An international research collaboration has identified the gene variants that increase a woman's chance of giving birth to non-identical twins by almost a third. [ + ]

Australian medical technology conference AusMedtech is coming to the Adelaide Convention and Exhibition Centre from 10–11 May. [ + ]

Medical technology conference AusMedtech is on again this year from 10–11 May at the Adelaide Convention and Exhibition Centre. [ + ]

The NHMRC has opened public consultation on draft guidelines for the ethical review and conduct of clinical trials involving xenotransplantation — the transplantation of living cells, tissues or organs from one species to another (in this case, from animals to humans). [ + ]

Minister for Industry, Innovation and Science Christopher Pyne has announced Shirley In't Veld as the deputy chairperson of the CSIRO board, a role she commenced in on 14 April. [ + ]

The Australian Study for the Prevention through Immunisation of Cardiovascular Events is testing whether a safe, one-off vaccination can help to reduce the risk of heart attacks and strokes. [ + ]

Opthea has met the primary objective of safety in the dose escalation of its ongoing first-in-human clinical trial of OPT-302, a therapy for wet age-related macular degeneration (wet AMD) — the leading cause of blindness in the Western world. [ + ]

Biotechnology company CSL observed a significant milestone on 25 April — 100 years of operation. As part of its birthday celebrations, the company is creating a flagship $25 million fellowship program for early-stage and translational research in Australia. [ + ]

Western Australian scientists have led new research into how type 1 diabetes disrupts the body's immune system — a finding that could help focus the search for a cure for the condition. [ + ]

Pharmaceutical company Merck has announced a collaboration with BioTek Instruments and accreditation for the quality control of dehydrated culture media tested at its Microbiology Quality Control Laboratory in Darmstadt, Germany. [ + ]

The $150 million Sydney Nanoscience Hub was officially opened as part of a two-day conference on the theme of nanoscale science and technology. [ + ]

The TGA's special access scheme has granted Dimerix the right to continue supplying propagermanium to participants in its DMX-200 clinical trial, upon clinician approval and participant agreement. [ + ]

Scientists have discovered that a protein called IL-33 can reverse Alzheimer's disease-like pathology and cognitive decline in mice, giving hope to the 65 million people who are projected to develop the disease by 2030. [ + ]

The Swiss Polar Institute is organising a major project: the first scientific expedition to fully sail around Antarctica. [ + ]

Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull and Chinese Premier Li Keqiang have announced a $100 million innovation partnership that will see a new science and technology precinct established at UNSW. [ + ]