Biotechnology appears to be dead
05 March, 2008 by Janette WoodhouseBiotechnology seems to have taken a back seat this year at Pittcon, the huge annual laboratory conference and exposition held in the US.
Australians honoured for 'best research of the year'
27 February, 2008Gene research involving scientists at the University of Queensland’s (UQ) Diamantina Institute for Cancer, Immunology and Metabolic Medicine has received high acclaim by leading scientific journals Science and Nature.
Molecular research paving the way
14 February, 2008Physicists and engineers at Rice University have demonstrated a means of simultaneously making optical and electronic measurements of the same molecule, in a study that could lay the foundation for mass-produced single-molecule sensors.
Queensland technology licensed by billion-dollar US company
13 February, 2008University of Queensland scientists have developed a proprietary technology that will help other researchers in understanding fundamental aspects of growth, development and disease, which has been licensed to one of the world’s largest life science technology companies.
Virtual-reality frog dissection
13 February, 2008V-Frog, the world’s first virtual reality-based frog dissection software has been developed by Tactus Technologies, a project of the University at Buffalo Virtual Reality Laboratory. Designed for biology education, this software will allow observation and physically simulated dissection, and is supported by the Humane Society of the United States.
Demand for more DNA testing resources and facilities
07 February, 2008 by Jessica StarreveldForensic testing for the New South Wales Police Force has reached a point where it has become so popular that it is reaching beyond facility and resource capabilities.
Scaffolding could revolutionise nerve treatment
31 January, 2008A Monash University PhD student has developed a new technique that could revolutionise treatment for Parkinson's disease, spinal cord injuries and nerve damage.
Scientists solve hot reptile sex question
21 January, 2008University of Sydney researchers have finally solved a conundrum scientists have been puzzling over for 30 years: why nest temperature can affect the likelihood of certain reptiles being born male or female.
Developing therapy-resistant cancers for research
17 December, 2007A cancer cell line that is resistant to one of the newest classes of cancer treatments has been developed by researchers who already are using it to determine treatment alternatives for when it starts appearing in patients.
Violent sex acts boost insect's immune system
10 December, 2007Scientists have discovered that many insects have a form of immune memory similar to the vertebrate system, which protects them against reinvasion by previously encountered pathogens.
Growing human embryonic stem cells
06 December, 2007Human embryonic stem cells (hESCs), the building blocks for all cell types in the human body, may be harnessed for potential applications in cell therapy and regenerative medicine. Currently, hESC culture and expansion methods require the use of serum, mouse or human fibroblast feeder layers, or feeder-conditioned medium. These culture methods are labour intensive and hard to scale, and it is difficult to maintain hESCs in an undifferentiated state because of significant sources of variability such as growth factor fluctuations during culture.
EMBO elects three top Australian scientists
26 November, 2007Three Australian scientists have been elected as members of the European Molecular Biology Organization (EMBO), one of the world’s most respected scientific organisations.
Unknown haemoglobin function discovered
14 November, 2007The discovery of a previously undetected chemical process within the oxygen-carrying molecule, haemoglobin, could have far-reaching implications for the treatment of cardiovascular diseases.
Volunteers squeeze decades of cancer research into one year
13 November, 2007Canadian researchers hope to accelerate the war on cancer by tapping into a global network of hundreds of thousands of people volunteering their idle computer time.
Report shows growth in Australian biotech
25 October, 2007A recently released report has identified signs of maturity in Australian biotechnology along with a continued need for early stage investment.
