Editorial, News, Bio shares, Biocomputing, Meetings, Product news, Provocation

Australasian Biotechnology, Volume 8 Number 3, May/June 1998, pp. 130-147 Editorial, News, Bio shares, Biocomputing, Meetings, Product news, Provocation Code Number:AU98021 Sizes of Files: Text: 100K Graphics: No associated graphics files FROM THE PRESIDENT The ABA - Helping to put Australia on Biotechnology's World Map In June the ABA is leading a group of Australian organisations with interests in biotechnology to the BIO Conference in New York. This is the major annual conference for the biotechnology industry, and a great opportunity to showcase our activities. NEWS 1998 Australia Prize Awarded in 1998 for excellence in the field of Molecular Genetics The 1998 winners: Professor Elizabeth Blackburn Professor Suzanne Cory Professor Sir Alec Jeffreys Professor Grant Sutherland The Faulding Florey Medal The Hon Dr Michael Wooldridge, the Minister for Health and Family Services, established the Florey Centenary committee to organise appropriate events to celebrate the life and work of Australia's most eminent scientist, Howard Florey. Howard Florey's contribution to world history was the development of penicillin, the substance that initially freed humankind from the fear of minor infection and assisted the UK and the USA in their victory in WWII. There would be very few people who at some time in their lives have not been administered antibiotics in a particular form. DNA Testing Joins Fight against Illegal Trafficking of Wildlife Technology is set to become the central tool in the fight against the illegal trade of Australian wildlife. A new DNA typing laboratory and databank is being set up at Queensland University of Technology's School of Life Sciences in Brisbane. Over the next 18 months, under the direction of the school's Associate Professor Peter Timms, the University will work with the Queensland Department of Environment to help stamp out and deter the illegal trade in wildlife. Fish Farming for the Year 2000 An exciting new research program in aquaculture is underway that will allow the use of a simple growth factor test to fine tune the environmental and nutritional conditions for fish farming. The project being carried out by the newly formed aquaculture group of the CRC for Tissue Growth and Repair will help fisheries management to maximise their output. News from America News from America reproduced with acknowledgement from The Bowditch Group Electronic Ag Biotech Newsletter 138, 25 April 1998 BSE Surveillance - Australia A ProMED-mail post In 1988, the United Kingdom reported that it had identified a new disease in cattle and called it bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE). It was postulated that the disease was caused by a scrapie-like agent and was being spread by the feeding of rendered meat meal and bone meal to cattle. In rapid succession, spongiform encephalopathies were recognised in ruminants in zoos, and in domestic and wild cats. 1999 French Government Scientific Fellowships In 1999, the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs will offer a limited number of scientific fellowships, managed by the Embassy of France in Canberra, to young qualified scientists involved in French-Australian research projects. The fellowships are tenable for 3-6 months duration and to be taken up between February and December 1999. Australian Academy of Science International Exchange Programs - Science and Technology The Australian Academy of Science administers exchange programs which support collaborative research between professional Australian scientists and technologists and their colleagues in the UK, France, Germany, Korea, Taiwan, China and Japan. The 1998 Clunies Ross National Science and Technology Awards The Australian Biotechnology Association is an accredited member of the Ian Clunies Ross Memorial Foundation and congratulates all the Award winners. New CSIRO Focus on Sustainable Energy Research CSIRO is to undertake a major new drive in sustainable energy research and development, according to Dr John Wright. The newly-named CSIRO Energy Technology, previously CSIRO Coal and Energy Technology, continues CSIRO's strong tradition of research in support of industries associated with energy production, says Dr Wright, Chief of Energy Technology. Science Alliance to Boost Coverage Five major science groups announced on 29th March that they have formed a new coalition to promote the public understanding of science and technology in Australia. The first event the Committee will oversee is a three-day forum in Melbourne from May 7 to 10 called Science NOW! CRC for Industrial Plant Biopolymers Record Breaking Fermentation Run at Yarraville CRC researchers recently passed a major milestone in large scale plant cell culture, with the completion of a four month, semi-continuous fermentation program in a 1,000 litre fermenter. Announcing the achievement, Dr David McManus said that four months is about twice as long as the published record, and represents a significant step toward commercial operation. "We are confident that with this, and other