensors specific to compounds carried on the breath.

How hot is Tabasco Sauce?

You can stop wondering how hot Tabasco Sauce is, the ZP Chilli Technology Group have recently measured it, please visit our website to find out more.

ZP - Biosensor Group Expands

Zimmer and Peacock are developers and manufacturers of biosensors and medical diagnostics. We put a lot of emphasis on testing and so we have recently expanded our head count, specifically with Biosensor Test Technicians.

If you have a biosensor or medical diagnostic and are looking for a development or manufacturing partner please don't hesitate to contact us.

Welcome to this week's newsletter from Zimmer and Peacock. This newsletter is a mixture of news, stories and tech notes from Zimmer and Peacock. If you want to subscribe to our newsletter or have any questions regarding Zimmer and Peacock and our passion for biosensor technologies please don't hesitate to contact us.

Credit Card to Medical Diagnostics

Zimmer and Peacock won't develop technologies or capability unless we think they are scalable into low cost biosensors and medical diagnostics, in the video we show some pieces we are making where we have a hybrid betwen our sensors and a credit card. which utilises the advantages of both materials.

AEM highlight

AEM Biotech have highlighted Zimmer and Peacock on their website as a leading company. Please visit the AEM Biotech 2018 website here.

ZP on advisory panel for HSN

Zimmer and Peacock are delighted to be part of the advisory panel for HSN's Master in Micro and Nano Systems Technology.

ZP has been one of the biggest employers of graduates from HSN in recent years, and so we are delighted to contribute to the education of the next generation of scientists and engineers.

ZP talking at AIM 28 to 29 June 2018

Zimmer and Peacock is passionate about fundamental research becoming products so we are delighted to be invited to give a talk on Biology to Applications at the AIM Lisboa on 28-29 June 2018.

Electrochemistry at Nano-interfaces: Faraday Discussion

Zimmer and Peacock are contract developers, suppliers and manufacturers of nanopore technologies. We are delighted to be attending the Electrochemistry at Nano-Interfaces: Faraday Discussion - Bath United Kingdom on 26-28 June.

Please feel free to meet us there or to contact us to discuss your Nanopore requirements.

Medical Wearables 2018 - Santa Clara

Zimmer and Peacock are contract developers and manufacturers of wearable sensors and biosensors.

We are exhibiting at Medical Wearables 2018 in Santa Clara, please feel free to meet us there.

Zimmer and Peacock are contract developers, suppliers and manufacturers of nanopore technologies, and so we are delighted to be attending the Electrochemistry at Nano-Interfaces: Faraday Discussion - Bath United Kingdom 26 to 28 June.

Please feel free to meet us there or to contact us to discuss your Nanopore requirements.

Welcome to this week's newsletter from Zimmer and Peacock. This newsletter is a mixture of news, stories and tech notes from Zimmer and Peacock. If you want to subscribe to our newsletter or have any questions regarding Zimmer and Peacock and our passion for biosensor technologies please don't hesitate to contact us.

We are hiring

Zimmer and Peacock are a fast growing and innovative biosensor development and manufacturing business, please visit our website to see our vacancies.

Parallel Potentiostats

At Zimmer and Peacock we test electrodes, sensors, biosensors and medical diagnostics in a parallel. We do this because we are contract developers and manufacturers and need large amounts of high quality electrochemical data upon which we can make technical decisions and ultimately get our clients and collaborators to make.

This makes us unique as a reseller and distributor of potentiostats, as we are real users of the equipment we sell and recommend.

When you buy a Zahner, PalmSens, Whistonbrook or Admiral parallel or multiplex potentiostat from Zimmer and Peacock you are buying both the potentiostat but also the real world experience of Zimmer and Peacock on how to get good data from the instruments.

We sell parallel potentiostats based on your: application, your need and your budget. Contact Zimmer and Peacock today to discuss: Zahner, PalmSens, Whistonbrook or Admiral 

Not pretty but effective - parallel sensor testing

At ZP we are high volume sensor, biosensor and medical diagnostic contract manufacturers; we are also contract developers.

We always have a sense of urgency and so though we like to set up elegant experiments sometimes we need the data in a hurry so our clients can get to  market ASAP.

In this video we show a quick set up to test a high number of sensors in parallel.

