Researchers have identified a specific class of bacteria from the gut that prevents mice from becoming obese, suggesting these same microbes may similarly control weight in people. [ + ]

A virus scanner for a smartphone might not sound too exciting at first, but the device in question doesn't search for the latest malware; it scans biological samples for real viruses. [ + ]

The University of Technology Sydney (UTS) has opened the doors of its new Biologics Innovation Facility — a training and production facility that seeks to enable new biotech discoveries as well as to drive the jobs of the future. [ + ]

Four rare neurological diseases are all caused by the same short segment of DNA repeated too many times, albeit in different parts of the genome. [ + ]

The 57th AACB Annual Scientific Conference will be held at Adelaide Convention Centre from 15–17 October under the theme 'Clinical Biochemistry: Optimising Value in Healthcare'. [ + ]

The renal probes are injected into the bloodstream and light up when they detect molecular changes caused by the onset of acute kidney failure. [ + ]

Natural antibiotics may be more effective than their synthetic counterparts at remaining effective in the wake of antibiotic resistance — although that doesn't mean they can't be given a helping hand. [ + ]

Using a combination of long-acting drug treatment and gene editing, US researchers claim to have eliminated replication-competent HIV-1 DNA — the virus responsible for AIDS — from the genomes of living animals. [ + ]

Researchers have developed a new method to spot rare immune cells that are reactive against cancer cells, from within a patient's own immune system. [ + ]

Simple dietary changes and more sunshine may be able to help women prevent pre-eclampsia, which can threaten the life and future health of both expectant mothers and their offspring. [ + ]

The AGTA Annual Conference covers all aspects of genomic science, technologies and their applications. [ + ]

Researchers have discovered a gene that determines whether roots grow deep or shallow in the soil — and could be altered to help plants adapt to changing climates. [ + ]

Scientists have made a breakthrough in their understanding of the genetics of a common form of syndromic autism, while others are calling for the term "high-functioning autism" to be consigned to history. [ + ]

In an effort to image cells at the genomic level, US researchers have created an entirely new category of microscopy. [ + ]

Researchers from both Singapore and Sweden have, within a day of each other, announced their own blood tests for Alzheimer's disease. [ + ]