Industry News
Mad cow just got madder in face of multifaceted molecule
The story of the so-called prion diseases, including 'mad cow' disease, is one of the strangest in the annals of 20th century medical science -- and it grows stranger still. [ + ]
US guidelines boost Cellestis' credibility, marketing push
Melbourne diagnostics company Cellestis has received a major boost with the release of the US Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) guidelines for its Quantiferon-TB diagnostic test for tuberculosis (TB). [ + ]
Revolution in genetics tipped as brave new world of RNA revealed
A new branch of genetics is being born. It might legitimately be called junk science, but Prof John Mattick has dubbed it 'Rnomics'... and it's the stuff of revolution. [ + ]
Aussie metal mastery may make magnificent machines
Australian scientists are winners in the race to master new magnesium technology to build the motor vehicles and consumer goods of the future.
[ + ]Bionomics, JJR arrangement has happy ending
A collaboration between Adelaide company Bionomics and Johnson and Johnson Research (JJR) has been concluded without an ongoing commercial arrangement. [ + ]
Malaria vaccine at least eight years away, conference told
Veteran Melbourne malaria researcher Prof Robin Anders believes a malaria vaccine is still at least eight to 15 years away -- but he is optimistic that a vaccine is feasible, and will be effective, despite the phenomenal capacity of the parasite, Plasmodium falciparum, to take evasive action against drugs and vaccines. [ + ]
Domantis granted patent, rights on new antibody selection technique
UK-based Domantis, a developer of single-domain antibody therapeutics, has been granted a US patent on a new emulsion technique for selecting antibodies and antibody fragment. [ + ]
Microwaves a new tool in treating heart disease
For most of us microwaves are a means to defrost frozen food or boil water, but research by telecommunications engineers at the University of Technology, Sydney is helping establish microwave energy as an important tool in treating potentially deadly heart rhythm disorders.
[ + ]VRI BioMedical names new CEO
Perth-based probiotics and diagnostics company VRI BioMedical has named Dr Peter French as its new CEO. [ + ]
Our first cloned sheep found dead
Matilda, Australia's first cloned sheep, has died of unknown causes, according to the South Australian Research and Development Institute (SARDI). [ + ]
Prima touts DCtag success in vaccine development
Prima BioMed subsidiary Panvax has reported that recent trials of its DCtag vaccine technology in sheep have confirmed its potential for developing novel vaccines and immunotherapies for human diseases including cancers, viral infections, malaria and tuberculosis. [ + ]
Plant chloroplasts may leak GM transgenes
An Adelaide University study has shown that confining transgenes to nature's own handy bottle, to prevent them escaping from genetically modified crops into non-GM crops or their weedy relatives, will not necessarily prevent transgenes escaping. [ + ]
Gradipore announces tech success
Sydney-based biotechnology company Gradipore (ASX: GDP) announced today that it had demonstrated removal of both infectious and non-infectious prion proteins from human biological samples using its proprietary Gradiflow technology. [ + ]
Research alliance established for global good
CSIRO and eight other leading international science and technology institutions have formed an organisation committed to applying their combined knowledge to solving some of the world's most pressing problems.
[ + ]New head for IMBcom
The commercialisation arm of Queensland's premier biotech research centre, the Institute for Molecular Bioscience, has capped a national search for a new chief executive by reaching into the Queensland bioscience community for its successful candidate. [ + ]