ZP - microfluidics ChipShop

Zimmer and Peacock know that sensors, biosensors and medical diagnostics require great assays and great microfluidics, which is why we are delighted to expand our capabilities in microfluidics by representing the microfluidics ChipShop.

Zimmer and Peacock are steeped in microfluidics and so it you have any questions regarding medical diagnostics and microfluidics please don't hesitate to contact us.

Sensors - Electrical, chemical and mechanical properties

At Zimmer and Peacock we are always happy to give technical advice when choosing from our product range. We recently had an enquiry where the scientist was looking for chemically resistant screen printed electrodes. Find out our response on our website here. 

The parallel potentiostat and pumps used in the video are standard products all available from Zimmer and Peacock.

At Zimmer and Peacock we give our clients the right technology for their problem if you have any technical questions don't hesitate to contact us.

Welcome to this week's newsletter from Zimmer and Peacock. This newsletter is a mixture of news, stories and tech notes from Zimmer and Peacock. If you want to subscribe to our newsletter or have any questions regarding Zimmer and Peacock and our passion for biosensor technologies please don't hesitate to contact us.

ZP enters the solid state nanopore technology arena

At Zimmer and Peacock we see that nanopores offer a new paradigm in analysis for nanoparticles, to next generation sequencing, to PCR quantification, to protein sequencing. This is why we are delighted to supply and support Nanopore Solutions Technology for assisting with nanopore research and development.

The unique difference with the Nanopore and ZP solution is that we can partner with researchers and developers to take their discoveries to market.

Sensor reader customisation

At ZP we have a generic and highly customisable electrochemical sensor reader, which is ready to go into a customer's product.

We are able to customise the readers down to changing the colours.

Please visit our website to find out more about ZP and to contact us.

Full demo of the Chilli Hotness Sensor

At Zimmer and Peacock we are passionate about productising ideas. In this video we show how we have taken IP from the University of Oxford and made a product from it.

Contract solution development, manufacturing and bottling

At Zimmer and Peacock and Aliksir we perform contract development, manufacturing and bottling of solutions, reagents and buffers.

If you require standard solutions as part of your product offering or the solution is your product then please don't hesitate to contact Zimmer and Peacock.

Welcome to this week's newsletter from Zimmer and Peacock. This newsletter is a mixture of news, stories and tech notes from Zimmer and Peacock. If you want to subscribe to our newsletter or have any questions regarding Zimmer and Peacock and our passion for biosensor technologies please don't hesitate to contact us.

ZP - Power and Energy

ZP has sensing, electrochemistry and continuous monitoring in our DNA, so it is with these key skills that we are launching ZP Power and Energy.

ZP Power and Energy is focused on bringing our scientific and engineering expertise to the power and energy application space/market, including: problem solving, providing solutions and technologies and providing our development partners a route to market.

ZP - Sociedada Portuguesa de Electroquimica

Zimmer and Peacock are delighted to be sponsoring and exhibiting at the Portuguese Electrochemical Society from May 2 - 4 2018.

Nano-Networks - Norway

Zimmer and Peacock are speaking at Nano-Networks in Norway on 11-13 June 2018. 

Zimmer and Peacock are Norway’s largest contract biosensor and medical diagnostic development company with a focus on nano-technology, electrochemistry and sensor manufacturing. ZP has several on-going collaborations with the University of Oxford, the University of Cambridge and Høgskolen i Sørøst-Norge.

In this talk we will discuss two current collaborations, one of which has resulted in a product on the market and the other which is heading to clinical trials. We will talk about how materials, science, electrochemistry, instrument design, sensor manufacturing, sales and marketing all layer upon one another to take science to the market.

University of Vienna - Chemical Sensors Conference

Zimmer and Peacock will be attending the Chemical Sensors Conference at the University of Vienna in July 2018.

Zimmer and Peacock are a global contract developer and manufacturer of biosensors and medical diagnostics. Please feel free to contact us to meet us at the conference or to enquire about our medical diagnostic and biosensor development services.

New Electroanalytical Cell

At ZP we have a range of standard products suitable for anyone developing biosensors, sensors or medical diagnostics. In this video we discuss the use of an electroanalytical cell as part of the strategy.

