Former Perth-based telecommunications company Southpointe (ASX: SOU) plans to become a biotechnology investment company after acquiring interests in two biotechnology-related ventures. [ + ]

VRI Biomedical has announced plans to raise up to AUD$2.9 million through a just completed share placement and a non-renounceable rights issue to be put towards production and marketing of the company's proTract probiotic products. [ + ]

CSIRO, the Australian Institute for Marine Science, and other publicly funded research agencies (PRFAs) may be in for a funding shake-up, following the release of the Research Collaboration Review by Federal Minister for Education, Science and Training Brendan Nelson last week. [ + ]

Gradipore (ASX: GDP) has changed its name to Life Therapeutics to reflect its new strategy, the company announced today. [ + ]

Melbourne flight control systems specialist, Mal Crozier, from BAE Systems Australia has been officially recognised for his work in developing Nulka Missile Decoy system.

Genetic Technologies' (ASX: GTG) non-coding DNA analysis and foetal cell separation patents have been allowed by the Canadian Patent Office -- almost 15 years after the company filed its first non-coding DNA patent. [ + ]

South Australian biotechnologist Dr John Ballard has been awarded an ATSE Clunies Ross Award in recognition of his achievements in biochemical drug development over the course of his career, which has included starting three biotechnology companies, and more recently an investment organisation, BioAngels. [ + ]

Adelaide-based meditech Bionomics LIMITED (ASX:BNO, US OTC:BMICY) has filed another international patent application on 496 potential gene targets for angiogenesis-inhibiting drugs. [ + ]

The University of Newcastle's Professor Robert Antonia, from the Faculty of Engineering and Built Environment, is considered a leading authority on turbulence.

China approved the importation of genetically modified soybeans from Brazil, which should allow shipments to begin as early as Tuesday for the world's largest soybean importer, according to Brazil's Agriculture Ministry. [ + ]

Virax (ASX: VHL) announced this week that it had raised AUD$3.7 million through a placement to institutional and professional investors. [ + ]

Recently listed company CogState (ASX: CGS) has signed a licensing and research collaboration deal with Pacific Northwest Biotechnology (PNB) in the US to develop a drug to treat Alzheimer's disease. [ + ]

Brisbane-based biotech Benitec Limited (ASX: BLT) has fired the first shot in what may become a major international battle to determine ownership of key patents to RNA interference (RNAi), which has been described as the most powerful tool for gene technology since the invention of the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) two decades ago. [ + ]

Peplin Biotech (ASX: PEP) today announced the filing of three separate Investigational New Drug (IND) applications with the US Food and Drug Administration for a topical formulation of its lead compound PEP005. [ + ]

Select Vaccines (ASX: SLT) has signed a materials transfer agreement (MTA) with a multinational biotechnology company to access materials it will use to accelerate the development of its hepatitis C rapid diagnostic test. [ + ]