Monash University's Biological Sciences will be offering a course entitled `Molecular Genetic Techniques for Plant and Animal Cell Biology'. The course will be held from 27 November to 1 December 2000.

Researchers at CSIRO Land and Water and the Bureau of Sugar Experiment Stations (BSES) say investigations into the link between low silicon and yield declines indicate it may be possible for farmers to lift yields by as much as 30-70% in affected soils by adding soluble silicon.

Virtek Vision International announced that it has acquired the biotechnology business of Engineering Services Inc. (ESI), a robotics and automation company.

The Centre of Evolutionary Biology and Biodiversity was launched at Adelaide University. The Centre represents a joint research initiative between Adelaide University, the South Australian Museum and the Plant Biodiversity Centre's Department of Environment and Heritage.

Disturbed solar conditions will be observed by the European Space Agency's Ulysses spacecraft which is making its second reconnaissance six years after it's first pass over the sun's poles.

Fast food is partly to blame for an increase in childhood asthma and other allergies, according to a study carried out in Saudi Arabia by a doctor from Aberdeen University, Scotland.

Merck and Shimadzu Scientific Instruments (Oceania) have formed a strategic alliance to provide the Australian chromatography market with chromatography consumables and instrumentation.

CSIRO research has reported that 90% of chemical insecticides have been eliminated from commercial orchards as commercial stone fruit growers use the pheromone method to disrupt the mating of insects.

A building which will support research and education in science, was opened at Adelaide University by Australian scientist Sir Gustav Nossal.

Researchers from the Central Queensland University (CQU) School of Biological and Environmental Sciences, have discovered what seems to be the first known case of flies that attack and kill marine snails. The discovery was made while a research project was being conducted in the Keppel Sands mangroves, north of the Tropic of Capricorn in Queensland.

Progen Industries has announced the commencement of two new studies of its drug compound PI-88 in treating two major diseases, cancer and cardiovascular disease. The healthy volunteer studies have begun in England, and will be completed by early 2001.

Scientists at the University of Technology, Sydney have discovered important features of the structure of the molecule responsible for rejecting chemotherapy in up to 50% of cancer patients. Researchers have debunked previous notions of the structure of this molecule, called P-glycoprotein, in studies that has now been validated by research institutes in Europe and the USA.

A greenhouse which uses sunlight to turn salt water into fresh water for growing vegetables or drinking purposes has been developed.

Micromass UK, a division of Waters (USA), have acquired Mass Analyser Products (MAP).

Astronauts on an extended tour of duty aboard the international space station to be launched in November, face many dangers, including cancer, according to researchers at the UNSW School of Biochemistry.