Drawing biosensor circuits

In this video we demonstrate the functionality of the circuit constructed by drawing a conducting track on paper integrated with ZP's standard value biosensors.

At ZP we provide contract biosensor and medical diagnostic development, and as part of providing a cutting edge service we are always innovating.

Please feel free to contact us regarding our products and services.

Chilli Sensing

The ZP Chilli Technology Group have just assembled the brand new ChilliPot-Scoville Meter from the ZP Chill Technology Group.

Welcome to this week's newsletter from Zimmer and Peacock. This newsletter is a mixture of news, stories and tech notes from Zimmer and Peacock. If you want to subscribe to our newsletter or have any questions regarding Zimmer and Peacock and our passion for biosensor technologies please don't hesitate to contact us.

Validation of ChilliPot-Scoville Meter

The ZP Chilli Technology Group have been validating the ChilliPot-Scoville Meter against a range of real world products.

The ChilliPot-Scoville Meter is the world's only handheld meter for measuring the hotness of chillies and chilli products.

Zimmer and Peacock at Biodot's workshop this week

Zimmer and Peacock attended the excellent Biodot workshop hosted by UWE this week.

Biosensor Wafer Mapping and Functional Testing

There are several ways of working with ZP and one of those is a collaboration where we fabricate sensors/electrodes and you (our collaborator) functional test the sensors/wafers.

The reason collaborations work with Zimmer and Peacock is because we have a seamless way of linking the test data you gather with our manufacturing data, which means we are able to link sensor function with sensor manufacturing. This allows us to understand how manufacturing is affecting performance and allows us to improve issues like sensor variation and sensor sensitivity.

Find out more on our website here. 

Biosensors with built in heaters

Zimmer and Peacock are always innovating because biosensors and medical diagnostics demand it.

In the photo we are showing a strip of brand new biosensors that have two important functions:

1) A built in heater on the rear side of the sensor.

2) Individual numbering per sensor.

In the photo we are showing the backside of the sensor where we have built an ohmic heater directly onto the sensor; also note the numbering.

The heater is to ensure the sensors biochemical reaction is at the correct temperature, whilst the numbering is used by Zimmer and Peacock to track a biosensor all the way through manufacturing; so we can fully characterize our manufacturing and understand how it impacts final functional performance.. 

Welcome to this week's newsletter from Zimmer and Peacock. This newsletter is a mixture of news, stories and tech notes from Zimmer and Peacock. If you want to subscribe to our newsletter or have any questions regarding Zimmer and Peacock and our passion for biosensor technologies please don't hesitate to contact us.

Battery Cycler and Multiplexer

Zimmer and Peacock are proud to distribute Zahner Instruments. Today Zahner announced the launch of it's BC-MUX for parallel battery testing.

If you have any questions regarding the battery cycling technology from Zahner please don't hesitate to  contact Zimmer and Peacock.

Zimmer and Peacock at BioWales 2018

Zimmer and Peacock were delighted to be exhibiting at BioWales 2018.

If you have any questions please don't hesitate to contact us and Pavel and I will be delighted to talk to you.

Arduino code for Biosensors

At Zimmer and Peacock we believe that biosensors should be everywhere, that is why we are happy to support the community. We recently had an enquiry whether we had experience of connecting the LMP91000 to the arduino board. We asked the engineers and the response was 'yes, we do it all the time'.

Find out more on our website here. 

ZP - Going to BioWales

Zimmer and Peacock are on their way to Wales for BioWales 2018.

Zimmer and Peacock are global leaders in contract biosensor and medical diagnostic development, if you have a biosensor idea/concept/product that requires development and manufacturing please don't hesitate to contact us.

The Zimmer & Peacock approach to developing POC Devices

Z&P is a company that specializes in designing, developing and manufacturing Point-of- Care (POC) devices. POC is new technology, however most people are familiar with the hand-held glucose meters and strips that are available at the pharmacy. These are used for measuring blood glucose in diabetics. The glucose strips represent a $10 Billion/year market. This is one application and one analyte.  

We believe that there are applications that utilize the same principals and represent a 10-fold total market of $100 Billion/year. This includes applications in not only clinical, but food and agriculture, bioprocessing, environmental monitoring to name a few. There are few engineering companies that can apply a large amount of insight and creativity in making POOC devices. It is no wonder that we frequently field questions about what are you doing? We will in a general way give you some insight into our processes at Z&P.

