11 February 2010
The London BioScience Innovation Centre (LBIC) is pleased to announce the launch of its Business Support Network.

This network brings together a number of professional service providers and offers a broad package of business support specifically designed to meet the needs of overseas lifescience companies who wish to establish a presence in Central London and avoid the risks often associated with setting up in a new and challenging market.

If you have company contacts who would benefit from a London address and access to a package of discounted business support services please feel free to forward the attached flyer appropriately.

For a full list of participating organisations and discounted services to LBIC clients please visit:
www.lbic.com/business-support-network

04 August 2009
Replacement teeth grown in mice
BBC News

Researchers in Japan have successfully grown replacement teeth in mice, according to a report in PNAS journal.

03 August 2009
Scientists halt epilepsy in mice
BBC News

Scientists have prevented epilepsy caused by a faulty gene from being passed down the generations in mice. The key gene, Atp1a3, regulates levels of chemicals such as sodium and potassium in brain cells. It has long been suspected that an imbalance of these chemicals may cause some cases of epilepsy.

02 August 2009
Flawed gene link to ovary cancer
BBC News

Scientists have identified a genetic flaw which can increase the risk of ovarian cancer. The international team of researchers, led by UK scientists, looked at the DNA of 17,000 women for their study.

02 August 2009
Protein 'key to premature births'
BBC News

Premature labour, the major cause of death and disability among babies, may be prevented by blocking a key protein, a study suggests. Infection is now a recognised trigger of preterm birth, but some women seem to go into labour early even when the infection is trivial.

16 July 2009
ChemAxon launches JChem for Excel

Introductory Webinar, 21 July 2009, 11am EDT
User workshop at US User Group Meeting; September 15-16, San Diego, CA

ChemAxon, a software solutions provider for cheminformatics, today announced the launch of JChem for Excel. The add-in for Microsoft Excel® brings all of the capabilities and performance of the JChem and Marvin platform to Excel® users. The product will be introduced at a free webinar on July 21st and Workshop at the US UGM, September 15-16, San Diego, CA.

Marvin & JChem is a software suite used throughout life science research for working with chemistry and chemical structures. Marvin let's users draw and visualize structures and reactions, JChem is used for structure management and search, structure based prediction, library enumeration and library profiling.

Although only version 1, JChem for Excel already has advanced integration including; full support for structures (view, edit, search, order and manage), import/export a wide range of chemical file types or access remote databases, populating cells with structure based prediction results and R-group decomposition.

Speaking at the launch, Alex Drijver, CEO of ChemAxon commented "This is a game changing product, with Instant JChem desktop application already established and now JChem for Excel, we are well positioned to solve problems across the range; from end users on the desktop to system architects developing platforms."

JChem for Excel will be introduced and demonstrated at a free public webinar on July 21st at 11:00 AM EDT. To participate please register at this link: https://www2.gotomeeting.com/register/808831642

JChem for Excel will also be demonstrated at ChemAxon's US User Group Meeting on September 15-16, San Diego, CA. To find out more see: http://www.chemaxon.com/UGM/09/US/index.html

To download and freely evaluate JChem for Excel, please visit our website:
www.chemaxon.com

About ChemAxon
ChemAxon is a leader in providing cheminformatics software development platforms and applications for the biotechnology, pharmaceutical and agrochemical industries. With core capabilities for structure visualization, search and management, property prediction, virtual synthesis, screening and drug design, ChemAxon focuses upon active interaction with users and software portability to create powerful, cost effective cross platform solutions and programming interfaces to power modern cheminformatics and chemical communication. For more information please visit www.chemaxon.com.

07 July 2009
Scientists claim sperm 'first'
BBC News

Scientists in Newcastle claim to have created human sperm in the laboratory in what they say is a world first. The researchers believe the work could eventually help men with fertility problems to father a child.

06 July 2009
Call for tougher gene test rules
BBC News

The private gene testing industry must be more tightly regulated, peers say. The House of Lords Science and Technology Committee said a code of conduct was needed to stop bogus claims being made.

17 June 2009
Top 6 drugs tipped to be biotech products by 2014
Reuters

The world's six biggest-selling drugs in 2014 will all be biotech products, underlining the importance of the sector for the global pharmaceuticals industry, according to an analysis published on Wednesday.

