Caroline Kovac, the US-based business leader of IBM's Life Sciences division, says Australian biotechnology should remember it is playing in a global market and consider its strengths, including a good education system and strong scientific base. [ + ]

The latest gilt-edged donation to Queensland from a charity founded by US businessman Charles Feeney will kickstart construction on a $70 million Institute of Health and Biomedical Innovation. [ + ]

Hearing impaired Australians should have access to free cochlear implant processor upgrades, according to a Labor MP. [ + ]

The Victorian Government's Science, Technology and Innovation division has advertised five newly created roles as it works towards implementation of its Biotechnology Strategic Development Plan. [ + ]

A million-dollar grant from GlaxoSmithKline has allowed the Institute of Respiratory Medicine to set up a scientist exchange program to allow Australian scientists to travel and work overseas and to bring international scientists to work at the institute. [ + ]

University of Adelaide's new vice-chancellor, Prof James McWha, is a plant biologist with plans to strengthen the university's already large contributions to research and development. [ + ]

An Australian researcher at the Australian Institute of Marine Science (AIMS) has solved the medical mystery of the death of an East Timorese man from what appeared to be poisoning in late 2000. [ + ]

A survey of 7500 Australians on the issue of when an embryo is considered to be human has shown that most people do not believe a human is created at conception. [ + ]

A children's research institute with a strong focus on gene therapy and stem cell work has declared it does not support human embryonic stem cell research. [ + ]

A Western Australian research project into the use of carotenoids as a treatment for prostate cancer has been shelved because of the halt to the Federal government's R&D Start program. [ + ]

Sample capacity is at the heart of the decision on what capillary electrophoresis system best fits a lab's needs. [ + ]

Capillary electrophoresis (CE) is a technique that allows researchers to separate analytes based on their differential mobilities in aqueous media when an electric field is applied. [ + ]

The worldwide market for genomics equipment and services used to accelerate drug discovery and development is forecasted to increase from $US987 million this year to more than $US2 billion in 2007, according to a new study by US company Front Line Strategic Consulting. [ + ]

Kinacia's chief executive officer Dr Ross Murdoch has jumped ship to join Alzheimer's disease treatment developer Prana Biotechnology in a newly created role. [ + ]

Mandatory, industry-wide food labelling laws would be unworkable and create huge costs for businesses and consumers, according to Australia's peak food authority. [ + ]