Find out more on our website here. 

ZP Exhibiting at Biomarkers and Immuno-oncology

Zimmer and Peacock will be exhibiting at the Biomarkers and Immuno-oncology World Congress 2018.

Zimmer and Peacock is focused on bringing our clients biosensor and medical diagnostic ideas to market; if you have a wearable sensor, point-of-care application then please don't hesitate to contact us.

Sensors for coffee

As part of our biosensors workshop this week, the ZP team were able to demonstrate how quickly they could combine the elements from their standard products and make a coffee sensor proof-of-principle.

Zimmer and Peacock is a contract developer and manufacturers of biosensors and medical diagnostics and this week we were delighted to host Cambridge University as part of a joint workshop.

At the end of the workshop we were able to show the attendees that by taking all the principles and technologies from the workshop we could perform a 2-minute product development of a coffee sensor.

If you have any questions regarding Zimmer and Peacock and our technologies for the development and manufacture of biosensors and medical diagnostics then please don't hesitate to contact us.

ZP at HBV

Zimmer and Peacock were delighted to give our visitors this week an extra tour of HBV.

Zimmer and Peacock have a factory in Horten but we also keep a small office at HBV so we can access the excellent facilities and equipment there.

ZP - Cambridge University Scandinavian Biosensors Workshop

ZP, A and B Sensors, and Cambridge University were delighted to invite delegates from all around the works to our inaugural Scandinavian Biosensors Workshop.

This 2-day works shop of theory and practicals was a great success and we look forward to holding it again next year.

The Immunoassay has been used for more than 50 years for measurement.  The most common immunoassay is called an ELISA (enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay) test.  The ELISA is also called the “sandwich assay” because the technique uses two antibodies which trap the analyte between the antibodies.  Many of these assays use an enzyme called Horse Radish Peroxidase produces H2O2 and reacts with a dye substrate to produce a colored product.  The colored dye can product can be measured and with a series of standards and controls produce a standard curve with an optical reader and generate quantitative data for the biomarker that is being measured. 

 Optical readers are most commonly found in the research and the clinical laboratory.  These are very accurate and can perform many simultaneous readings.  The fundamental drawback is that optical reader are quite inefficient with power compared to a POC device.  A POC device that uses electrochemistry can use 1/100th to 1/1000th the power of a laboratory optical system.  The power requirements for a POC device are so much smaller that we can use a battery or a USB port to completely power the device.  Also the device can be much smaller and can be easily fit in the hand.  This si not to take away from the results of the laboratory which if the analysts are well trained and talented can yield precise and accurate results that are better than a POC device.  Also a POC device si far less expensive than a laboratory system.  The other  critical characteristic of a POC device is that in principle, there is one strip and one measurement made.  The disposable strip is discarded and the next strip is used.  This is not a big problem, because POC strips can be made very cheaply.  A typical glucose strip at Walmart can be bought for 25 cents retail/ test.  Optical readers require trained technicians to operate and their size is not amenable for home use.  There are reasons for using the laboratory readers and there are reasons for using a POC device.

Glucose monitoring is a well-known technology and only after the success of this technology are entrepreneurs and researchers exploring how to utilize these lessons in developing new POC tests.  Z&P has in depth experience in all phases of POC development.  We have expertise in electrochemistry, which is a daunting subject even for well-trained chemists.  The subject of this paper is to describe how Z&P approaches the development of a new POC application.  I will break this down into a step by step process.

Step 1.  After signing a NDA with our client, the application is revealed.  All development remains a trade secret and is treated with the utmost confidentiality.  This is most important because there is no way of prosecuting a successful project and subsequent business without the trust that is needed.

Step 2: Understand the nature of the analyte, the limits of detection, precision and accuracy requirements, sample matrix, clinical significance, possible interferences and any other critical issues.

Step 3: What is the nature of the analyte. 

