MIT scientists model the enucleation of red blood cells in vitro.

Small changes in the drug discovery and development process can yield significant benefits in bringing new drugs to market, Merck Research Laboratories president Peter Kim told a recent conference.

Philanthropists Eli and Edythe Broad have announced a second US$100 million gift to the Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard.

New chips, new terminology -- 'ecogenomics' -- and the latest installment of J Craig Venter's travelogue of discovery highlighted the opening day of the 16th International Genome Sequencing and Analysis Conference, being held in Washington, DC, last week.

Researchers at the Wolfson Institute for Biomedical Research at University College London have developed a test to detect cancer of the oesophagus which could improve survival rates.

Five centres will form a network to conduct large-scale genome sequencing projects designed to expand knowledge of human health and disease, the National Human Genome Research Institute (NHGRI) announced.

Prof Alex Matter, the Novartis scientist who spearheaded the discovery of the breakthrough cancer treatment Glivec (imatinib), has been named the inaugural director of the new Novartis Institute for Tropical Diseases (NITD) in Singapore.

Shimadzu Biotech, the bio-IT arm of Japan's Shimadzu Corp, and Boston-based start-up GenoMems have signed a deal under which the two companies plan to develop and commercialise a fast DNA sequencer.