Industry News
STA to distribute breast cancer test in Australia
Specialised Therapeutics Australia (STA) has clinched a deal to become the Australian distributor for Oncotype DX, a genomic test used to inform treatment strategies for breast cancer patients. [ + ]
Funding for plant energy biology and analytical separation technologies
A Centre of Excellence in Plant Energy Biology and a Training Centre for Portable Analytical Separation Technologies are two initiatives to receive significant funding from the Australian Research Council for 2014. [ + ]
Analytica names new director
Seasoned biotechnology executive Carl Stubbings has today commenced his tenure as non-executive director of medical device company Analytica (ASX:ALT). [ + ]
TTP Labtech acquires fluorescence lifetime technology
TTP Labtech has consolidated its position in the field of fluorescence lifetime (FLT) technology, having recently purchased assets from UK-based FLT company AssayMetrics. [ + ]
Non-invasive, risk-free screen for Down syndrome
Researchers at Curtin University have assessed the use of a new non-invasive prenatal testing (NIPT) technique to identify Down syndrome in foetuses. [ + ]
US EPA contracts Stemina for toxicology tests
Stemina Biomarker Discovery, a company whose cell-based tests combine stem cells and metabolomics, has been awarded a contract by the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) under its ToxCast initiative. [ + ]
3D electromaterials centre to be established
The ARC Centre of Excellence for Electromaterials Science (ACES) has received $25 million to further develop work on smart nanomaterials by creating 3D devices with capabilities more advanced than those of their 2D counterparts. [ + ]
IFCC certifies EKF Diagnostics point-of-care analyser
Global diagnostics company EKF Diagnostics has announced that its Quo-Lab HbA1c point-of-care analyser has successfully achieved International Federation of Clinical Chemistry and Laboratory Medicine (IFCC) certification. [ + ]
Viralytics hits recruitment target for cancer trial
Viralytics (ASX:VLA) has reached its 54-patient recruitment target for a US phase II trial of its Cavatak cancer treatment in malignant late-stage melanoma. [ + ]
Bioniche names new COO
Donald Olds has joined Bioniche (ASX:BNC) as COO, to help guide the company through the sale of its animal health business and help it meet its oncology ambitions. [ + ]
Sports supplement helps fight type 2 diabetes
Research at Southern Cross University (SCU) has found that a popular sports supplement may help in the fight against type 2 diabetes. [ + ]
Critical protein for cancer cell growth found
Researchers at the Walter and Eliza Hall Institute have discovered a cellular protein that is important for keeping cancer cells alive and is thus a suitable target for treatment. Their results have been published in the journal Genes & Development. [ + ]
HPV testing at home
A Lund University study has found that HPV self-testing is as effective as tests done by doctors and, more importantly, more comfortable for women who find regular smear tests unpleasant. [ + ]
GTG CEO extends leave through March
Genetic Technologies (ASX:GTG) CEO Alison Mew has extended her leave until end-March, and acting chief Tom Howitt will stay in charge in the interim. [ + ]
Free visual browser of the epigenome
Scientists at the Institute for Research in Biomedicine (IRB Barcelona) have developed a software application, chroGPS, which serves to facilitate the analysis and understanding of epigenetic data and to extract intelligible information. [ + ]
