A whose who of Australia’s top medical researchers gathered at the Westin Hotel in Sydney last night for the 40th anniversary of the Ramacioitti Foundations, one of Australia’s oldest and largest medical research endowments. [ + ]

The federal government has named the 21-strong expert advisory panel who will help chart the direction of its $38.2 million National Enabling Technologies Strategy. [ + ]

The federal government today announced the formation of four new funds with a combined war chest of $160 million to support Australian innovation. [ + ]

A group of specially adapted green algae may hold the answer to sustainable and renewable energy for the future, helped by the Sun and more than a pinch of clever science. [ + ]

The governments of Australia and China have announced that they will jointly fund a new state-of-the-art nanotechnology laboratory in China. [ + ]

Federal innovation Minister Senator Kim Carr today announced the opening of round 14 of the CRC ( cooperative research centres) program, inviting companies around Australia to partner up and submit their applications for funding. [ + ]

The biomedical sphere is one of the toughest areas in which to gain funding – the level of competition, coupled with limited public funding makes it difficult to take many areas of research forward. With so many subjects worthy of development, private philanthropy is a significant enabler of vital research projects across Australia. [ + ]

The early identification of biomarkers to aid in the fight against diabetes, depression and other epidemic diseases will be the focus of a new Australian-German centre launched at The Australian National University.

Researchers at Monash University's Institute of Medical Research have used iPS (induced pluripotent stem cells) technology to become the first in Australia to create Type 1 diabetes cells in a laboratory. [ + ]

Liberals may owe their political outlook partly to their genetic make-up, according to new research from the University of California, San Diego, and Harvard University.

Stem cell research will be a focus of Australia’s first international translational dental science research program, based at The University of Western Australia.

California-based biopharma company, OncoMed Pharmaceuticals, has announced it will run three Phase Ib clinical trials in Australia and New Zealand testing its humanised monoclonal antibody therapies for cancer via local CRO, Novotech. [ + ]

Listed Australian biotech Holista CollTech announced today that it has signed two significant deals regarding the research and commercialisation of its halal food-grade sheep collagen. [ + ]

The popular Swiss-made antiemetic post-chemo drug Aloxi (palonosetron hydrochloride) has been approved for reimbursement under the PBS. [ + ]

The International Solar Biofuels Consortium was established in 2006 to promote scientific and industrial collaboration to promote biofuels and renewable energy. [ + ]