Industry News
Ig Nobel Australians on the blinking world stage
American researchers may have run off with the big prizes in science this week, but finally there's some good news for dear old Orstralya - we won an Ig Nobel! [ + ]
100 genomes, 10 days and 10 million dollars
The US-based X Prize Foundation has launched an audacious competition to find a private company that can successfully map 100 human genomes in just 10 days. The winner will receive US$10 million (AU$13.75m). [ + ]
Prana to conduct Swedish trials of potential Alzheimer's treatment
Melbourne-based Prana Biotechnology has announced that it has received regulatory approval from Sweden's Medical Products Agency (MPA) to start a Phase IIa clinical trial of its proprietary lead compound, PBT2, in patients with early Alzheimer's disease. [ + ]
Kornberg follows in father's footstep with chemistry Nobel
The Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences has awarded the Nobel Prize in Chemistry for 2006 to Roger Kornberg of California's Stanford University for his studies of the molecular basis of eukaryotic transcription. [ + ]
Odd spot: testosterone bad for brains
A Yale University School of Medicine study shows for the first time that a high level of testosterone, such as that caused by the use of steroids to increase muscle mass or for replacement therapy, can lead to a catastrophic loss of brain cells. [ + ]
Congratulations Sandra
Congratulations to Sandra Romanin and her husband Karim on the birth of their first child - a beautiful daughter named Lara.
[ + ]Needle-free treatment breakthrough
One of Australia’s diabetes specialists has praised Sydney-based biotech company Apollo Life Sciences’ work to develop an insulin that can be taken as a tablet rather than injected, calling needle-free insulin ‘the Holy Grail’ in diabetes treatment.
[ + ]US scientists win Nobel Prize for RNA interference discovery
American geneticists Andrew Fire and Craig Mello have won the 2006 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine for their discovery of RNA interference, a mechanism for controlling the flow of genetic information. [ + ]
Blackburn wins Lasker award for telomerase research
Australian-born molecular biologist Professor Elizabeth Blackburn has won the prestigious Lasker Award for the discovery of telomerase, the enzyme that synthesises telomeres, the tiny units of DNA that seal off the ends of chromosomes. [ + ]
Patterson tables embryonic stem cell bill
Liberal backbencher Senator Kay Patterson last night tabled her promised private member's bill on embryonic stem cell research and therapeutic cloning. [ + ]
Qld company raises millions for drug research
A Queensland biotechnology company has raised AU$11.9 m to fund the development of new types of therapeutic drugs.
[ + ]Australian invention commercialised
A Royal North Shore Hospital discovery has been commercialised by US company Beckman Coulter, manufacturer of biomedical testing equipment, through its DSL subsidiary.
[ + ]Fishy links: Killer B cells and evolution
Researchers from the University of Pennsylvania School of Veterinary Medicine have discovered a unique evolutionary link between the immune systems of fish and mammals in the form of a primitive version of B cells, white blood cells of the immune system. [ + ]
How Chemeq hopes to save its bacon
The last couple of years have been rather disastrous for West Australian biotech Chemeq, manufacturer of polymer microbials for pigs and poultry. However, a new management team has come up with a plan to turn its fortunes around, as Kate McDonald reports. [ + ]
Research excellence showcased
Eight up-and-coming University of Queensland researchers have received awards at the 2006 UQ Foundation Research Excellence Awards held at Brisbane Customs House.
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