Stirling Products (ASX:STI) is topping up its coffers with an AUD$1 million placement to clients of stockbroker Taylor Collison. A total of 5 million new shares will be issued at $0.20 per share.

Perth-based Stirling Products (ASX:STI) and Sydney's Biosignal (ASX:BOS) have both made important moves to strengthen their intellectual property positions on their key technologies.

A new service has been established to give researchers and biotechnology companies access to drug discovery and bioinformatics tools.

Two Perth-based biotechs have made key executive appointments.

Perth-based Stirling Products (ASX:STI) is preparing for the first animal trials of its ST810 growth promotion agent in sheep.

Perth-based Stirling Products (ASX:STI) -- which debuted on the stock exchange last month via a backdoor listing -- has appointed London-based pharmacologist Prof Clive Page as non-executive chairman.

The Murdoch Children's Research Institute (MCRI) in Melbourne has entered into an alliance with international clinical trials organisation Quintiles to bring international paediatric clinical trials to the institute's clinical trials group.

The Victorian College of Pharmacy's AUD$17 million Centre for Drug Candidate Optimisation has been officially opened in Parkville.

Work will begin this year on a $AUD17 million Plant Biosciences Facility at LaTrobe University's Research and Development Park in the northern Melbourne suburb of Bundoora.

Melbourne's Bio21 project looks to be back on track with a restructured board, a newly approved business plan and orders in for some key new equipment.

'Victorians: Bright Ideas, Brilliant Future' -- a new innovation statement from the Victorian government announcing $310 million in new funding for science, technology and research initiatives -- was today launched by State Premier Steve Bracks and Innovation Minister John Brumby.