The R&D Tax Concession is designed to fuel local research and development and is available to all sectors of industry

Affymetrix has developed a single-chip array to measure SNPs and CNVs. [ + ]

West Australian biotech Molecular Discovery Systems is using a GE Healthcare image analysis system for a whole new purpose. [ + ]

The number of people who have an adverse allergic reaction to latex is growing on a daily basis. And while there are synthetic options available, the bad news is that the favourable properties of natural rubber latex have yet to be replicated

No-one in my house suffers from asthma, which is really rather lucky. However, I have long been concerned that all the research that establishes over-clean houses as a potential trigger for the disease actually shows up my limitations as a housekeeper

Look out for the March/April issue of Australian Life Scientist, featuring our big preview of BIO2007 along with new developments in RNAi and proteomics. [ + ]

A lucky coincidence has led Australian plant researchers to two new genes responsible for salt tolerance in wheat. [ + ]

NSW scientists are researching how to develop a freeze-dried form of the rabbit Calicivirus to improve its effectiveness. [ + ]

Brandon Wainwright has taken over from John Mattick as head of Queensland's Institute of Molecular Bioscience. [ + ]

For years, polymer chemistry textbooks have stated that 1,2-disubstituted ethylenes could not be transformed into polymers. However, University of Delaware (UD) polymer chemists were determined to prove the textbooks wrong

In the next couple of weeks the main rounds of university place offers will be made. Anecdotally I hear that the number of high school students choosing a science degree as their first preference has dropped again. Why?

For most of us, sound chemistry or sonochemistry is about the use of ultrasound in chemistry. The science has been around for about 80 years and now mainly focuses on the effect of ultrasound on reactions

Food science is going nuclear and The Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation (ANSTO), is currently commissioning a new world-class research reactor and neutron beam instruments

It hasn't been the best year on record for the Australian biotechnology industry but things should improve somewhat next year. Kate McDonald reports that the fragility of the sector is sure to be a topic of discussion at this year's AusBiotech conference. [ + ]

Melbourne Business School's Mike Vitale completed a survey for the NSW government recently, assessing the value of a biotech seed fund it established five years ago. The results were positive all around. [ + ]