Thermo Fisher Scientific has established a new biomarker translational centre in Cambridge Massachusetts. Their goal is to accelerate mass spectrometry-based biomarker discovery and its translation into the development of routine clinical assays for the clinical diagnostics market.

More than 30 companies from industries as diverse as seafood, electronics, engineering and recycling have been accepted into the IRL Scientist for a Day Program aimed at helping companies across New Zealand transform their businesses.

Eureka Award winner, Associate Professor Kevin Pfleger, straddles the worlds of academia and biotechnology, helping to apply his findings for the lab to producing better drugs. [ + ]

Tony Purcell is using the latest in immunoproteomics technology to detect, monitor and hopefully eliminate rogue T cells that cause autoimmune disease with minimal collateral damage to the good guys. [ + ]

Professor John Mattick will steer the Garvan Institute towards a more integrated systems approach when he becomes Executive Director of the institute following the retirement of Professor John Shine. [ + ]

Information sessions will be held to learn about the new government R&D tax incentive for businesses.

A donation from an Australian businessman has enabled the Australian Institute of Nanoscience to be built.

The mysteries of aluminium will be revealed in a seminar at the World Metrology Day awards presentation.

The mysteries of aluminium will be revealed in a seminar at the World Metrology Day awards presentation.

Despite the rumbles of discontent surrounding the usefulness of genome-wide association studies, Nick Martin is convinced they remain a useful tool for understanding complex traits and diseases. [ + ]

There will be an increasing demand for temporary workers in the scientific industry, according to Kelly Scientific Resources.

The appearance of a new mutant of bird flu in Asia raises the concern that it might hybridise with swine flu creating a new pandemic threat. [ + ]

Phase I/IIa human trials for Immuron’s (ASX:IMC) IMM 255 immunotherapy for influenza will take place in Israel. [ + ]

The Center for Proteomics at the Translational Genomics Research Institute is selected as a Waters Center of Innovation and recognises Dr Konstantinos Petritis and his team for research excellence.

Part two of our feature on the genetics of modern cotton explores its fascinating evolutionary past, and how it was shaped by human cultivation. [ + ]