Australasian Biotechnology,
Volume 8 Number 2, March/April 1998, pp. 66-85
Editorial, News, Bio shares, Biocomputing, Books, Meetings,
ABA office holders, Issues.
Code Number:AU98013
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Text: 122K
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FROM THE PRESIDENT
A lot is happening at the ABA. In the last 6 months we have lost
two Presidents, Graeme
Woodrow and Ian Nisbet, to fresh fields overseas. Both Graeme and
Ian were not only skilled
scientists in our currently too sparse biotechnology industry,
but also tireless workers for the
good
of this industry.
NEWS
Florey Centenary
South Australian-born Howard Florey was born 100 years ago. He
joined the team that took
Alexander Fleming's discovery of penicillin on to
commercialisation as the world's first
antibiotic.
Along with Fleming and Ernst Chain, Florey won the Nobel Prize
for Medicine.
Science Policy Geared to Election "Decks Cleared for
Action": FASTS
The new science policy document released recently by
Australia's peak council for
scientists and
technologists is geared to an election in 1998.
Alzheimer Collaboration
Biotechnology firm Biota Holdings Limited today announced it
will work with the
Howard Florey
Institute of Experimental Physiology and Medicine on the
development and commercialisation
of a
treatment for memory-related disorders, including Alzheimer's
Disease.
Money for Health Partnerships to Boost
Exports
Multinational health care companies will be encouraged to work
with Australian
manufacturers in
a $500,000 project to develop, adapt and export locally-made
medical products.
Genetic Screen Success
Finalist for Australian Technology Award
PreScreen, an innovative and non-invasive screen for detecting
serious fetal genetic
diseases as
early as six weeks into a pregnancy, should be ready for testing
in selected medical centres
later
this year.
Delft Study Tour
In July 1998 a delegation of the Kluyver Institute for
Biotechnology will visit Australia.
Brewing Research International's new Director
General's "down-under"
tour
"I was impressed by the level of technological expertise I met
and the advice I was given
which
has helped define and focus our research programmes. There was an
air of excitement and
openness to technological exploration and change (dare I say it!)
untrammelled by the
sometimes
over-cautious traditions of much of Europe".
More Meat, Less Gas from Cattle
A team of Australian and Japanese scientists are investigating
ways to cut global
greenhouse gas
emissions from cattle, while increasing the amount of meat and
milk they produce.
Irish Biotech News
An Irish Bio-Industries Association is in the process of being
formed. The organisation,
BioResearch Ireland (BRI) recently celebrated its 10th year of
operation.
Fighting Tooth Decay with Eucalyptus
Japanese researchers have found that eight compounds from
eucalyptus fight off the
bacteria that
cause tooth decay and gum diseases. Extracts of the plant might
well become dental drugs for
humans.
Bioethics Group Finds "No Objection" to Human Gene
Patents
A group of ethics advisers to the European Commission in
Brussels says that it has found
no
ethical reason why a human gene should not be patented by its
"discoverer" if it can be shown
that
it has a function with a specific industrial application.
Non-Regulated Status Gains Ground in the U.S.
Non-regulated status of many agricultural plants which have
been modified genetically is
rapidly
gaining ground in the USA. The USDA is granting this status for
crops such as Roundup®
- ready
corn, as it considers that the glyphosate-resistant corn did not
pose a plant pest risk. Once
passed
by the FDA and that there no issues raised, the companies
involved will market the seed to
farmers in the US.
Probiotic E. Coli
Food Regulation Weekly
Probiotic E. coli bacteria that kill E. coli
0157:H7 in cattle's
rumen and
colon is being developed
by Michael Doyle, director of the University of Georgia's Center
for Food Safety and Quality
Enhancement.
IP and the Bt Gene
Ag Biotech Reporter summarised in its March 1998
issue the legal battle
that has
been going on
since October 1997 between Mycogen Corporation and Monsanto and
others.
News from Bowditch Group AgBiotech Newsletter 136
COMPANY NEWS
Biota - Half Yearly Financial Statements
Biota Holdings Limited has lodged its results for the half
year ended 31 December 1997.