There are five classes that we commonly design an analysis

• 1. An anion/cation that we detect through potentiometric activity or adsorptive stripping voltammetry.
• 2. A small molecule with no useful electrochemical activity
• 3. A small molecule with electrochemical activity
• 4. A peptide or protein biomarker.  Typically, these have no electrochemical activity
• 5. A nucleic acid, RNA DNA or analogue

The direct detection of ions is a stand out application of electrochemistry as ions are often hard to identify and measure by many methods, whereas electrochemistry is uniquely suited for measuring these small cations and/or anions.

A small molecule without a useful electrochemical signature are the most difficult to adapt to a biosensor. We look for an enzyme that is involved in the biosynthesis of these molecules. We look for enzymes that perform an oxidation or reduction reaction on these analytes.  Glucose and Lactate are common examples.  As in the glucose sensor we bind an enzyme to the surface and supply the enzyme with the biochemical cofactors required for the reaction.  When the enzyme works, then electrons are released or given up by the working electrode.  The tiny current is then measured and a successful biosensor is successfully designed.  Most enzymes, antibodies, nucleic acids do not readily bind to the gold surface.  We get around this problem by adding a chemical substance called a Self-assembled Monolayer.  Octyl Thiol is a commonly used SAM substance. The SAM sticks to the Gold and the enzyme sticks to the SAM.  Lactic Acid and it’s coenzyme Lactic Acid Dehydrogenase is an example of this class of non-electroactive molecule. 

An easier analyte is a compound that is easily reducible or oxidizable.  Our chili/capsaicin sensor is an example of this class of molecule.  We take advantage of the electrochemical activity of capsaicin, by applying a voltage at a critical value and measuring the current that is produced.  Capsaicin is the chemical that gives hot sauces its heat; which are often given in Scoville Units.  We first test a pure solution of this class of molecule by performing Cyclic Voltammetry, which is a way of determining how the compound reacts to a changing voltage.  We know in the case of capsaicin that there may be interfering substances which can give an erroneous result.   Fortunately, we can run the sample at various voltages.  Since we know the electrochemical voltages of the capsaicin and interference, it is straightforward algorithm will parse the data and give accurate results.

A biomarker, usually a peptide or protein, presents a different challenge.  However, there is typically an ELISA that is commercially available and most of these use Horseradish Peroxidase as part of the technique.  The good news is that as electrochemistry biosensor is at least as sensitive as it’s optical counterpart.  The basic process ahs been described before and involves binding the antibody to the gold surface using a SAM.  It is a straightforward process to detect the dye markers or peroxide if it is available.  The greater problem is that antibodies are a diverse collection of amino acids with a wide range of chemistry.  If the sample is complex, like blood the antibody will bind many more compounds than the intended target and interfere with the analysis or sensitivity of the technique.  This is called Non-Specific Binding and is a well know issue with any ELISA., even optical systems.  The classical way of dealing with this is through repeated pipette cycles and washes in the test chamber.  Because a biosensor is so small we can utilize advances in microfluidics to design a biosensor which has wash buffer in a blister pack on board.  The wash buffer can be pushed across the sensor repeatedly to perform the same wash cycles as in an optical reader.  There are some other techniques that we can use to solve this problem.

Nucleic Acids.  This is the most elegant approach and much of our development efforts are using RNA or DNA as binding agents. Sometimes these are called aptamers. There is considerable interest in trapping circulating DNA as a biomarker for cancer and other diseases. Instead of binding an antibody or enzyme to the surface of the working electrode we bind a segment of complementary DNA or RNA to the surface suing a SAM.  A sample is introduced and if any of the target is present, it will bind to the surface nucleic acid.  Instead of using cyclic voltammetry we will utilize a technique called electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS).  To perform EIS we apply an alternating current to the electrode and the nucleic acids and system will resonate at different frequencies, which we measure and note the system impedance.  If a complementary nucleic acid binds to the surface, then the resonance will change and we can detect this quantitatively.

I have presented an overview about how Z &P approaches the development of a POC device for a new analyte.  We keep close tabs on the large number of papers and technologies that can be applied to the problem. We pay close attention to developments in the diabetes glucose detection. I hope you will understand the opportunities that POC devices represent in our future.

Welcome to this week's newsletter from Zimmer and Peacock. This newsletter is a mixture of news, stories and tech notes from Zimmer and Peacock. If you want to subscribe to our newsletter or have any questions regarding Zimmer and Peacock and our passion for biosensor technologies please don't hesitate to contact us.