26 May 2009
WHITE PAPER: Youth Careers in Life Sciences in Europe , YEBN

From the 11th to the 13th of February, 2009 the first Youth Conference on Careers in Life Sciences in Europe took place in Frankfurt . Thirty young scientists from different European countries discussed with stakeholders from institutions, universities and companies with the aim to tackle major obstacles on the career paths of young scientists in the field.This document represents the results of the meeting in the form of proposals for action to be carried out by European and National institutions, Universities, companies' organisations, and scientists' networks.

Read the whole document HERE.

28 April 2009
Corn fortified with vitamins devised by scientists
Los Angeles Times

The genetic breakthrough marks the first time multiple vitamins have been engineered into a single plant. The enhanced crops would be a particular boon to diets in developing countries.

24 April 2009
Merck KGaA Launches Strategic Venture Capital Fund
Merck

Merck KGaA announced the formation of 'Merck Serono Ventures', a strategic, corporate venture capital fund to invest in emerging biotechnology companies. The fund will support biotech start-up companies that have the potential to provide innovative products in the Merck Serono division's core therapeutic areas, in particular in Neurodegenerative Diseases, Oncology and Autoimmune & Inflammatory Diseases. 'Merck Serono Ventures' also will target companies developing innovative technologies that could enable the discovery and development of new products in Merck Serono's core therapeutic areas.

24 April 2009
Chemist Cites Advance in Stem-Cell Field
The Wall Street Journal

Scientists have reprogrammed mature skin cells into an embryonic-like state by using proteins instead of genes, a key advance aimed at overcoming safety concerns in one of the hottest areas of biological research.
The stem-cell field has long aimed to harness the master cells of a human embryo, which can be turned into heart, nerve and other types of tissue. The long-term hope is that such tissue could be used to test novel drugs, or be transplanted into patients to treat diseases. But because the cell extraction destroys the embryo, the technique has ignited much ethical controversy.)

24 April 2009
Merkel calls for calmer debate on GMO crops
Reuters

German Chancellor Angela Merkel on Friday warned against too much immediate hostility to crops containing genetically-modified organisms (GMOs). There must be an open political discussion about the risks and concerns about biotechnology, but the political level should not immediately give way to objections, she said at an event in Berlin.

23 April 2009
Scientists Milk Cow Genome to Build a Better Bovine
Bloomberg

The genetic blueprint of domestic cows has been decoded in a scientific feat that traces bovine evolution and may lead to more nutritious milk, meat and increased food supply, scientists reported.

16 April 2009
Glaxo, Pfizer to Merge HIV-Drug Units in Challenge to Gilead
Bloomberg

GlaxoSmithKline Plc, once the world's biggest maker of AIDS drugs, will form a new company with rival Pfizer Inc. to increase its share of the $12.3 billion HIV market now dominated by Gilead Sciences Inc.

14 April 2009
Transplants help Type 1 diabetics skip insulin
Yahoo News

People with type 1 diabetes who got stem cell transplants were able to go as long as four years without needing insulin treatments, U.S. researchers said on Tuesday.

13 April 2009
Drug offers hope on Alzheimer's
BBC News

A new drug which shows promise as a treatment for Alzheimer's disease has been developed by UK scientists.

1 April 2009
How infection may spark leukaemia
BBC News

Scientists have shown how common infections might trigger childhood leukaemia.

March 2009
Willy De Greef speaks with BBC TV about the EU's policy on GMOs
EuropaBio News

EuropaBio's Secretary General, Willy De Greef spoke with the BBC TV programme The Record last week. His contribution highlighted the fact that the recent decision taken by the EU environment ministers to vote against the European Commission's proposal that Hungary and Austria lift their illegal bans on GM crops flies in the face of science. He participated in a panel discussion along with MEP John Purvis, MEP Jorg Leichtfried and a representative of Friends of the Earth.

31 March 2009
Genes tell butterflies to head south
Yahoo News

LONDON (Reuters) - Scientists have uncovered a group of 40 genes that appear to make North America's monarch butterflies fly thousands of miles south each autumn.

30 March 2009
Scientists Identify More Breast Cancer Genes
Yahoo News

MONDAY, March 30 (HealthDay News) - U.S. researchers say they've spotted new gene variations that could boost the risk of sporadic breast cancer.

