A $100,000 grant from Grand Challenges Explorations will see Associate Professor Ian Cockburn pursue an innovative global health and development research project aimed at making malaria vaccines more effective. [ + ]

The Advances in Neuroblastoma Research Congress is coming to the Cairns Convention Centre next month, marking the first time the biennial conference has been held in the Southern Hemisphere. [ + ]

Genea Biocells has demonstrated the world's first human stem cell-based cellular model for a muscular dystrophy that is suitable for high-throughput screening and drug development. [ + ]

Australian researchers have discovered a way to make infrared technology easy to use and cheap, potentially saving millions of dollars in areas using sensing devices. [ + ]

AusCann has announced a five-year research alliance with Murdoch University, intended to lead to the development of projects in the field of medicinal cannabis. [ + ]

The CEO of the Australian Research Council, Professor Aidan Byrne, will depart the ARC later this year to take up the position of provost at The University of Queensland. [ + ]

The TGA has informed Illumina that its MiSeqDx instrument for next-generation sequencing has been included on the Australian Register of Therapeutic Goods as a cleared in vitro diagnostic medical device. [ + ]

Anyone with a computer or Android device can volunteer to join the OpenZika project — and you don't need to provide time, expertise or money to help. [ + ]

The genetics of individuals with Down syndrome have provided researchers with a method to identify a single gene that may be responsible for defective insulin secretion in type 2 diabetes. [ + ]

GSK has opened up nominations for its annual Award for Research Excellence (ARE), said to be one of the most prestigious available to the Australian medical research community. [ + ]

The Australian Academy of Science has elected 21 new fellows, including former Australian of the Year Professor Patrick McGorry and Australia's Chief Scientist, Dr Alan Finkel. [ + ]

Friday, 20 May 2016 is World Metrology Day, which commemorates the anniversary of the signing of the Metre Convention on 20 May 1875. [ + ]

Cost, regulatory speed and flexibility and quality are the key drivers for biopharma companies selecting Australia for early-phase trials, according to a new report. [ + ]

For decades, scientists have been baffled as to why gestational diabetes often leads to type 2 diabetes. The answer could be in our genes' ability to change their behaviour due to signals from the environment. [ + ]

Scitech has been announced as the authorised distributor for the QImaging range of products in Australia and New Zealand. [ + ]