Patients suffering from oral cancer have increased levels of certain bacteria in their saliva, according to research published in the Open Access journal, Journal of Translational Medicine. Six common species of bacteria were found at significantly higher levels in the saliva of patients with oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) than in the saliva of healthy individuals. The researchers were able to use three of the six species as a diagnostic tool to predict more than 80% of oral cancer cases. These preliminary findings indicate that three species of bacteria may be incidentally or causally linked with OSCC, and if so detection of these species could be used as a simple, rapid and non-invasive saliva test to diagnose oral cancer.

Investigative research into the novel origins of nerve fibre damage in Multiple Sclerosis by Australian, Jacqueline Orian has been rewarded with a US$372,300 grant from the National Multiple Sclerosis Society of America (NMSS).

Melbourne-based Mesoblast (ASX:MSB) has accelerated its clinical program for obtaining regulatory approvals for its adult stem cell platform technology following a successful pre-investigational new drug (IND) meeting with the US FDA. [ + ]

Australian malaria vaccine researcher Professor Ross Coppell says smallpox was eradicated from the planet because the mass vaccination campaign employed a powdered formulation of dried, attenuated virus. [ + ]

The Queensland BioBus is stopping in Gympie this week to encourage more young people to take up a career in science. [ + ]

A Mississippi State research team is developing a cancer screening process that may allow physicians to more quickly diagnose malignancies without performing invasive biopsies. Utilising laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy, or LIBS, scientists are seeking to precisely distinguish malignant and normal cells in real time by inserting a single optical fibre microprobe directly into suspicious tissue for a cancer diagnosis, including breast cancer.

In a move that underscores its growing commitment to the market for rapid diagnostic medical test products, Beckman Coulter has entered into a supply relationship with Princeton BioMeditech (PBM). Under the agreement, PBM will supply a wide range of rapid diagnostic tools used at the point of medical care to Beckman Coulter's Primary Care Diagnostics business unit (PCD).

Laboratory information management systems, or LIMS as it is popularly known, has been gaining good acceptance world over. Australia is not far behind in adopting this new technology. LIMS has been there in the market for over 10 years now and many organisations are now implementing their second or third generation of LIMS.

Melbourne biotech is benefiting from a recent business mission to China led by the city's Lord Mayor John So. [ + ]

Sydney animal-health biotech Imugene (ASX:IMU) has finalised an exclusive sub-license agreement granting international livestock health company and Merck-Aventis subsidiary Merial the global rights to develop and sell Imugene's poultry productivity enhancing product. [ + ]

Brisbane medical diagnostics developed Panbio (ASX:PBO) believes it has achieved a milestone in its efforts to develop a new type of antibody assay capable of directly detecting target antigens at low concentrations in antigenically complex biological fluids. [ + ]

Living Cell Technologies (ASX:LCT) has appointed US based neuroscientist Dr Dwaine F Emerich as chief scientific officer of LCT BioPharma. He has been LCT's US vice-president of research since 2003, joining the company from Sertoli Technologies. [ + ]

Scientists at the University of York, who have developed miniaturised tools for chemical and biological analysis, have won a major injection of growth capital to produce them commercially.

Melbourne immune therapy developer Norwood Immunology (AIM:NIM) has signed an agreement for a phase II collaboration with the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Centre of Houston to determine whether its investigational melanoma cancer vaccine generates an enhanced immune response. [ + ]

Perth based Resonance Health (ASX:RHT) has been granted its first European patent. [ + ]