Scientists in Canada have overcome a key research hurdle to developing regenerative treatments for diabetes and liver disease with a technique to produce medically useful amounts of endoderm cells from human pluripotent stem cells.

Registrations of interest are open now for three components of the Government's soon-to-be-released $1.2 billion Clean Technology Program. [ + ]

United Bioresearch Products has been appointed as the Australian distributor for the Biomedica range of ELISA kits and antibodies. [ + ]

A cabinet reshuffle has seen Greg Combet take over as Innovation Minister from Kim Carr, who has been demoted to the outer ministry. [ + ]

Professor Peter Høj, Vice Chancellor and President of the University of South Australia, has been appointed a part-time member to the CSIRO Board.

Dutch CMO DSM Biologics has signed a MoU with the Australian Institute for Bioengineering and Nanotechnology to open Australia’s largest biologics facility in Queensland. [ + ]

The needle-free vaccination technology by Vaxxas has won the overall award at the inaugural The Australian Innovation Challenge. [ + ]

A vaccine that slows the progression of Alzheimer’s disease and other types of dementia has been developed by researchers at the University of Sydney’s Brain and Mind Research Institute (BMRI).

CSL will contribute $2.5 million of immunoglobulin to an NIH-led trial to combat cytomegalovirus (CMV) in pregnant women to prevent congenital CMV in infants. [ + ]

The Australian Private Equity and Venture Capital Association welcomes the government's $100m funding to the Innovation Investment Fund but calls for continued policy commitment. [ + ]

A bacterium whose name was inspired by the Star Wars films has provided new clues into the evolution of our own cells and how they came to possess the vital energy-producing units, mitochondria.

Australian astronomer and 2011 Nobel Prize in Physics winner Professor Brian Schmidt has donated $100,000 of his Nobel prize money to the Australian Academy of Science primary school science program, Primary Connections.

Columbia University Medical Center (CUMC) researchers have found the first direct evidence that an acquired trait can be inherited without any DNA involvement. The findings suggest that Lamarck, whose theory of evolution was eclipsed by Darwin’s, may not have been entirely wrong.

Early Stage Commercialisation grants no longer have to be repaid and larger companies can now apply for the grants. [ + ]

AusBiotech has welcomed two new appointments to the West Australian Branch Committee and named the new Chair, Mr Brian Leedman. [ + ]