The Federal House of Representatives agreed in principle on Monday night to pass the Research Involving Embryos Bill, voting 103 in favour to 36 against. But debate continued on the controversial bill as the first of a series of amendments was proposed. [ + ]

ASX-listed biotechs released a flurry of final results last week, with most companies meeting expectations for expenditure, revenues and losses. [ + ]

Queensland company Benitec has developed a new method of knocking out genes in animals, combining its proprietary RNA interference (RNAi) technology with standard transgenic techniques. [ + ]

CSIRO nanotechnology expert Dr Vijoleta Braach-Maksvytis has been appointed to a new, part-time role as head of the Office of the Chief Scientist, to assist Chief Scientist Dr Robin Batterham. [ + ]

An independent study of a polymeric antimicrobial drug made by WA-based company Chemeq has demonstrated that it significantly increases weight gain in chickens compared with two leading antibiotics used as growth promoters. [ + ]

Australia's premier science research agencies have been freed of the mandatory need to earn up to 30 percent of their government-supplied income from external sources. [ + ]

Traces of the controversial genetically-engineered US corn StarLink have been found in Australia's food matrix. [ + ]

CSIRO Plant Industry is helping to 're-green' Australia by using soil bacteria to establish healthier native trees more quickly.

Sydney biotech company and antibody specialist Peptech has secured a prize patent for its anti-TNF antibody technology in the United States, the world's most lucrative market. [ + ]

Melbourne-based EpiTan has appointed ex-CSL general manager Stanley McLiesh as a non-executive director. [ + ]

Melbourne biotech company Genetic Technologies has become the sponsor of one of Victoria's most endangered animals, the brush-tailed rock wallaby. [ + ]

One of Australia oldest biotechs, Agenix Ltd, has produced extraordinary across-the-board results on booming sales of its blood clot diagnostic and infant hygiene products. [ + ]

Brand new labs on the fifth floor of the Baker Medical Research Institute have become the new home for Melbourne biotech company Cytopia. [ + ]

Progen Industries has posted a 58 per cent year-on-year revenue gain, due largely to the performance of its life sciences business, particularly its contract drug manufacturing unit. [ + ]

Listed company Peplin Biotech is proving that requests for fresh funds by young biotechs whose products are far from market-ready aren't receiving an automatic thumbs down from investors. [ + ]