Researchers have shown the de facto key role played by the protein galectin-3 in Alzheimer's disease, demonstrating a reduction in plaque and inflammatory load after the protein was blocked in mice. [ + ]

Researchers have tailored the structure of graphene-oxide layers to mimic the hourglass shape of biological channels, creating ultrathin membranes to rapidly separate chemical mixtures. [ + ]

Using MRI, scientists have captured 3D images that show how infants' brains and skulls change shape as they move through the birth canal just before delivery. [ + ]

Monash University has granted an exclusive licence of its portfolio of proprietary synthetic polymyxin antibiotics to Qpex Biopharma. [ + ]

Pluto's atmosphere is predicted to ultimately collapse and freeze over, according to almost three decades' worth of research from an international team of scientists. [ + ]

A 'triple combination' of vitamin C and two standard antibiotics — doxycycline and azithromycin — was sufficient to reduce stem cell growth by more than 90% in laboratory tests. [ + ]

Researchers have developed technology that can produce large quantities of stem cells in a short time, using only a small blood sample. [ + ]

Cancer research has received a big boost in funding, thanks to a $5.1m partnership between CSIRO and GenesisCare and an $800,000 grant from the Leukaemia Foundation to Cancer Australia. [ + ]

Researchers have discovered how a hospital superbug evades the immune system to cause infection — a breakthrough that could pave the way for new treatments. [ + ]

The 2017 winner of the Prime Minister's Prize for Science, Professor Jenny Graves AO, has been elected to the coveted National Academy of Sciences in the US. [ + ]

European researchers have found a way to identify hospital patients with suspected sepsis infection who may suffer from subsequent disease progression. [ + ]

More than half of all large ice-free coastal areas of Antarctica have now been disturbed by human activity. [ + ]

A gene called PHF6 plays a powerful role in protecting against blood cancer — and a breakdown in the gene's function could accelerate the development of T cell acute lymphoblastic leukaemia. [ + ]

According to Afnan Zafar, collaboration in the field of product development must follow a strict set of rules if firms really want to benefit from open innovation and boost their performance. [ + ]

Researchers have found a potential link between autistic-like behaviour in adult mice and exposure to a common antidepressant in the womb. [ + ]