The Prime Minister’s Manufacturing Taskforce report from non-government members, released yesterday, has focused largely on traditional manufacturing with little attention given to the biotechnology, pharmaceutical and medical device manufacturing sectors. [ + ]

In a classic example of an accidental scientific breakthrough, a University of Sydney research team may have solved the mystery of why there is more non-industrial acid in air than anyone can explain. [ + ]

Research by Margaret Stimpson, a postgraduate student of botany at the University of New England, has given the New England region its very own species of banksia: Banksia neoanglica. [ + ]

Sir David Attenborough, acclaimed broadcaster and distinguished naturalist, will today formalise his election as a Corresponding Member of the Australian Academy of Science. [ + ]

The national office of AusBiotech will move this weekend from its current location in Malvern to Level 4, 627 Chapel Street, South Yarra Victoria. [ + ]

The Business Tax Working Group discussion paper’s suggestion to reduce the R&D tax incentive reveals a clear-cut attitude to policy aimed at Australia’s economic development: “It’s all about the tax take.” [ + ]

Industry Minister Greg Combet has moved to quell concerns that the fledgling R&D Tax Incentive could be trimmed in order to help fund a cut to the corporate tax rate, as raised by the government’s Business Tax Working Group discussion paper. [ + ]

Two FAK inhibitors developed by Australia's Cancer Therapeutics CRC – which are showing promise in treating triple-negative breast cancers and other solid tumours – are on their way to commercialisation. [ + ]

For the first time, engineers at the University of New South Wales have demonstrated that hydrogen can be released and reabsorbed from a promising storage material, overcoming a major hurdle to its use as an alternative fuel source. [ + ]

Immuron (ASX:IMC) has started a new round of animal studies for its IMM-255 OTC influenza treatment candidate, this time in the swine flu strain. [ + ]

AtCor Medical (ASX:ACG) has secured a $1.1 million contract to provide its SphygmoCor XCEL cardiac monitoring system to an international pharmaceutical company. [ + ]

Thermo Fisher Scientific has entered into a Technology Alliance Partnership agreement with scientists at Princeton University, establishing a formal collaboration to accelerate research in triple quadrupole and high-resolution accurate mass (HRAM) liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LCMS) for life science applications. [ + ]

In a major breakthrough, an international team of scientists has proved that addiction to morphine and heroin can be blocked, while at the same time increasing pain relief. [ + ]

Bioniche (ASX:BNC) is continuing to build up its animal health product portfolio, signing a deal to allow it to distribute an equine probiotic. [ + ]

AusBiotech has made a formal response to the Federal Government’s discussion paper on the National Research Investment Plan (NRIP) giving the Australian Research Committee (ARCom) a biotechnology industry perspective. [ + ]