Scientists at Rochester Institute of Technology in the US are developing the next generation of solar cells, advancing the technology that could put a solar power system into earth's orbit.

Melbourne-based biotech Autogen plans to spend the proceeds of a $AUD6.65 million capital raising on expanding globally, including upgrading a level 1 American Depositary Receipt (ADR) Nasdaq listing to a level 2 ADR listing during the coming year and actively seeking new partners and possible acquisitions. [ + ]

Greenpeace Australia Pacific has signalled that it will step up its campaign to block the introduction of genetically modified canola into Australia, by advertising for a new anti-GM campaigner. [ + ]

Listed biotech Ambri Ltd has laid off 15 staff in response to unexpected manufacturing problems in scaling up its biosensor technology for commercial production. [ + ]

A Princeton chemist has developed a general mathematical system for designing materials that perform two functions at once, even when the desired properties sometimes conflict with each other.

An Australian scientist has made a discovery which is electrifying world fungal biology - a new truffle genus related to the famous Amanita family, or fairy toadstools.

A senior UNSW researcher is part of an international science collaboration, funded jointly by the European Union and the Australian Government under the Innovation Access (International Science and Technology) program, to study drinking water risk management.

Australian Biotechnology News will be closed for the holidays, until January 6, 2003. [ + ]

Milk is the first food that any mammal tastes, a fluid perfectly formulated by nature for the nutritional and developmental needs of newborn mammals. [ + ]

A young biotech that is developing technology to improve racehorse performance is easily outpacing the field when it comes to attracting development funding. [ + ]

Listed company BioProspect has signed a pact with a second major drug developer interested in testing its library of compounds extracted from Australian plants. [ + ]

CSIRO is losing the services of one of the country's premier biostatisticians, Dr Mervyn Thomas, who is leaving to launch his own consultancy in the private sector. [ + ]

Researchers, funded by Meditech, at Curtin University of Technology in Perth have identified carbohydrate compounds that specifically bind to proteins involved in asthma, atopic dermatitis and other inflammatory responses. [ + ]

Singapore-based stem cell company ES Cell International (ESI) has acquired patent rights to technology relating to the transformation of stem cells into insulin-producing cells from US company Curis. [ + ]

A number of listed biotechs named by the Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC) as facing potential solvency problems are crying foul. [ + ]