12 March 2009.
Biotech Industry Turns a Profit for the First Time, But Milestone Overshadowed as Companies Struggle for Survival, Report Finds Burill & Company
burrillandco.com

Biotech 2009 - Life Sciences: Navigating the Sea Change, the 23rd annual report on the biotechnology industry, released today, officially records that after 40-plus years since the industry began it finally turned a profit in 2008. Yet this "good news" story has been overshadowed by the events that besieged the industry in the final four months of the year.

12 March 2009.
Roche's $46.8 billion Genentech deal outshines others
Reuters

It is buying up less than half of Genentech Inc (DNA.N) for a whopping $46.8 billion, but Switzerland's Roche Holding AG (ROG.VX) may have clinched the best of this year's three big drug deals. Roche said on Thursday it had agreed to acquire the 44 percent of shares in the U.S. firm it does not already own for $95 each, ending a long pursuit of the U.S. biotech group and its lucrative cancer drugs.

11 March 2009.
U.S. lawmakers propose generic biotech drug plan
Reuters

U.S. lawmakers unveiled a bipartisan proposal on Wednesday to allow government approval for cheaper copies of biotechnology medicines that cost as much as tens of thousands of dollars per year.

11 March 2009.
Experts use nanotech to deliver anti-cancer genes
Reuters

British scientists said on Tuesday they had developed a treatment that transports anti-cancer genes selectively into cancer cells using nanotechnology.

9 March 2009.
Obama lifts research restrictions on embryonic stem cells
New Scientist

Stem cell biologists in the US have been waiting for this day for almost 8 years. With the stroke of a pen, President Barack Obama this morning removed the limits on federal funding of research on human embryonic stem cells (ESCs) imposed by his immediate predecessor.

9 March 2009.
Stem cell research among most cited papers in biomedicine
Reuters

Even while controversy and legal obstacles have impeded research on embryonic stem cells in recent years, the basic concept - creating cells that can morph into any tissue type - has been the subject of vigorous investigation. The Thomson Reuters site Science Watch www.sciencewatch.com tracks research by means of "citation analysis" - identifying the scientific papers that are most frequently read and footnoted by other scientists. By this measure, stem cell research has been highly visible in recent years.

2 March 2009.
Canadians make stem-cell breakthrough
The Globe and Mail

In 'great advance' to research, scientists discover new technique that safely turns skin cells into stem cells, removing risks and complications involved in using the technology

27 February 2009
Alzheimer's plaques 'big impact'
BBC News

The sticky amyloid plaques linked to Alzheimer's disease may have a more widespread impact on the brain than thought, American research suggests.

26 February 2009
Rapid HIV evolution avoids attack
BBC News

HIV is evolving rapidly to escape the human immune system, an international study has shown.The Nature study highlights just how tough it could be to develop a vaccine that keeps pace with the changing nature of the virus.

26 Ferbruary 2009
Stem cell research supporters offer Senate bill
Reuters

Two prominent supporters of stem cell research said on Thursday they had reintroduced a Senate bill that would allow federal funding for human embryonic stem cell research, in anticipation of President Barack Obama's support for the work.

26 Ferbruary 2009
Finding genes that make teeth grow all in a row
Yahoo News

Ever wonder why sharks get several rows of teeth and people only get one? Some geneticists did, and their discovery could spur work to help adults one day grow new teeth when their own wear out.

25 February 2009
Is the EU on track to end the 11 year moratorium on new cultivation approvals for biotech crops?
EuropaBio, the European Association for Bioindustries expresses disappointment that the Member States could not reach agreement to approve these products, despite the many scientific confirmations of the safety of two biotech maize products. The products should now be voted on by Ministers at an upcoming Environment Council meeting.

"Today's vote demonstrates that several Member States are prepared to stand by the science and support farmers' access to safe products. We urge more Member States to vote according to the scientific assessments of EFSA, the calls from Europe's farmers1 and the agricultural community for more choice and put an end to the 11 year moratorium on new biotech crops for cultivation", says Nathalie Moll, Executive Director of Green Biotechnology Europe at EuropaBio. "In so doing, these Member States would give farmers new tools to meet the dual challenges of feeding a growing population and minimising the impact of farming on the environment", she added.
EuropaBio supports the Commission in achieving its goal of ensuring the proper functioning of the biotech approval system established by the Member States themselves. When these biotech cultivation applications are voted in Council next, Member States are urged to follow EU law and approve these products without further and unjustified delay.