process improvements under development, production of new biopolymers by large scale plant cell culture will soon be commercially feasible," Dr McManus said. A First Step Towards Engineering Improved Phosphate Uptake Among the trio of major plant nutrients, phosphorus is the most limiting compared to nitrogen and potassium. Many soils are low in phosphorus and even when it is abundant, uptake of this nutrient by plants can be tricky. Bioavailability of phosphorus is very critical in the acidic soils of the tropics where iron and aluminium interfere with its uptake. Thus, millions of acres of land in developing countries have phosphorus deficiency problems. Calcium-rich soils in the Southeast and Great Plains of the United States are also plagued with a similar problem. Rotavirus Vaccine shows Great Promise Rotavirus is the most common cause of severe diarrhoeal disease in infants all over the world and an important public health problem, particularly in devloping countries. The virus is believed to be responsible for 125 million cases of diarrhoea each year with 600,000 to 870,000 deaths. Progress in Development of Edible Vaccines The use of transgenic plants expressing antigens from pathogenic microbes has led to the idea of `edible' vaccines. Leading Immunologists to Run Course in Malaysia Leading immunologists, Abul K. Abbas and Martin Dorf from Harvard University, U.S.A. will be leading a course entitled "Immunology Update for Clinicians and Scientists" at the Paradise Malacca Village Resort, Malacca, Malaysia from October 30-November 1, 1998. EU Science and Technology EU Research Ministers have agreed an overall budget of 14 billion ECUs for the next EU Science and Technology research Programme (5th Framework Programme 1998-2002). Company News AMRAD Half Yearly Report to 31 December 1997 AMRAD Corporation Limited is an Australian pharmaceutical and biotechnology company with a mission to commercialise Australian biomedical research in world markets. Biotechnology Investments Limited Leads A$7 Million Investment in Florigene Biotechnology Investments Limited (BIL), a leading UK-listed investment company advised by the Rothschild Bioscience Unit (RBU), announced on 22 April that it has invested $5 million in Florigene Limited, a Melbourne-based biotechnology company specialising in the development of novel flowers for the international cut-flower market. Biota's Flu Diagnostic Test Filed in the United States Biota Holdings Limited announced on 11 May the filing for clearance to market its rapid diagnostic test for influenza, AB FLU OIA® with the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in the United States. This follows the recent filing with regulatory authorities in Australia by Glaxo Wellcome Australia of Biota's anti-flu drug, Relenza®. Optiscan Reaches Agreement with Olympus Optiscan Imaging Limited announced today that it had successfully resolved a patent infringement claim against Olympus Optical Co Ltd., the Japanese optical instrument company. Olympus recently launched a confocal microscope on to the US market which Optiscan believed infringed Optiscan's patents in the US and other overseas markets. SA Scientists Win $2.9 Million Grant to Develop Anti-Cancer Drug Clinical trials of a revolutionary anti-cancer drug being developed by South Australian scientists could begin this year with the help of Federal Government assistance. Biotechnology Market Leader Appoints Public Affairs Manager Monsanto Australia Limited announced the appointment on 24 March of Mr Nicolaas Tydens as the Public Affairs Manager for Monsanto's agricultural business in Australia. Roche Diagnostics and Boehringer Mannheim Businesses Merge in Australia The merger of Roche Diagnostics and Boehringer Mannheim Australia is now complete. This merger of the businesses in Australia has resulted in the following Roche Diagnostics Divisions: BIO SHARES Covering Australian Biotechnology Stocks - compiled by M.J. Playne Biocomputing BioGroup Molecular Modeling Electronic Conference Biotechnology Industrial Platforms Australian Academy of Technological Sciences & Engineering Current Contents Connect More New Web Sites MEETINGS Details of meetings from 10 August 1998 - 4 July 1999 Product News JOHN MORRIS New C-Line Shakers from NBS HASKEL INTERNATIONAL High/low pressure homogenizer design reduces capital and energy costs POLAROID Polaroid Aiding the Electronics Industry with Latest Digital Microscope Camera TRACE SCIENTIFIC Enzymatic Antimitochondrial Antibody (M2) Reagent Glucose - DST Reagent REGENT Regent Medical Warns Healthcare Providers of Glove Powder Hazards METTLER TOLEDO Weighing Sensors with MonoBloc Technology ABA OFFICE BEARERS PROVOCATION Food Labels As the European Union adopts a hard-line on the labelling of food containing genetically-engineered products, and the USA a less restrictive approach, the question arises of the use of such labelling restrictions as trade barriers. In Australia, we see a manufacturer of soy-based products planning to label that their products contain no genetically-engineered plants. Copyright 1998 Australian Biotechnology Association Ltd