Dr Benjamin Kile of the The Walter and Eliza Hall Institute has received the prestigious Science Minister’s Prize for Life Scientist of the Year for work in understanding the causes of cancer and for providing insight into the mechanisms that keep blood platelets alive. [ + ]

The results are in - young, tall and long-armed women are considered the most attractive according to a recent, cross-cultural study.

Twelve months after the release of the initial draft of the R&D Tax Credit, a series of false starts, contested claims and last minute legislative changes have seen the proposed 1 July 2010 start date come and go, with no resolution to the confusion in sight. [ + ]

There will be a $40 million investment collaboration between the Australian Government and the Medical Research Commercialisation Fund (MRCF) that promises to promote medical innovations through the difficult early stages of commercialisation.

The Minister for Mental Health and Ageing, Mark Butler, has announced $447.5 million for nationwide medical research grants, through the National Health and Medical Research Council.

A group of Australian and Austrian researchers have located a key gene behind the body’s perception of pain, a mutation of which has been shown to replace pain with other sensations. [ + ]

In the past decade, the zero-till revolution has rolled across wheat farms on the margins of the arid zone in south-eastern Australia, helping wheat growers survive the longest and deepest drought since European settlement. [ + ]

IRL high-temperature superconductor researcher Dr Grant Williams has been honoured with a prestigious science award - the Hector Medal.

The S&P/ASX 200 Heathcare Index managed to sneak into positive territory this week, adding to last week’s strong gains. [ + ]

British news and analysis magazine, The Economist, has announced the results of its recent debate on biotechnology and sustainable agriculture finding a majority of voters in opposition of the motion, yet suggesting that technical difficulties and a coordinated effort by anti-GM activists has skewed the result. [ + ]

Troubled HIV treatment developer Avexa will pay around $1.5 million to acquire up to 24 percent of Western Australia medical devices company Allied Medical under the terms of a deal revealed this week. [ + ]

Leadtec Systems Australia has signed a share purchase agreement to buy Mimotopes, the Australian subsidiary of US company Commonwealth Biotechnologies, for a cash consideration of $950,000 and an earn out potential of $100,000, if Mimotopes reaches certain milestone earnings in 2011. The transaction will require shareholder approval and is expected to close in 2010.

To keep soldiers in the battlefield healthy, the US Army is exploring new ways to detect harmful bacteria in water.

The Australian Academy of Science welcomes the proposal by the Australian Research Council to create new Discovery Awards for early career researchers.

The R&D Tax Credit legislation has had a chequered past, going through multiple revisions and stalling before entering the Senate prior to the federal election. [ + ]