25 February 2009
EU deadlocks on gene-altered corn
Herald Tribune

European Union experts deadlocked Wednesday over whether to allow gene-altered corn seed to be marketed within its borders, setting the stage for a political showdown between governments. The two strains of corn seed, one produced by Pioneer Hi-Bred International, a unit of DuPont, with Dow AgroSciences, and another strain by Syngenta, would be the first to be approved for growing in Europe in a decade.

24 February 2009
Researchers make nerve cells from new "stem" cells
Reuters

Researchers said on Tuesday they had made a type of nerve cell out of ordinary skin cells in a new approach to stem cell research. They made motor neurons out of induced pluripotent stem cells, or iPS cells -- a type of cell made from ordinary skin cells that resembles human embryonic stem cells.

24 February 2009
Gene could allow lab-grown teeth
BBC

Scientists believe they have found a way to grow teeth in the laboratory, a discovery that could put an end to fillings and dentures. The US team from Oregon have located the gene responsible for the growth of enamel, the hard outer layer of teeth which cannot grow back naturally.

18 February 2009
Stem cell 'cure' boy gets tumour
BBC

A boy treated with foetal stem cells for a rare genetic disease has developed benign tumours, raising questions about the therapy's safety.

16 February 2009
EU experts clash over France, Greece GM maize bans
Reuters

EU biotech experts failed to muster enough consensus on Monday to approve an order for France and Greece to lift their bans on growing genetically modified maize, sending the decision to ministers, the EU executive said.

15 February 2009
Cancer 'danger receptor' found
BBC

A "danger receptor" that may kick-start an immune reaction to cancer in the body has been found by UK researchers.

14 February 2009
Biotechnology's potential barely exploited: scientists
Yahoo news

New research tools will bring a boom in biotechnology that will unlock the enormous potential of using synthetic life to cure disease and develop environmentally friendly fuels, scientists say.

9 February 2009
Japan scientists identify enzyme that may suppress cancer
Reuters

HONG KONG (Reuters) - Scientists in Japan have identified an enzyme which appears to suppress breast cancer and they hope the finding will spur new therapies to control the second most common cancer in the world.

4 February 2009
Mosquito genes could be target in malaria fight
Yahoo news

Researchers say they have identified genes that make some African malaria-carrying mosquitoes resistant to insecticide, and hope the breakthrough could boost efforts to prevent the deadly disease.

2 February 2009
New AIDS approach disrupts patient's DNA
Yahoo news

California biotechnology company Sangamo BioSciences Inc. said on Monday it will start human testing of a new approach to treating the AIDS virus that involves deliberately damaging the patient's DNA.

2 February 2009
Animal-human clones don't work: study
Reuters

Researchers who tried to use mouse, cow and rabbit eggs to make human clones said on Monday the effort failed to produce workable embryos but added that they showed human cloning should work in principle.

EuropaBio has launched www.bio-economy.net, a website which opens the door to the biobased economy and offers the opportunity to explore the applications and benefits of biobased products

EuropaBio, the EU association for bioindustries, is delighted to announce the launch of www.bio-economy.net. Prepared as part of the EU FP6 project White Biotech TP (integrated in the European Technology Platform for Sustainable Chemistry) the website opens the door to the biobased economy and offers the opportunity to explore the applications and benefits of biobased products. It also allows users to take a look at what's happening in the EU Member States in the area of research and innovation for industrial biotechnology and biobased products, and provides information about important developments at the policy level to boost the bioeconomy.

30 Januay 2009
EU to debate cloning for food, wary of trade impact
Reuters

EU regulators will discuss again in a few months whether to allow meat and milk products from cloned animals into the food chain, despite local consumer opposition and inconclusive data, officials said on Friday.

30 Januay 2009
Stem cell transplants show promise for MS: study
Reuters

U.S. researchers have reversed multiple sclerosis symptoms in early stage patients by using bone marrow stem cell transplants to reset the immune system, they said on Thursday.

29 Januay 2009
Firm hails dog clone breakthrough
BBC

A South Korean firm says cloning pets could become cheaper in future thanks to a new technique it has developed.

28 January 2009
Government touts science for all
BBC

The government has launched a campaign to reduce public perception of science as "elitist". The Science [So What? So Everything] campaign is being run by the Department for Innovation, Universities and Skills (Dius).

