Buying technician workstations for your laboratory is a major capital expense, deserving of careful consideration to avoid making a costly mistake. Follow these six tips for selecting a laboratory workstation that meets all your current needs, while positioning you to adapt to whatever comes down the parkway. [ + ]

Patrys (ASX:PAB) has received safety board approval to move to the final group in its multidose escalation study of PAT-SM6 in multiple myeloma. [ + ]

Forensic science is about to be transformed with the use of new technology to predict a person’s physical appearance - a molecular photofit derived from DNA found at a crime scene. [ + ]

Usually microscopists have to decide between high resolution and a small field of view or low resolution and a large field of view. But that need no longer be the case. [ + ]

The strange but true fact is: not everybody is absolutely fascinated by science, nor thinks it is vital. [ + ]

Using data from the US National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, a research team analysed possible links between a person’s socioeconomic status and the prevalence of chemicals in their body. [ + ]

The Australian Life Sciences Index outperformed the All Ordinaries in Q4, and the weaker dollar presents both challenges and opportunities for the sector, according to the latest PwC report. [ + ]

The US Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) regulations tell us that we must identify the environmental conditions that can affect the strength, identity, safety, quality and purity of our regulated products, whether they are pharmaceuticals, medical devices or biologic products. The FDA regulations also say we must be able to demonstrate that we have maintained our product storage spaces such that the required storage conditions for our products have been met. [ + ]

Bionomics (ASX:BNO) has entered a small molecule pain drug research and option agreement with pharmaceutical giant Merck that could be worth up to US$172m. [ + ]

The results of clinical trial using cellular therapy in patients with Crohn’s disease were so encouraging the research was published before the trail had been completed. [ + ]

Macquarie Graduate School of Management (MGSM) has launched a new unit for MBA students, ‘Healthcare Management and Leadership’, which will be offered for the first time in term four 2013 to those that wish to lead, govern or manage within the healthcare sector. [ + ]

Researchers have found that rather than just one mutation causing enhanced survival, about five to seven mutations are required. These extra mutations are termed ‘genetic hitchhikers’ because they don’t appear to contribute to the enhanced fitness of the organism. [ + ]

Combining the Standard Model of particle physics with Einstein’s general theory of relativity is a Holy Grail that is now being probed. [ + ]

Phosphagenics (ASX:POH) will move on to phase II trials of its oxycodone patch product, after demonstrating sustained delivery in phase I. [ + ]

BioDiem (ASX: BDM) has announced its hepatitis vaccine program is making good progress. [ + ]