Industry News
Solving genomics database problem could save years of research
Solutions to the Tower of Babel annotation problem that haunts genomics databases are showing they can shave "several years" off the drug discovery process according to a leading US bioinformatics worker. [ + ]
GSK research award goes to epilepsy pioneer
Australian epilepsy researcher Prof Sam Berkovic has been awarded the 2002 GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) Australia Award for Research Excellence for his pioneering discoveries of the genetic causes of epilepsy. [ + ]
Gradipore says at AGM it will change
Having been promised the world, impatient shareholders of Sydney-based separations company Gradipore were demanding answers at Thursday's company AGM at the Australian Stock Exchange. [ + ]
Cerylid, Peter Mac collaborate on anti-cancer drugs
Cerylid and the Peter MacCallum Cancer Institute have set up a collaboration to look for new anti-cancer drug leads, using Cerylid's natural products library as a source. [ + ]
IBM makes bio-IT research agreement with IMB
IBM has forged a multimillion dollar research pact with the Institute for Molecular Bioscience (IMB) which promises a great leap forward for Australia's bioinformatics sector. [ + ]
One cell is enough for forensic DNA fingerprinting
A new technique for fingerprinting DNA from a single cell may have tremendous potential for forensic investigations and other applications, allowing individuals to be identified from just one cell. [ + ]
Khan to raise Biota takover offer
An embarrassing oversight has forced a listed company controlled by self-styled "corporate rationaliser" Farooq Khan to lift its takeover offer for biotech Biota Holdings. [ + ]
Microarrays and sequencers: Moving forward, in sequencers
When you think of the Human Genome Project, images of banks of sequencing machines pumping out millions of base pairs of information comes to mind. According to Dr John Barlow, Melbourne divisional manager of the Australian Genome Research Facility, state-of-the-art sequencing is still largely electrophoresis-based. However, sequencers have come a long way since the days of pouring your own sequencing gel and using radioactive dideoxynucleotides. [ + ]
Microarrays and sequencers: Expressions in array technology
Microarray technology is now a major tool available to the geneticist. The technology allows researchers to look at the expression of a vast array of genes simultaneously, and myriad applications have been found in the last few years. But deciding on the best microarray system for the needs of the research is a difficult task, with several choices available. [ + ]
Bright and brilliant: future funding for Victorian science
'Victorians: Bright Ideas, Brilliant Future' -- a new innovation statement from the Victorian government announcing $310 million in new funding for science, technology and research initiatives -- was today launched by State Premier Steve Bracks and Innovation Minister John Brumby. [ + ]
Medica achieves funding target in placement
Medica Holdings has raised $3.25 million in a private placement to leading Australian institutional investors. [ + ]
$150m funding announced in NHMRC project grants
The annual competition for research grants from the National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) has been fought and and won -- and 406 projects have won the prestigious, peer-reviewed right to share in this year's funding pool of $150 million. [ + ]
Peptech down as European royalties cease
Peptech's share price plunged more than 50 per cent today after announcing that it had ceased receiving European royalties from US-based Centocor. [ + ]
Metabolic teams with BresaGen to produce anti-obesity compound
Melbourne biotechnology company Metabolic Pharmaceuticals has engaged Adelaide biotech BresaGen to develop a scaleable production system for its promising anti-obesity compound AOD9604. [ + ]
Don't fall behind in bio-IT, observers warn
A Sydney briefing last week on the global bioinformatics market was told that Australia must boost its record on science spending or risk falling behind the so-called 'Asian tiger' economies of its neighbours. [ + ]