A collaboration between Agilent Technologies and the University of California at Davis (UCD) has developed a new way to characterise glycans in human breast milk. [ + ]

Leading international molecular biologist, Professor Nadia Rosenthal has been appointed head of Victoria’s new Regenerative Medicine Institute in an announcement made by Minister for Innovation, John Brumby.

The Australian-New Zealand Biotech Alliance (ANZBA), in partnership with Invest Australia, has launched a web-based directory to promote the fast-growing regional biotechnology industry to the global market.

When Merck announced last year it was buying Sirna Therapeutics for over US$1 billion, the world sat up and took notice. RNAi was now being seen as not only a revolution in our understanding but something with an unimaginable dollar value as well. [ + ]

A leading Chinese official has highlighted Australia’s opportunity to undertake new R&D collaborations with Hong Kong, in the lead-up to the 2007 Cooperative Research Centres Association Conference.

Could a targeted therapy to activate the endonuclease Drosha in tumour cells force them to differentiate and die? [ + ]

Everyone is excited about the use of RNAi in the laboratory, but some are now taking the next step and looking at its use in vivo. [ + ]

Three of Australia's top universities have formed an alliance to lead the country in climate change research, education and policy.

The University of Tasmania has developed a portable device for explosives fingerprinting, which promises to assist police in apprehending terrorists responsible for bomb blasts.

The groundbreaking first DNA sequence of a marsupial, announced earlier this week in the science journal Nature, included research by 11 Australians among its 63 international authors.

Sydney University researchers have helped to produce the first genome sequence for a marsupial, as part of an international collaboration studying the development of the mammalian immune system.

American company Sigma-Aldrich announced on 8 May that it has acquired Molecular Medicine BioServices (MMB), a biopharmaceutical contract manufacturing organisation located in Carlsbrad, California.

The new federal budget released on Tuesday has received mixed support in the science industry, with enthusiasm over the endowment initiative tempered by concern over the lack of extra research grants or funding for cooperative research.

Massachusetts is trying to regain the top position in life science research from the Governator. [ + ]

Dr Jenny Harry has been appointed CEO of Proteome Systems and has announced a new $5m deal. [ + ]