The Department of Health and Ageing (DoHA) is undertaking an assessment and development of a cost recovery model for services provided by the Office of the Gene Technology Regulator (OGTR). DoHA has engaged PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) to undertake an economic analysis of the gene technology sector, and PwC is seeking input from sector stakeholders through the stakeholder survey. [ + ]

A collaboration of Melbourne scientists who describe themselves as a “happy confluence” is shedding much-needed light on how the body controls nervous system myelination, and how their tiny peptide ‘mimic’ could help patients with neurodegenerative disease. [ + ]

CSL (ASX:CSL) recorded 19% higher profit for FY13 as well as 7% higher revenue, and has announced the appointment of a new director. [ + ]

A surprise for chemists studying agostic bonds was the development of crystals of two different colours from one chemical in one flask. [ + ]

AmpliPhi BioSciences has used the Evergreen International Phage Meeting to present data supporting the effectiveness of bacteriophage treatments in P. aeruginosa infections. [ + ]

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 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. [ + ]

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 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. [ + ]

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. [ + ]