Post-Christmas and most of us are feeling the overindulgence. But take heart - experts at Newcastle University, UK, have shown even the kilogram itself has put on weight. [ + ]

Diffuse Pontine Glioma (DIPG) may not be particularly well known, but according to oncologist Dr David Ziegler, it is “one of the most common and the most aggressive brain tumours we see in kids”. Now, Dr Ziegler and colleagues from the Children’s Cancer Institute of Australia (CCIA) have set out to grow their own tumours in the institute’s ACRF Drug Discovery Centre. [ + ]

This year Australia’s biotechnology industry can celebrate Christmas knowing that despite the challenges in the sector, companies in Australia can be proud of the year’s achievements. [ + ]

Clinuvel (ASX:CUV) has shown in a phase IIa trial that its Scenesse implant in combination with UV therapy can aid in the treatment if skin pigmentation condition vitiligo. [ + ]

Biopharmaceutical manufacturers and contract manufacturing organisations (CMOs) are invited to participate in the bio-industry's most in-depth, global study: the 10th Annual Biopharmaceutical Manufacturing Report and Survey. [ + ]

Is homosexuality genetic? It’s a long-running debate. [ + ]

A decade ago, a British philosopher put forth the notion that the universe we live in might in fact be a computer simulation run by our descendants. While that seems far-fetched, perhaps even incomprehensible, a team of physicists at the University of Washington has come up with a potential test to see if the idea holds water. [ + ]

Scientists from Mesoblast (ASX:MSB) and the University of Texas have been trialling a method for using Mesoblast's adult stem cells to accelerate the body's adoption of umbilical cord blood stem cell transplants. [ + ]

The first meeting of the Agricultural Biotechnology Council of Australia (ABCA) took place in Canberra last week, signalling a new and significant era for Australian agriculture. [ + ]

Alchemia (ASX:ACL) has entered a trading halt as it is on the cusp of completing its demerger and spin-off of Audeo Oncology, which prepares for its IPO. [ + ]

BioDiem (ASX:BDM) partner Serum Institute of India will file for WHO approval in early 2013 to export flu vaccines based on BioDiem's LAIV platform. [ + ]

At the 2012 American Society of Hematology (ASH) Annual Meeting, Roche announced the presentation of results from the large-scale study IRON-II through an international research consortium. Based on next-generation 454 Sequencing Systems from Roche, the study aims to characterise selected genes in individuals with a wide range of haematological malignancies. [ + ]

AusBiotech has written to Food Standards Australia New Zealand (FSANZ) in response to its consultation on proposed cost recovery arrangements for applications related to health claims, opposing the move. [ + ]

Durham University researcher Alice Rowland has benefited from the use of the PowerPlant Pro DNA Isolation kit in extracting DNA from the cells of arctic birch trees. Her investigations of patches of forest in the arctic conditions of Northern Sweden were hampered by slow DNA extraction, until the selection of the kit cut procedures down dramatically. [ + ]

Patrys (ASX:PAB) has completed the main round of dosing for the first three patients enrolled in a German trial of its PAT-SM6 antibody in multiple myeloma. [ + ]