Cambridge University and Zimmer and Peacock

Cambridge University and Zimmer and Peacock - Winter Electrochemical Biosensor Workshop

This week we had the ZP and Cambridge University Scandinavian Winter Biosensor Workshop.

The workshop was a joint workshop between Cambridge University, Zimmer and Peacock and ANB Sensors.

The workshop was a combination of practicals where delegates were able to do electrochemical experiments for themselves, backed up with lectures on the theory behind the sensors.

If you have a interest in electrochemical biosensors and medical diagnostics and you want to discuss technologies for development, or our manufacturing and development services then please don't hesitate to contact Zimmer and Peacock.

ZP customer

If you are a ZP customer or client we will have reviewed your programme in our Monday morning meeting today.  Every Monday we review all our programmes and ensure we are delivering.

If you are looking for a contract developer or manufacturer of your medical diagnostic please please don't hesitate to contact ZP to discuss your programme.

ZP's 101 versus 101-B

The difference between Zimmer and Peacock's 101 and the 101-B is that on the 101-B has the green dielectric printed over the white ceramic as show in the picture.

If you have any questions regarding ZP's screen-printed electrodes please don't hesitate to contact us.

Welcome to this week's newsletter from Zimmer and Peacock. This newsletter is a mixture of news, stories and tech notes from Zimmer and Peacock. If you want to subscribe to our newsletter or have any questions regarding Zimmer and Peacock and our passion for biosensor technologies please don't hesitate to contact us.

Cambridge University - ZP attending the opening of the new Department of Chemical Engineering and Biotechnology

Zimmer and Peacock are enthusiastic supporters of sensor and biosensor development at Cambridge University. We are delighted to be invited to attend the opening ceremony of the new Department of Chemical Engineering and Biotechnology on Tuesday 24 April 2018.

K8 industrial designers recognize ZP

Zimmer and Peacock were recognised on K8's website.

Anders and Andreas of K8 went on site with ZP to witness a break through technology for measuring the inflammation of lungs using chemical markers on the breath.

MDDI - ZP - BioMed Conference - Boston

Zimmer and Peacock are exhibiting at BioMEDevice in Boston on the 18 and 19 April 2018.

Zimmer and Peacock are committed to the contract development and manufacture of biosensors and medical diagnostics for our clients and collaborators.

If you have any questions regarding Zimmer and Peacock please don't hesitate to contact us.

Welcome to this week's newsletter from Zimmer and Peacock. This newsletter is a mixture of news, stories and tech notes from Zimmer and Peacock. If you want to subscribe to our newsletter or have any questions regarding Zimmer and Peacock and our passion for biosensor technologies please don't hesitate to contact us.

Liquids meet electronics

Zimmer and Peacock is at the interface of where liquid samples meet electronics.

In the image a flex circuit bases sensor is dipped into a solution, the sensor is in fact an extension of a flex circuit which has an analogue front end and a digital backend so everything required to run the assay from sensor to electronics is integrated in one flex circuit piece.

Zimmer and Peacock offers contract development and manufacturing services around biosensors and medical diagnostics, if you have any questions regarding biosensor, medical diagnostic, POC and wearables please contact Zimmer and Peacock.

Interpreting electrochemical data in sensor/biosensor development

At Zimmer and Peacock there are a few keywords which define us, including: development, manufacturing, contract, electrochemistry, biosensors and medical diagnostics.

At Zimmer and Peacock we are always here to help our clients, customers and the community. If your electrochemical data looks like the below figure then you are suffering what electrochemists call iR drop, what this means is that there is something in your measurement that is acting like a big resistor and it is distorting your data so you look like a resistor. What we mean by this is you show a linear relationship between voltage and current.

The sources can be variable but include:

1) A bad electrical contact.

2) A very non-conductive electrolyte.

3) An electrode with a coating on it that is very poorly conductive. 

At Zimmer and Peacock we have a wealth of information relevant to people performing electrochemical experiments, medical diagnostics and biosensor development, please use the links below and it you have a questions please don't hesitate to contact us.

Web Summit 2018 - Zimmer and Peacock

Zimmer and Peacock are developing and manufacturing biosensors and medical diagnostics for our partners for today, but we also have a view on what will be needed tomorrow. As part of our commitment to the future of biosensors and medical diagnostics we will be attending web summit 2018 in Lisbon Portugal.

