Research Australia would like to see the Australian government emulate the US and inject funding into health and medical research as part of its stimulus package.

New CSIRO maths chief Dr Louise Ryan wants more money for maths-based research. [ + ]

One in every 135 baby boys in Victoria is born with a form of genital abnormality – five years ago, it was one in 230. Andrew Sinclair is trying to find the genetic reasons why. [ + ]

A rough draft of the Neandertal genome has been completed by scientisis at the Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology.

Inherited mutations are only thought to account for one per cent of melanoma cases in Australia, so what about the other 99 per cent? [ + ]

Researchers at Tel Aviv University have developed a lab-on-a-chip that uses genetically engineered bacteria to measure water quality in real time.

Grim, Reaper and Sickle: David Vaux’s epic tale of life and death involves a quest to understand and ultimately control apoptosis. [ + ]

Working with Bert Vogelstein, Ken Kinzler has managed to explore new terrain in our understanding of cancer, particular the genetic basis of colon cancer. [ + ]

National Maritime Museum symposium to focus on Charles Darwin and his world [ + ]

Significant breast cancer risk SNP identified in Chinese population [ + ]

Southern hemisphere plant species like to stay at home [ + ]

Mesoblast signs research collaboration with Singaporean hospital group [ + ]

Researchers map tree of human rhinovirus family [ + ]

Bursts of duplication may be the difference between great apes [ + ]

Darwin’s birthday celebrations kick off with a primordial soup [ + ]