Violent sex acts boost insect's immune system
10 December, 2007
Scientists 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, 2007 | Supplied by: Life Technologies
Human 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.
Could lithium medicine prolong your life?
06 December, 2007 by Keiran Jones, Journalist
The common mood-affecting drug, lithium, could double as an anti-ageing medication, according to a recent study in the online version of the Journal of Biological Chemistry
Research links stress to ADHD
05 December, 2007
Researchers from the University of Melbourne and the Howard Florey Institute have discovered a biological cause for why children with ADHD are not able to handle stressful environments.
Research collaboration for green manufacturing systems
04 December, 2007
A research alliance has recently been announced between the University of Queensland’s Australian Institute for Bioengineering and Nanotechnology (AIBN) and The Dow Chemical Company.
A fresh FACE for climate research
03 December, 2007
Scientists will have access to the latest in climate change technology to investigate future atmospheric conditions and their impact on plant crops, after the official opening in November of a $3.7 million climate change research facility in Horsham, Victoria.
Advances in early stage ovarian cancer diagnosis
30 November, 2007
HealthLinx has reached an agreement with The University of Liverpool (UK) to in-license patented biomarkers and antibodies that show efficacy in detecting grade one and two ovarian cancer.
Alzheimer's vaccine gets European patent
29 November, 2007
The Vienna-based company, Affiris, announced that it has been granted a Europe-wide patent for a pool of peptide sequences that are key elements of its Alzheimer’s vaccine. The company will be able to use these newly patented components to manufacture an optimised vaccine against beta-amyloid, the peptide responsible for the onset of Alzheimer’s disease.
EMBO elects three top Australian scientists
26 November, 2007
Three Australian scientists have been elected as members of the European Molecular Biology Organization (EMBO), one of the world’s most respected scientific organisations.
A guide to inhibit measles infection
26 November, 2007
Infecting almost 20 million people worldwide each year, the measles virus remains a dangerous, highly contagious disease despite extensive vaccination efforts. However, recent advancements in understanding the pathogen’s binding mechanism could provide a new strategy to fight infection.
Childhood leukaemia researcher wins award
26 November, 2007
Petra Bachmann was announced this year’s Open Senior Division winner in the highly respected Coast Association Tow Research Awards.
Cancer-causing protein pathway identified
19 November, 2007
Researchers have discovered a protein pathway that causes two common forms of cancer, neuroblastoma (the most common tumour of infants) and breast cancer.
Unknown haemoglobin function discovered
14 November, 2007
The 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, 2007
Canadian 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.
Scientists find genetic key to autoimmune diseases
08 November, 2007
The discovery of how the gene Roquin suppresses autoimmune diseases like Type 1 diabetes and lupus could open the way for improved treatments for such conditions, scientists propose.
