The federal Labor party reached out for the science vote today with the announcement of its Science for Australia’s Future policy, although there’s little there explicitly for life sciences or the biotechnology industry. [ + ]

Using 'dark channel' fluorescence, scientists can explain how biochemical substances carry out their function.

Monash University has announced the appointment of biologist Professor Scott O’Neill to the position of Dean, Faculty of Science.

An 11-year old Irish boy has become the world’s first child to receive a transplant of a new trachea grown from his own stem cells, the BBC has reported. [ + ]

The Australian stock market finished the week up for the fifth week in a row today as investor’s maintained their run of confidence despite weaker-than-expected jobs and retail sales data out of the US overnight. [ + ]

It’s not normally something that would inspire scuba divers to do a double take, but a species of sponge commonly found on the Great Barrier Reef has researchers all in a lather at the prospect of learning about the genesis of cell behaviour. [ + ]

In yet another case of conventional medical wisdom being turned on its head, researchers at the Queensland Institute of Medical Research (QIMR) have completed a study showing that people who consume full-fat dairy may have a lower risk of heart attack. [ + ]

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is the leading cause of death in Australia, with the National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) estimating it costs Australia $5.9 billion in 2004-2005. [ + ]

The world market for treatments addressing allergic rhinitis will shrink by 20 percent to $US4 billion over the next 10 years as increasing numbers of generic products come to market, according to industry analysts Datamonitor. [ + ]

The Walter and Eliza Hall Institute (WEHI) has received grants totalling $450,000 from the Victorian Cancer Agency to support its research into BH3 mimetics cancer drugs and the creation of an information sharing portal focussed on rare cancers. [ + ]

Xenotransplantation specialists Living Cell Technologies (LCT) announced today that promising results from a Phase II clinical trial of its cell implant Diabecell in diabetes patients in New Zealand had prompted the country’s health regulator to approve the addition of four more patients. [ + ]

Professor Andrew Lloyd of the University of New South Wales is one of the central figures in the HITS study (Hepatitis C Incidence and Transmission Study) is a long-term prospective cohort study of eligible prison inmates in NSW. Lloyd’s cohort comprises high-risk, uninfected injecting drug users, who are followed at regular intervals longitudinally. [ + ]

Melbourne biotech Patrys announced today that it has secured funding of up to $15 million over the next three years to develop its lead natural human anti-body candidates into treatments for various cancers. [ + ]

The University of Western Australia’s Centre for Offshore Foundation Systems is involved in a research project aimed at securing long-term, safer and cleaner forms of energy.

It’s one of nature’s most impressive machines, yet it’s barely micrometres long. It’s a motor with 99 per cent efficiency that can rotate at up to 100,000 rpm, and switch directions faster than any device created by human ingenuity. [ + ]