It sounds too good to be true, but scientists have developed a molecule that effectively acts as an exercise mimic. By tricking cells into thinking they have run out of energy, the molecule increases glucose uptake and metabolism, thus improving glucose tolerance and weight loss. [ + ]

Ongoing research by GSK’s Ethnopharmacology Group led by Dr Annette Gross is investigating the potential for inter-ethnic differences in response to new medicines being developed by GSK R&D.

The elusive Weyl fermion, a massless particle theorised 85 years ago, has been observed by two separate teams of researchers. [ + ]

Invion and Hovione Scientia will partner on the development of inhaled INV104 (zafirlukast) as a potential new treatment for asthma. INV104 is a leukotriene receptor antagonist which works by blocking the action of leukotrienes in the lungs, thereby preventing inflammation and narrowing of the airways. [ + ]

The overproduction of an inflammatory protein that causes rheumatoid arthritis has also been implicated in the development of heart valve disease. [ + ]

Governments often impose legal conditions on such research that can subvert science and the public interest. [ + ]

It's been an exciting couple of weeks in the field of astronomy, with scientists both discovering new worlds and finding out more about old ones. [ + ]

An international research paper provides peer-reviewed support for Orthocell's new approach to the regeneration of damaged cartilage within joints. [ + ]

Professor Patrick Sexton, head of the Drug Discovery Biology theme at the Monash Institute of Pharmaceutical Science, reflects on a research career in pharmacology and how working within a large research program that encompasses translational drug discovery, drug delivery and drug development has enriched his team's research. [ + ]

AstraZeneca's agreement with Adelaide Research and Innovation will provide an opportunity for researchers at the University of Adelaide to collaborate with industry-leading scientists to develop new medicines. [ + ]

A new study has found that the state of a trader's body chemistry can impact the stock market just as much as the state of the economy. [ + ]

Australian biotech Spinifex Pharmaceuticals will be bought by global healthcare company Novartis for US$200 million. [ + ]

Few QA/QC labs still cling to the old paper-based notebook systems of the past, but there's far more to becoming a paperless lab than simply eschewing paper. [ + ]

Researchers have completed the first large-scale study that uses genomic technology to decode the genes of the bacterium Klebsiella pneumoniae (KP). [ + ]

Exclusive computed tomography (CT) images reveal an in-depth look at one of the best preserved Tyrannosaurus rex skulls ever found. [ + ]