The Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation (ANSTO) is this week celebrating 50 years since the Atomic Energy Act, 1953, was passed by the Federal Parliament.

Australian stem cell company BresaGen has demonstrated functional recovery from the effects of Parkinson's disease in a rat model treated with human dopaminergic neurons derived from human embryonic stem cells. [ + ]

A Sydney biotech conference has heard that the gold rush for venture capital in the US is becoming so constrained it makes sense to look at home. [ + ]

Researchers in Canada and the US have reported success in isolating and mapping a likely culprit for the recent outbreak of SARS. [ + ]

The Prime Minister has launched one of the largest targeted scientific research programs in Australia's history.

In the first piece of research into how genetically modified (GM) herbicide-tolerant crops could be used to benefit the environment, scientists have shown that creative use of GM crops could bring back increasing numbers of endangered wildlife and birds such as skylarks and finches in the UK.

Gene silencing company Benitec has taken a giant stride forward on the world stage by sealing a global licensing agreement for its technology with leading life sciences industry supplier Promega Corp. [ + ]

Biotechnology companies should make themselves aware of the new guidelines for corporate governance released by the ASX recently, says Chris Sotiropoulos, VP for commercialisation at Melbourne-based technology business development and commercialisation company Biocomm. [ + ]

Australian investors tend to adopt a herd mentality and this is making it difficult for listed Australian biotechnology companies to retain their liquidity and make inroads into the investment community, the Australian Stock Exchange's James Gerraty told attendees at an AusBiotech roadshow in Melbourne this week. [ + ]

Melbourne company Boron Molecular has named its new research laboratory in honour of the Japanese scientist whose reaction, the Suzuki Coupling, underpins the company's technology. [ + ]

In a move that caused a 35 cent jump in the company's stock price, Melbourne firm Circadian announced yesterday that it would buy back up to 10 per cent of the company's outstanding shares. [ + ]

BresaGen's negotiations to acquire the rights to US company Plurion's embryonic stem cell technology have hit a stumbling block, sending the two companies back to the table to restructure the deal. [ + ]

Blood diagnostics company Agenix is cutting itself loose from Synbiotics, the key distributor of its veterinary diagnostic products in US and European markets. [ + ]

Research at the University of Technology, Sydney, is helping scientists understand why some waterways remain mostly unpolluted despite being pumped with sewage and industrial and agricultural waste.

Despite rumours that Sirtex's Dr Bruce Gray is wanting to cash in his stake and sell out to established US pharma Cephalon, it appears he is still keen to steer his fledgling company towards a profitable future. [ + ]