Industry News
DNA tracking could combat pest turtles
A Victorian government-commissioned study has confirmed that the eradication of an established pest species can be extremely resource-intensive and costly, and recommends investment in novel tools such as innovative monitoring techniques and improved prevention strategies. [ + ]
Lightweight X-ray machine approved by FDA
Adelaide-based start-up Micro-X has announced that its DRX Revolution Nano, a lightweight X-ray machine for mobile radiography, has received Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval. [ + ]
Illumina announces FDA-approved NGS cancer companion test kit
Illumina has announced its Extended RAS Panel, an FDA-approved next-generation sequencing (NGS) kit. [ + ]
Personalised vaccine prompts strong anti-tumour response in patients
A personal cancer treatment vaccine that targets distinctive 'neoantigens' on tumour cells has been shown to stimulate a potent, safe and highly specific immune anti-tumour response in melanoma patients, reported scientists from Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and the Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard. [ + ]
Stem cells show potential for asthma treatment
Monash University scientists have published the results of their study into mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) from Cynata Therapeutics, revealing that the company's technology holds promise as a treatment for chronic asthma. [ + ]
Life sciences industry welcomes visa changes
The life sciences industry has welcomed the restoration of key occupations for the medical technology, biotechnology, research and pharmaceutical sector to the skilled migration visa list. [ + ]
Optimistic cancer researchers overestimate reproducibility of preclinical studies
Cancer scientists have been found to overestimate the extent to which high-profile preclinical studies can be successfully replicated, in a study that follows numerous reports exploring biomedicine's so-called reproducibility crisis. [ + ]
Australian-Canadian partnership for medical cannabis
LeafCann Group, a Melbourne-based medical cannabis producer, has formed a joint venture with Canadian developer of medical cannabis delivery systems and devices Resolve Digital Health. [ + ]
Superstars of STEM smash gender stereotypes
Arthur Sinodinos has announced the first 30 Superstars of STEM — an initiative to raise the profile of Australia's most dynamic female scientists and technologists and create a critical mass of strong, visible, relatable and public female role models in STEM. [ + ]
Skin cancer costs 30 times more to treat than prevent
Despite being largely preventable, skin cancer costs Victoria's public hospitals more than $50 million a year, new research from Deakin University and Cancer Council Victoria has found. [ + ]
Fujitsu develops AI technology for CT inspections
Fujitsu Laboratories has developed a technology to retrieve similar disease cases from a computed tomography (CT) database of previously taken images. [ + ]
Studying motor molecules, at the nanoscale
University of Queensland physicists are applying quantum physics to single molecule sensing for the first time, creating the possibility of detecting cancer at its earliest stages. [ + ]
Aus cancer vaccine closer to human trials
Radvax, a cancer treatment vaccine, being developed by South Australian company Vaxine, is closer to human trials. [ + ]
Better managing antibiotic use in sepsis patients
UK researchers are taking part in a £1.5 million study aiming to antibiotic resistance in sepsis patients — the largest ever trial to look at biomarkers in the blood to see whether antibiotics should be continued or can be safely stopped. [ + ]
Innate reveals "distressing" MS trial results
Innate Immunotherapeutics has reluctantly announced that its MS therapy MIS416 showed no meaningful or statistically significant results in a recent Phase 2B trial, with the company's shares dropping a whopping 92% as a result. [ + ]
