Articles
We could grow jet fuel on gum trees — if there's anywhere left to plant them
Scientists are one step closer to using Australia's iconic gum trees to develop low-carbon renewable jet and missile fuel. [ + ]
Lorne again: get ready for life science conference season
With Lorne conference season just a few months away, Australia's life scientists will be getting ready for a massive two weeks packed with five different events. [ + ]
The mystery of the dimming galaxy and the starving black hole
An international team of astronomers has discovered the secret behind a change in the behaviour of a supermassive black hole at the centre of a distant galaxy. [ + ]
Faulty gene linked to asthma, diabetes and depression
Researchers from the University of Adelaide have found a physiological link between asthma, heart disease and depression that all leads back to a single faulty gene. [ + ]
Making drug development less secretive could lead to quicker, cheaper therapies
With the right investment, an open source drug discovery system — based on sharing all information in the public domain in real time — might compete with the traditional pharmaceutical industry to deliver the drugs we need. [ + ]
An enhanced strategy for data integrity — the challenge
As many organisations have discovered, workflows behind benchtop analytical instruments and the associated metadata are much more complex than just the transfer of a few parameters. [ + ]
High-res bone scans without the radiation
Irish researchers have devised a new scanning technique that produces high-resolution 3D images of bones without exposing patients to X-ray radiation. [ + ]
One step closer to tailored cancer treatments
The goal of tailoring cancer treatments for individuals based on their genetic make-up is one step closer thanks to a comprehensive global study conducted by Cancer Council Victoria and University of Melbourne researchers. [ + ]
Alcoholics are missing an important enzyme
Researchers have identified an enzyme whose production is turned off in nerve cells of the frontal lobe when alcohol dependence develops, leading to continued use of alcohol despite adverse consequences. [ + ]
Retuning tired T-cells
UNSW researchers have been zooming in on individual molecules to determine how our immune system's T-cells respond to threats — and what they've found could revolutionise the way we treat certain diseases. [ + ]
Norovirus cultured in the lab
Forty-eight years after noroviruses were first identified, US scientists have found a way to grow them in the lab. [ + ]
Stop scratching!
A new study by an international consortium of scientists may have pinpointed the mechanism through which relief from psoriasis and contact dermatitis may be afforded to millions of sufferers worldwide. [ + ]
Effective fertility treatment without the drugs
Thanks to Australian and Belgian researchers, an enhanced form of IVF's less invasive sister, in vitro maturation (IVM), may be on the horizon. [ + ]
Special delivery — a boron carrier for targeted tumour therapy
Japanese researchers have developed a boron carrier for use in targeted radiation treatment for cancerous tumours. The carrier is based on a common blood plasma protein, meaning it can be tailored to individual patients and lessens the chances of blood contamination. [ + ]
Should ketamine be used to treat depression?
Antipodean researchers are launching the largest randomised control trial into the use of ketamine for patients suffering from long-term depression. [ + ]