Prion-like proteins may hold the key to understanding how the brain forms lasting memories, according to the Nobel prize-winning researcher from Columbia University Prof Eric Kandel, who is in Australia for the Australian Neuroscience Society conference in Melbourne this week. [ + ]

The Murdoch Children's Research Institute (MCRI) in Melbourne has entered into an alliance with international clinical trials organisation Quintiles to bring international paediatric clinical trials to the institute's clinical trials group. [ + ]

Melbourne pharmaceutical company BioDiem has listed on the Australian Stock Exchange (ASX:BDM), cashed up with AUD$12 million to fund its research and development program. [ + ]

Researchers with Sydney meditech company Sirtex Medical (ASX:SRX) have decided to continue development of a radical new therapy that would destroy liver cancers with focused heat, after its researchers reported encouraging progress in solving technical problems involved in scaling up the technique from animals to humans. [ + ]

Researchers from the Women's and Children's Hospital (WCH) Adelaide, as part of an international collaboration, have identified a gene implicated in a type of intellectual disability called Sutherland-Haan Syndrome. The syndrome was first identified by and named after Professor Grant Sutherland and Associate Professor Eric Haan, from the WCH Adelaide, South Australia.

Sydney-based bioseparations specialist Gradipore (ASX:GDP) claims to have successfully completed proof-of-principle studies demonstrating scale-up of its Gradiflow technology to commercial levels. [ + ]

The University of Melbourne, Monash University and the CSIRO have joined forces to provide AUD$15 million towards the initial beamlines planned for the Australian Synchrotron project, currently under construction at Monash University. [ + ]

Last week, ResMed's California-based chairman and CEO Dr Peter Farrell was in his usual stirring form at a Melbourne speech, referring to Australia as "Botswana" and the nation's flag as a "dog's breakfast". But perhaps he was just getting it all out of his system one last time -- on Monday, Farrell was named a Member of the Order of Australia (AM), one of the top gongs in the annual Australia Day honours [ + ]

Technological advances designed to help scientists solve big problems by gaining a better micro-view of the world is the theme of a conference being held at Deakin University's Waterfront Campus in Geelong, from 2- 6 February.

Despite contingency planning, Australia remains highly vulnerable to an influenza pandemic should the deadly strain of avian influenza burning through Asian poultry farms mutate to a form capable of direct human-to-human transmission. [ + ]

The board of Melbourne nanotechnology company Starpharma (ASX:SPL) has been given the discretion to give up the company's pooled development fund (PDF) status if it becomes necessary. [ + ]

It's a Gollum of a pathogen: sneaky, tough, persistent, and able to remain hidden from its host's immune system as it goes about its nefarious business. [ + ]

Queensland Premier Peter Beattie has pledged that his government, if re-elected, will contribute AUD$20 million towards the cost of a $60 million brain research institute at the University of Queensland. [ + ]

Macquarie University's decision to waive or reduce Higher Education Contribution Scheme (HECS) fees for some science and technology subjects is likely to have little impact on students' choices about where and what they study, according to a Melbourne expert on education policy. [ + ]

Sydney-based Gradipore (ASX:GDP) has entered into a non-exclusive distribution agreement with Sydney-based proteomics specialists Minomic to distribute its Gradiflow BF400 bioseparation instrument nationally. [ + ]