If you want to meet and chat about the future of health care and medical diagnostics feel free to contact us and meet us there. 

ZP at TriMed San Francisco

We have put some links on our website to cover some of the topics covered at the TriMed Conference on this page.

If you have any questions on the keywords, electrochemistry, biosensors, medical diagnostics, POC, development and manufacturing then please don't hesitate to contact us at Zimmer and Peacock, and expect a rapid friendly response.

Zimmer and Peacock supports Zahner instruments

At Zimmer and Peacock we support Zahner instruments, we recently had an enquiry regarding an IM6 instrument at a University, we have paraphrased the technical support on below in order to help others. Read more on our website here. 

QUESTION ONE...the impedance in the range 100Hz-1MHz of some polymer membranes which have been sandwiched between two PCB pieces having copper electrodes in touch with the polymer membrane. 

-As discussed over the phone the connections  must be set as follows: 

REFERENCE ELECTRODE-COUNTER ELECTRODE-ELECTRODE 1 ON THE MEMBRANE

TEST ELECTRODE-TEST ELECTRODE SENSE-ELECTRODE 2 ON THE MEMBRANE

This means that the cable outgoing from the reference channel should go into the counter electrode or vice-versa (counter electrode outgoing cable going into the reference)? Does this order make a difference?

Same question for the other connection TEST ELECTRODE-TEST ELECTRODE SENSE. 

ANSWER ONE - We would recommend leading the wires of the reference electrode and counter electrode separately from the IM6 to the sample and connect them directly at the sample. The same is true for test electrode and test electrode sense. Separating the current leading and voltage sensing wires is the standard four terminals connection.

QUESTION TWO - I have seen that there is an option of calibration which i have not seen explained in the manual. When should the calibration be done? After having set the connections for two electrodes configuration? Also how to perform the calibration, just by clicking on the option in the software?

ANSWER TWO - All devices come with a factory calibration which will be automatically used when the calibration data CD is installed. The calibration button does a quick offset and gain calibration – the same which is done during startup of the IM6. This helps if the IM6 was started up cold and got warm during use to compensate thermal drift. There is no need to connect some calibration element as this is present within the IM6.

Whole cell specific detection on a glucose like strip

Zimmer and Peacock has a fabulous and long collaboration with King Abdulaziz University (KAU), the most recent paper is now released. Visit our website to find out more. 

What we really like about the work is the fundamental manufacturability of the technology described within the paper. The science is elegant in its simplicity as we are detecting whole cells with an immunoassay format that is much simpler than standard sandwich assays.

ZP in San Francisco

Zimmer and Peacock are in San Francisco this week talking to our customers and clients about their biosensor, sensor and medical diagnostic development and manufacturing needs.

If you are attending Tri-Con this week in the Moscone Center please stop by, we'd be delighted to chat.

Cambridge University CDT - Zimmer and Peacock

Zimmer and Peacock are delighted to be invited to talk at Cambridge University's CDT on 22 March 2018.

At Zimmer and Peacock we are focused on the commercialisation of sensor, biosensors and, medical diagnostics and so our team is delighted to be talking at CDT about the road from initial idea to repeat orders from satisfied customers.

Know your PalmSens?

At ZP we have some cool technology and so we are appreciative of the cool technology from others, which is why we are happy to offer the PalmSens technology.

In this FAQ on our website we try and help answer the question, 'what PalmSens do I have?'

If you look carefully at your PalmSens there is a port on it for either a three four or five pin connector, we have summarised which of the PalmSens products have which pins in the table below.

If you are unsure as to the connector type you have feel free to contact us, we have you send us a photo and we will identify it for you.

Fun in the lab

Some fun in the lab where we watched the wetting properties of a Zimmer and Peacock spiral carbon electrode.

At Zimmer and Peacock we have a wealth of information relevant to people performing electrochemical experiments, medical diagnostics and biosensor development, please use the links below and it you have a questions please don't hesitate to contact us.

QUESTION THREE - the voltage developed across the piezoelectric polymer membranes (or the current passing through) when they are hit by an acoustic wave of known amplitude and frequency. 

