Australia’s botanical illustration competition, the Margaret Flockton Award Exhibition, is calling for scientific botanical artists to get their entries in by 4 February 2011.

The S&P/ASX 200 Heathcare Index continued its march towards 9000 points this week as the broader market eked out a small gain for the second week in a row. [ + ]

Living Cell Technologies (LCT) announced today that Russia has become the first country in the world to approve the use and sale of its Diabecell porcine implant for Type 1 diabetics. [ + ]

A philanthropic gift of almost $1 million to The University of Western Australia to purchase state-of-the-art genome sequencing and genetic analysis equipment will provide benefits for the whole community, according to Vice-Chancellor Professor Alan Robson.

IBM Australia and the Melbourne Institute of Applied Economic and Social Research, University of Melbourne, have published the fourth edition of the IBM-Melbourne Institute ‘Innovation Index of Australian Industry’ which reveals growth in innovative activity in Australia between 2007-2008.

It’s been something of a holy grail amongst reproductive scientists for some time; the breeding of animals with same sex parents. However, reports today by U.S researchers of the successful breeding of mice from two fathers have been met with caution by Australian scientists and legal experts. [ + ]

A Texas researcher has created mice with genes from two fathers, although claims it could be adapted to enable same-sex reproduction humans are overblown, say Australian scientists. [ + ]

Four life science researchers are among 23 Australian scientists, young and old, who have received Australian Academy of Science awards for scientific excellence. [ + ]

Regenerative medicine specialists, Mesoblast will see US pharmaceutical behemoth Cephalon take a 19.99 percent stake in the company as part of a licensing and joint development deal announced today [ + ]

Using some innovative techniques in electron microscopy, Rob Parton and his team are gaining an insight into a little understood feature of cells. [ + ]

Queensland is set to have a new industry body representing the full breadth of the life sciences and biotechnology industries with the establishment of Life Sciences Queensland (LSQ), which will launch in 2011. [ + ]

Five leading Australian universities have joined together to seek funding for a major international gravitational wave observatory in Australia.

The world’s most precise clock - developed at The University of Western Australia - will be subject to testing in space as a result of federal funding.

The Prime Minister’s Science, Engineering and Innovation Council has released two expert scientific reports on serious issues facing the nation: Australia and Food Security in a Changing World and Challenges at Energy-Water-Carbon Intersections.

The greatest piece of material evidence regarding the sinking of the Titanic - the wreck itself - may soon be lost, says a researcher at Dalhousie University in Halifax, Nova Scotia, who has been examining the bacteria eating away at the so-called 'unsinkable ship' as it sits on the ocean bottom.