Thebarton (SA) epilepsy specialist Bionomics (ASX:BNO, BNOOA; US OTC:BMICY) is getting positive feedback on its newly commercialised DNA diagnostic for severe myoclonic epilepsy of infancy (SMEI). [ + ]

An initial recommendation has been made in the patent infringement dispute between Sydney artificial heart firms Ventracor (ASX:VCR) and Heartware (ASX:HTW). [ + ]

Dr Jonas Alsenas has resigned as CEO and director of Melbourne based Prana Biotechnology (ASX:PBT; NASDAQ:PRAN), with Geoffrey Kempler re-assuming the joint positions of executive chairman and CEO. [ + ]

Victoria won't meet its objective of becoming a top five global biotech location by 2010 if Victorian biotech companies fail to attract expansion capital, according to a report released today by the Committee for Melbourne (CfM). [ + ]

Greg Williams is Psiron's (ASC:PSX) new chief financial officer, a position he commenced on June 14. [ + ]

Assoc Prof Shaun Jackson, from the Australian Centre for Blood Diseases at Monash University, has won this year's Amgen Medical Research Award for the discovery and development of a new treatment for coronary heart disease and stroke. [ + ]

Australia and New Zealand research and funding agencies are joining hands across the Tasman for a major genomics project on the animal on which both nations' economies were founded -- the sheep. [ + ]

Sydney-based biopharma Apollo Life Sciences has closed its AUD$9.5 million initial public offering early and heavily oversubscribed, its underwriter Blackwood Capital said. [ + ]

The Minister of Education, Science and Training, Dr Brendan Nelson has announced a total of 24 Federation Fellowships in Canberra early in June. The Australian Government, through the Australian Research Council, will provide A$40 million for new Fellows over the next five years.

Mesoblast (ASX:MSB) has appointed Dr Tamara Lewis as manager of clinical and regulatory affairs. [ + ]

Just under a week since Richard Opara stepped down from his role as interim chairman of Polartechnics (ASX:PLT) and resigned as director on June 8, his company Patonville, has served a requisition on Polartechnics to convene an Extraordinary General Meeting. [ + ]

Perth biotech Solbec Pharmaceuticals (ASX:SBP) has been granted an Australian patent covering aspects of the manufacturing, purification process and formulation of the active pharmaceutical ingredients of the company's lead compound Coramsine. [ + ]

The Australian Centre for Research on Separation Science (ACROSS) at the University of Tasmania has opened a new million-dollar laboratory to develop and manufacture microfluidics chips capable of analysing samples thousands of times smaller than a drop of water. [ + ]

Eleven new ARC centres of excellence and 24 federation fellowship receipients will share $162 million in federal government funding. [ + ]

Melbourne based Metabolic Pharmaceuticals (ASX:MBP) has lifted its trading halt and reinstated its shares on the ASX's official quotation following the completion of a AUD$10 million private placement and the offer of a $10 million share purchase plan. [ + ]