-In this case i wouldn't need to apply any voltage, but just measuring it (or the current) across the membrane thickness. What measurement mode must be chosen for this particular measurement.

ANSWER THREE - This is referred to OCP measurement (open circuit potential). Depending on software version the procedure differs a bit.

Older versions use the Pol-Methods, Phase 2 OCP-scan. They are accessible via the I/E, CV icon by selecting Pol. The XT versions can directly use the “Open Circuit Potential” method.

Calibration for this is the same as above.

QUESTION FOUR - Additionally, i have another query. Unfortunately, we are struggling to find the CD to install the software, is it possible to get a new CD or to download the software from online?

ANSWER FOUR - Please give the serial number (should read 12XXX) of the IM6 so we can send the download link for the correct software version for this instrument. Probably you will also require the calibration data, so this will require the serial number, too.

Zimmer and Peacock is a contract developer and manufacturer of biosensors and medical diagnostics and an enthusiastic collaborator, if you have any questions regarding Zimmer and Peacock and our development and manufacturing services please don't hesitate to contact us.

ZP Shipping hundreds of sensors

This week we are shipping hundreds of sensors to a new client.

At Zimmer and Peacock we know it's not enough to produce 10 good sensors, we know the end point is one million good sensors.

Point of care board

Zimmer and Peacock have developed a generic board for anyone wishing to take an electrochemical medical diagnostic assay to market.

The board is tuned to support both the business and technical requirements of the point-of-care (POC) market.

POC - Biosensor and Medical Diagnostics Workshop Presented by Zimmer & Peacock

Biosensor and Medical Diagnostics Workshop Presented by Zimmer & Peacock

Held in conjunction with Point-of-Care Diagnostics & Global Health 2018

30 Sep 2018, at 09:00-16:00 in Coronado Island, California

Biosensor and Medical Diagnostics Workshop Presented by Zimmer & Peacock

Biosensor and Medical Diagnostics Workshop Presented by Zimmer & Peacock

Held in conjunction with Organ-on-a-Chip World Congress and 3D-Bioprinting 2018

03 Oct 2018, at 09:00-16:00 in Coronado Island, California

ZP in clinical trials

ZP often discusses taking our customers to market, this weekend our engineers were on site directly supporting a client's clinical trial. 

If you want to get your medical diagnostic ideas into the clinic then ZImmer and Peacock is your dedicated partner.

Please feel free to contact ZP regarding our biosensor and medical diagnostic development and manufacturing services.

The bad, the ugly and CAPA

It is important to learn from mistakes, at Zimmer and Peacock we believe in continuous improvement and our quality systems and ethics force us to note our mistakes, find the root-cause and put procedures in place to stop a re-occurrence.

Unfortunately some screen-printed electrodes came to our attention that were a long way off perfect, but be assured we noted it and more importantly we have put a corrective action and a preventative action in place to stop a re-occurrence.

At Zimmer and Peacock we monitor our production to keep it within specification; if you are looking for a development and manufacturing partner for your biosensor and medical diagnostic who cares about the details, and with a fresh openness then please feel free to contact us.

Wearable sensors - Lithium Polymer Batteries

At Zimmer and Peacock we develop wearable biosensors, CGM sensors etc for our partners and collaborators.

This week we received a shipment of light, small form factor lithium polymer batteries for CGM and wearable biosensor applications.

If you require a team to develop and manufacture wearable biosensors and CGM sensors please don't hesitate to contact us.

Eating together and being a team

Zimmer and Peacock is a team that eats together and it is ingrained in our Norwegian heritage. 

Our philosophy is that by eating together we strengthen our relationships within the team.

A happy well coordinated team equals efficient and high quality development and manufacturing services for our clients and customers.

If you have a biosensor or medical diagnostic programme and need a team to develop and manufacture for you, please don't hesitate to contact us.

Zimmer and Peacock - Year Kickoff Meeting

Zimmer and Peacock are a well coordinated and friendly team. We have just had our year kickoff meeting this week in Horten.

The team's focus was how to improve our products and services in order to get our customers to market ASAP with their biosensor and medical diagnostic programmes.

If you have a medical diagnostic or biosensor idea that you need developing and manufacturing please don't hesitate to contact Zimmer and Peacock.