Industry R&D Board Announces Successful Innovation
Investment Fund Managers
The Industry Research and Development (IR&D) Board today
announced five
successful
applicants who will be offered the opportunity to negotiate a
licence to operate a fund under
the
Government's early-stage venture capital initiative, the
Innovation Investment Fund (IIF)
program.
Hyal Pharmaceutical Issues Action Plan
Hyal Pharmaceutical Corp's Board of Directors have approved an
action plan for the
corporation
following in the wake of their decision to discontinue the
development of Hyanalgese-D and
the
resultant subsequent sharp decline in the company's share price.
The primary intention of a
five-point plan is to preserve their cash position while working
to maximise the value of the
company for shareholders.
Agen Sought by Biotech International
The WA-based company, Biotech International, launched a $15.7
million takeover bid to
Agen recently.
GroPep Expands for the Future
Biotechnology company, GroPep Pty Ltd, is expanding its
operations, and announces the
appointment of Richard England as Independent Chairman.
Faulding's Half Yearly Announcement
BIO SHARES
Covering Australian Biotechnology Stocks -
compiled
by M.J. Playne
ASIAN NEWS
A Better Method to Control Dengue
Dengue and dengue haemorrhagic fever (DF/DHF) are viral
syndrome caused by the
dengue
viruses and transmitted by mosquitoes of the Aedes
species.
Private Sector in Malaysia Spending More on
R&D
The recently announced results of the 1996 National Survey of
Research and
Development in
Malaysia indicated that the amount invested by the private sector
in R&D activities has
increased
significantly by 62% since 1992.
Malaysia Needs to Boost the Number of
Scientists
A recent survey by the Malaysian Science and Technology
Information Centre (MASTIC)
revealed that presently the country only had a ratio of five
researchers for every 100,000
workers.
Malaysian Biodiversity Policy in the Works
Malaysia's national policy on biological diversity was
recently approved by the cabinet and
will
become the cornerstone of all future socio-economic development
projects in the country.
ABA NEWS
14th Conference Major Success
The 14th Australasian Biotechnology Conference held at
Glenelg, Adelaide during the
week of
19th - 24th April has been a triumph for the organisers. The
Organising Committee chaired by
Dr
John Smeaton, and ably led by Dr Chris Franco, has set standards
previously not met in
Australian
conferences.
ABA Extraordinary General Meeting
A special meeting of the Association was held on Wednesday,
22nd April 1998 at Glenelg.
New Office Bearers
REGULATORY NEWS
New Standard Proposed for Food Produced using Gene
Technology
ANZFA - Australia New Zealand Food Authority released on
25 February 1998 a
"Statement of
Reasons - proposal P97 for recommending Standard A18-Foods
produced using Gene
Technology".
Federal Government-Funded Research Schemes
Large Grants
Research Fellowships
International Research Fellowships
Strategic Partnerships with Industry-Research and
Training
(SPIRT) Scheme
Australian Postgraduate Awards (with
stipend)
Australian Postgraduate Awards (without
stipend)
Overseas Postgraduate Research
Scholarships
Small Grants
Research Infrastructure
Research Centres
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Researchers
Development
Special Research Initiatives
International Research Projects
Biocomputing
New Internet Site Honours Howard Florey, Australian
Creator
of Penicillin
A new Internet site detailing the life and achievements of
Howard
Florey, was
launched on 26 Feb
in Adelaide by the Federal Minister for Health and Family
Services, Hon Dr Michael
Wooldridge.
Biotechnology Education Web Sites Aimed at Schools
and
Colleges
Asian Development Bank
Conferences
KPMG's Biotechnology Report
Nova Science in the News
List Servers - Electronic Maillist Discussion
Groups
BOOKS
Nine books of general interest to biotechnologists are reviewed.
MEETINGS
Details of meetings from 3 June 1998 - 8 September 2000.
Product news
JOHN MORRIS
The Celligen Plus from NBS
METTLER TOLEDO
InLab Electrodes Designed to Meet Your
Demands!
PROTECTOR TECHNOLOGIES
New `Softstream' Non-Aerated Eye/Face
Wash
TRACE SCIENTIFIC
Enzymatic Antimitochondrial Antibody (M2) Reagent
ABA OFFICE BEARERS
ISSUES
Biotechnology YES, A Scheme for
Australia?
Copyright 1998 Australian Biotechnology Association Ltd.
