Articles
Sequencing completed for wild wheat, mutant rice genomes
The world of genomics just got a whole lot richer, with scientists completing sequencing for not one but two crop genomes over the past week. [ + ]
Brain development hypothesis challenged
A world-first study into mammalian brain development has shown that the controversial "late equals large" hypothesis simply does not add up. [ + ]
Reading cancer's fine print
Seeing tiny blood vessels could be key to finding tumours before they become dangerous. Currently, high-resolution images are taken of the area's blood vessel structure, but due to technical limitations these images have some of their most vital details stripped away. CSIRO researchers have created an algorithm to model blood vessel growth more accurately. [ + ]
Imaging CRISPR in action
US scientists have managed to generate near-atomic resolution snapshots of gene editing tool CRISPR, in a breakthrough that provides the structural data necessary for efforts to improve the efficiency and accuracy of CRISPR for biomedical applications. [ + ]
Family-led rehab for stroke patients is ineffective
A large-scale trial undertaken by the George Institute for Global Health has found that at-home rehabilitation for stroke patients has little to no benefit. [ + ]
Cancer-detecting probe enters clinical trial
A fibre-optic cancer-detecting probe that is said to improve clinical outcomes for patients has entered clinical trials thanks to assistance from Flinders biomedical engineers and state government funding. [ + ]
Coronary artery disease genes influence reproduction
Coronary artery disease (CAD) is one of the leading causes of death in modern humans and researchers from the University of Melbourne can now explain why. [ + ]
Medical devices give hope to traditional manufacturers
Manufacturing companies in Australia are finding niches in the medical technologies sector as their traditional markets of mining and automotive diminish. [ + ]
Bird flu — the next pandemic?
Since 2013, nearly 800 people have contracted avian influenza, mostly from poultry markets, but the infection has ended there as it is unable to spread from person to person. [ + ]
Major genome release paves way for future biotech products
A major release of reference genomes is expected to pave the way for future health, biotechnology and agricultural products. [ + ]
Immunotherapy hope for BRCA1 breast cancer patients
A collaborative study by local scientists has potentially developed a new way to treat one of the most difficult forms of breast cancer. [ + ]
AACB Annual Scientific Conference
Leading international and local scientific experts will provide insights on current concepts and strategies to deliver the timely diagnostic services required for clinical management. [ + ]
'Turning off' allergies
Researchers are one step closer to a treatment that could 'turn off' the immune response that causes common allergies, including asthma — which affects over two million Australians. [ + ]
Staying clinically competitive
Cost-competitiveness, high-quality data and fast study start-up times are some of the key factors that make Australia an attractive market for clinical trials. But as other countries strive to improve their clinical competitiveness, can Australia hold a dominant position? [ + ]
Patenting biotech in Australia — an update
Obtaining a patent for a biotech invention is crucial to its further development and eventual commercialisation. Whether it's a new drug, insecticide or diagnostic, the developer needs to know they will have exclusive ownership of the invention and enjoy a return on their usually significant investment when they take the invention to the market. [ + ]