28 January 2009
Key food, biofuel crop sorghum's genome deciphered
Reuters

Scientists have deciphered the genetic make-up of sorghum, a drought-tolerant crop and important food and biofuel source, and said the breakthrough could help develop better crops for arid regions.

26 January 2009
Surrounded by friends? It's all in your genes
Reuters

Are you a social butterfly, or do you prefer being at the edge of a group of friends? Either way, your genes and evolution may play a major role, U.S. researchers reported on Monday.

23 January 2009
FDA allows first test of human stem cell therapy
Reuters

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has cleared the way for the world's first study of human embryonic stem cell therapy, Geron Corp said on Friday.
The California biotechnology company plans to start a clinical trial to try to use the stem cells to regrow nerve tissue in patients with acute spinal cord injury.

23 January 2009
US to carry out first human stem cell trials
Yahoo News

US biotech firm Geron Corp. announced on Friday it had been cleared to carry out the first human trials using embryonic stem cells, testing the therapy on patients paralysed by spinal-cord injury.
The Menlo Park, California firm said in a statement that the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) had cleared it for the first phase of trials of a novel therapy called GRNOPC1

22 January 2009
Worm gene offers clues to nerve cell repair: study
Reuters

Researchers believe they have found a potential way to regenerate nerves by stimulating a gene and said on Thursday they hope their work in worms may some day help people with spinal cord injuries.
The gene is part of a network, or pathway, of four genes that appear to be essential for nerve repair, they reported in the journal Science.

21 January 2009
Targeting Cancer's Own Stem Cells to Fight Recurrence
Yahoo News

Scientists have located a group of cancer stem cells or "tumor-initiating cells" which, when targeted with a reprogrammed herpes virus, are prevented from turning malignant.
The finding bolsters the theory that cancer harbors its own secret cache of stem cells that are resistant to conventional therapies and responsible for tumor re-emergence.

15 January 2009
FDA to adopt more transparent process for GE animals
Reuters

The Food and Drug Administration said on Thursday it would make the process it uses to approve genetically engineered animals more transparent, but consumer groups expressed concern the government was not going far enough to protect the pubic.

7 January 2009
Study unlocks mystery of child leukemia relapse
Yahoo News

A certain gene abnormality raises the chance of relapse for children with the most common form of childhood cancer, a discovery that could change the way doctors treat them, U.S. researchers said on Wednesday.

7 January 2009
9 Genes Are Linked to Alzheimer's
Yahoo news

Researchers have identified nine genes that might make people more likely to develop Alzheimer's disease.

9 January 2009
Breast cancer gene-free baby born
BBC

The first baby in the UK tested before conception for a genetic form of breast cancer has been born.
Doctors at University College London said the girl and her mother were doing well following the birth this week.

7 January 2009
FDA rolls out next-generation review system
BIO SmartBrief

The FDA is rolling out its "21st Century Review Process," which is expected to improve product review workflow timelines and lead to more first-cycle product approvals. However, two parts of the FDA Amendments Act -- the Risk Evaluation and Mitigation Strategies and the advisory committee requirement for most novel products -- could make it difficult for the agency to meet its deadline goals, this RPM Report analysis says.The RPM Report (free registration)

5 January 2009
Cancer cells 'cheat suicide call'
BBC

Cancer cells cheat death by reversing a process which causes normal cells to commit suicide at the end of their natural life, scientists have shown.

5 January 2009
Tests helps tease out 'good' stem cells from cancer-causing ones: study
Google News

TORONTO - One of the big worries about one day using stem cells to grow new organs and other tissues for curing disease is that these little regenerative powerhouses could give rise to tumours and end up doing more harm than good.

4 January 2009
Nano device 'times drug release'
BBC

US researchers say they have harnessed the power of gold nanoparticles to devise a better way of delivering drugs to treat diseases such as cancer.

2 January 2009
Antibiotics before infections save lives: study
Reuters

Giving antibiotics to patients in intensive care units as a precaution saves lives, according to a major Dutch study published Wednesday.The findings in the New England Journal of Medicine suggest the benefits of administering antibiotics right away, even before an infection develops, outweigh the risks people will develop resistance to them, the researchers said.

01 December 2008
Antioxidants 'cannot slow ageing'
BBC News

Diets and creams claiming their antioxidant properties could cheat ageing may be worthless, a study says. Using Nematode worms, scientists found even those given enhanced antioxidant powers to deal with tissue damaging "free radicals" did not live longer.