Industry News
Gene drive blocks malaria transmission in mosquitoes
Californian researchers have made a major advance in the use of genetic technologies to control the transmission of malaria parasites in mosquito populations. [ + ]
500 m-tall coral reef discovered in Great Barrier Reef
Scientists have discovered what they claim is the first detached reef to be found in more than 120 years — and it's taller than some of the world's most prominent structures. [ + ]
Aus Govt secures two more COVID-19 vaccine agreements
The Australian Government has secured 50 million more doses of COVID-19 vaccines, as a result of new agreements with Novavax and Pfizer/BioNTech. [ + ]
New blood test predicts severity of COVID-19 infections
The Dublin-Boston score is claimed to accurately predict how severe infection will be on day seven after measuring the patient's blood for the first four days. [ + ]
Wirano: a digital platform for organising clinical trials
A Dublin-based tech start-up has announced the launch of Wirano — a digital platform for the rapid and effective organisation of clinical trials. [ + ]
Algorithm helps optimise culture conditions for cell therapy
Researchers have devised a computational biology algorithm that can predict what molecules are needed to keep cells healthy in laboratory cultures. [ + ]
Pawsey's new supercomputer to power Australian research
The Pawsey Supercomputing Centre has selected HPE to deliver its new supercomputer, featuring significantly increased compute power. [ + ]
'Undruggable' oncogene inhibited in promising cancer trial
A novel agent that targets a mutated form of the KRAS gene — the most commonly altered oncogene in human cancers — shrank tumours in most patients in a clinical trial. [ + ]
Steroid boosts survival of premmies in low-resource settings
Dexamethasone can boost survival of premature babies when given to pregnant women at risk of preterm birth in low-resource settings. [ + ]
Cancer cells traced back to their tumour of origin
Researchers have traced cancer cells back to their tumour of origin by detecting an overexpression of fibroblast growth factor receptor in both the cancer cells and the tumour. [ + ]
Rapid COVID-19 tests to be rolled out in Africa
The rollout of new, World Health Organization-approved, antigen-based rapid diagnostic tests for COVID-19 in Africa is expected to significantly boost testing capacity. [ + ]
2020 Prime Minister's Prizes for Science awarded
A team that was instrumental in the world-first detection of gravitational waves has won the 2020 Prime Minister's Prize for Science. [ + ]
Bacterial metabolism of soy may lower dementia risk
A metabolite produced following consumption of dietary soy may decrease a key risk factor for dementia — with the help of the right bacteria. [ + ]
Droplets of fat help us fight infection
Droplets of fat inside our cells are helping the body's defence system fight back against infection, serving as both a food source for and a weapon against bacterial invaders. [ + ]
Ultratough pollen grains turned into soft particles
Scientists have found a way to turn ultratough pollen into a soft and flexible material, using a simple chemical process akin to conventional soap-making. [ + ]