Hair follicles may carry a special type of cell that has the potential to grow into various types of tissue, a finding that could lead scientists closer to a cure for baldness, according to US dermatologists. [ + ]

Ventracor (ASX:VCR) called a trading halt this morning in the wake of a newspaper report the company said "could be misinterpreted" to suggest a pilot trial of its VentrAssist heart device would be delayed. [ + ]

Commercialisation proceeds apace at Prima Biomed, which today announced an agreement with Canadian cancer vaccine specialist Biomira. [ + ]

Brisbane-based biotechnology company Promics has completed a pilot study examining the safety of its lead anti-inflammatory drug PMX 53 as a topical treatment for psoriasis. [ + ]

Metabolic Pharmaceuticals (ASX:MBP) expects to be able to submit an application for a Phase I clinical trial of its marine cone shell venom-derived pain drug ACV1 by the end of the year, after pre-clinical data demonstrated the activity of the drug against neuropathic pain. [ + ]

Scientists at the Monash Institute of Reproduction and Development are developing methods to screen cloned cattle embryos to identify embryos that show signs of abnormal imprinting -- a process that can lead to overgrown foetuses, placental problems and related disorders. [ + ]

A UK company has developed a device that enables vehicle engines to run at optimum conditions for fuel economy and emissions reduction, helping the environment worldwide. As well as that, the car’s performance is significantly improved.

Perth-based Stirling Products (ASX:STI) -- which debuted on the stock exchange last month via a backdoor listing -- has appointed London-based pharmacologist Prof Clive Page as non-executive chairman. [ + ]

Japanese instruments specialist Shimadzu Scientific and the US arm of Australia's Proteome Systems will tighten their US collaboration, announcing today that they have agreed to team up on the application support of their jointly-developed proteomics products, Xcise and Chip. [ + ]

China has the potential to be a lucrative market for biotechnology, with opportunities in biopharmaceuticals, agricultural biotechnology and industrial biotechnology applications, according to speakers at this morning's BioMelbourne Network breakfast. [ + ]

In an effort to protect Australia from an outbreak of avian influenza, CSIRO Livestock Industries and the Australian Biosecurity Cooperative Research Centre (AB-CRC) are developing 'quickie' diagnostic tests for the deadly H5N1 strain of the virus.

Public sector researchers and healthcare experts are concerned that gene patents will stifle research and cause problems affecting cost and access to genetic tests, according to a new discussion paper on gene patents released by the Australian Law Reform Commission. [ + ]

A company, created after researchers in the Monash University's pharmacy faculty invented a method for delivering drugs through the skin, has secured a multimillion dollar deal to develop its drug delivery system for treating female sexual dysfunction and menopause.

Brisbane-based gene technology company Benitec (ASX:BLT) today launched the first commercial gene-silencing vectors to emerge from its global licensing agreement signed with the US-based Promega Corporation in Madison, Wisconsin, in April last year. [ + ]

Everyone's favourite nightmare -- that they will be falsely diagnosed with a terrible disease because of a mix-up in blood or tissue samples -- is the target of Brisbane-based Ai Scientific's pathology specimen processing technology, which last week received a $3.33 million R&D Start grant from the federal government. [ + ]