Singapore's efforts to become a global hub for the biomedical sciences faced its first major hurdle last week with the sacking of world-renowned British neurologist, Dr Simon Shorvon, from his post as the director of the National Neuroscience Institute. [ + ]

A leading US bioethicist has praised Australia's new stem cell laws, describing them as enlightened. [ + ]

Singapore-based CordLife is looking to establish a local cord blood facility for as a precursor to expanding Australian operations in stem cell (haematopoietic stem cells or HSC) research. [ + ]

Further to moves by shareholder Australian Heritage Group (AHT) to shake out the board at VRI BioMedical, the war of words has intensified after a flurry of shareholder requisitions, withdrawals and accusations flying between the two companies. [ + ]

Western Australian mining-turned biotech company Solbec Pharmaceuticals has severed its last links with the minerals industry in a move it has signalled as "showing the market all our past history has gone." [ + ]

Artificial heart company Ventracor has been selected by Standard & Poor as one of its basket of standard stocks used to gauge market activity. [ + ]

The Koala Research Centre, hosted by Central Queensland University and based in Rockhampton, is undertaking a study of koalas in north-western Queensland to understand how this unique koala population is surviving alongside a rapidly developing agricultural and mining region.

Rock pool slime could hold the secret of a cure for the hospital 'superbug' MRSA, scientists say. Scottish researchers have found several types of bacteria, which, together, act as a powerful natural antibiotic against MRSA (methicillin resistant staphylococcus aureus), one of the biggest problems affecting hospital hygiene today.

A Sydney epidemiological study has given further weight to a theory that exposure to non-viral respiratory infections in childhood may protect against asthma later in life. [ + ]

CSIRO's highly successful alliance with Bayer CropScience has been extended in an agreement that will deliver benefits to farmers and grow Australia's R&D capabilities.

One of the stars of Queensland’s biotech industry, biopharmaceutical company Alchemia, has sent shock waves through the sector by slashing staff by 30 per cent. [ + ]

Eiffel Technologies has entered into a collaboration with US drug delivery company Aradigm Corporation. [ + ]

Norwood Abbey has spun out its immunology project into a separate company, which will be listed in Europe or the USA within the next 12 months. [ + ]

The three-dimensional structure of the anti-apoptosis protein Bcl-w has unexpectedly revealed a protective 'tail' which sits in a groove preventing cell death from being triggered accidentally, explaining why attempts at designing drugs capable of specifically triggering cell death may be more challenging than first appreciated. [ + ]

One of the fathers of Queensland's biotech industry, Prof Peter Andrews, has been hired by New Zealand to pinpoint promising opportunities for colloboration between the two regions. [ + ]