A young cooperative research institute in Western Australia is hoping wealthy philanthropists will help it plug a funding gap. [ + ]

An expert on genetically modified crops has dismissed claims by Greenpeace that last week's massive dust storm over eastern Australia disproved claims that GE canola pollen would not travel very far. [ + ]

In a newspaper opinion piece in March 2001, Genetic Technologies' executive chairman Dr Mervyn Jacobson defended the rights of US genetic testing company Myriad Genetics to charge high prices for its patented gene testing service for familial breast cancer. [ + ]

In 1881 an American, William Purvis, pocketed a handful of macadamia nuts from a tree in the Gold Coast hinterland and spirited them away to Hawaii. [ + ]

Australian sleep apnoea devices manufacturer ResMed has taken out the 2002 NSW Premier's Exporter of the Year Award as well as the award for the 2002 NSW Exporter of the Year in the Large Advanced Manufacturer category, which is for manufacturers with more than $20 million in annual sales. [ + ]

A new Australian developed device that boosts failing hearts while they repair themselves has won a silver medal in the Far Eastern Economic Review's annual Asian Innovation Awards. [ + ]

A conference in China attended by two Australian scientists may lead to closer links between the two countries. [ + ]

The outcome of a Senate committee inquiry into proposed embryonic human stem cell research legislation suggests it may require extensive surgery to pass a Senate vote. [ + ]

One of Australia's recurring agricultural problems is drought, and this year is no exception, with widespread drought conditions across many of Australia's prime agricultural regions. So it's not surprising to discover that developing drought-tolerant crops is a major target for breeders and agricultural biotechnologists around Australia. [ + ]

Melbourne biotechnology company EpiTan has received approval from the Royal Prince Alfred Hospital Ethics Committee in Sydney to proceed to Phase IIb clinical trials of its tan-inducing compound Melanotan next month. [ + ]

A cell-based cancer therapy developed by the Austin Research Institute and Prima Biomed subsidiary company Cancer Vac has passed through Phase I clinical trials with no signs of significant treatment related side-effects. [ + ]

The NSW government's new BioFirst biotechnology incubator is on track for its February 2003 opening and has made named a high-level tech transfer specialist as its associate director. [ + ]

The performance and pay of Biota Holdings' directors have been attacked by the drug discovery company's largest shareholder. [ + ]

Anti-cancer company Sirtex Medical has been given the green light to begin marketing and sales of its lead product SIR-Spheres in the European Community. [ + ]

Lab automation specialist Advanced Rapid Robotic Manufacturing (ARRM) is simultaneously winning professional accolades and expanding its revenue base. [ + ]