Fungal sources of biofuel Starting Materials ( from the AUTM Newsletter)

Fungus research at Montana State could help biofuels production
Bozeman Daily Chronicle
Yellowstone's hot springs are a haven for researchers interested in the prevalence of life in some of the world's harshest environments. An acid-tolerant fungus living in the hot springs has researchers at Montana State University excited. The oil the fungus produces contains a ratio of oleic and steric acids that's nearly ideal for biofuels. FULL ARTICLE

Ethanol from Pines

UGA researchers develop 'super' yeast that turns pine into ethanol

Researchers at the University of Georgia have developed a "super strain" of yeast that can efficiently ferment ethanol from pretreated pine-one of the most common species of trees in Georgia and the U.S.  (thanks to Jeff Chatterton at www.checkmatebio.com.

The balance between IP rights and Access. (from AUTM Newsletter Jan 12, 2012.)

US competitiveness report shows struggle with balance of IP and access
Intellectual Property Watch
A new report from the United States Department of Commerce on competitiveness and innovation details the U.S. needs to boost innovation in order to compete globally and grow the economy. But while it stresses the need for strong intellectual property rights enforcement to create high-priced monopolies as an incentive for innovation, it also acknowledges that access to inexpensive technology and ideas is key to innovation and entrepreneurship. Furthermore, it shows that the rise in IP rights in recent years has been accompanied by a drop in innovation.

BAL launches seaweed biofuels pilot plant in Chile: next phase in chase for low-carbon fuels

BAL launches seaweed biofuels pilot plant in Chile: next phase in chase for low-carbon fuels 

 In Chile, Bio Architecture Lab broke ground on an experimental pilot facility producing ethanol from Macrocystis pyrifera (brown seaweed); to date, it is believed that only BAL’s technology can metabolize all the sugars in the feedstock, which contains up to 60 percent fermentable carbohydrates, has no lignin, does not require arable land use or freshwater to grow. (from www.checkmatebio.com )

Research Funding Cuts in Ontario

Ontario announced today that it would cut funding for research in universities and hospitals. Is this a sign of things to come in other provinces?

TED: Paddy Ashdown: The global power shift - Paddy Ashdown (2011)

TED: Paddy Ashdown: The global power shift - Paddy Ashdown (2011): Paddy Ashdown claims that we are living in a moment in history where power is changing in ways it never has before. In a spellbinding talk at TEDxBrussels he outlines the three major global shifts that he sees coming.

Executive Named New Head of Five-Member Canadian Wheat Board

A Regina business executive has been named chairman of the new, five-member Canadian Wheat Board.

Merck Plans R&D Center in China

Merck Plans R&D Center in China: Pharmaceuticals: Beijing will be U.S. firm’s R&D headquarters in Asia

Anode Material Could Help Lithium-ion Batteries Last Longer

Anode Material Could Help Lithium-ion Batteries Last Longer: Battery Materials: Tiny porous germanium particles hold promise for high-energy batteries

When Viruses Invade the Brain

When Viruses Invade the Brain:

Neurodegenerative diseases were once considered disorders of the mind, rooted in psychology. Now viruses rank among the environmental factors thought to trigger brain-ravaging diseases such as multiple sclerosis (MS) and Alzheimer’s disease. Human herpesvirus-6 (HHV-6), in particular, has been linked to MS in past studies. Neuroscientist Steven Jacobson and his colleagues at the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke have determined that the virus makes its entry to the human brain through the olfactory pathway, right along with the odors wafting into our nose.

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Solar Paint Converts Light to Electricity

Solar Paint Converts Light to Electricity:

Instead of installing solar panels on your roof--how about just giving your house a new paint job? Of course you’d have to be sure to use solar paint. That’s what a group of Notre Dame researchers has created, detailing the recipe in the journal ACS Nano . [Matthew P. Genovese, Ian V. Lightcap, and Prashant V. Kamat, " Sun-Believable Solar Paint. a Transformative One-Step Approach for Designing Nanocrystalline Solar Cells "]

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Charges Brought In UCLA lab Death

Charges Brought In UCLA lab Death: Lab Safety: UC system, professor face felony counts in death of Sheri Sangji

This is quite a serious event. It may well redefine the Prof/student relationship for everyone.

Carbon Layer Lubricates All-Metal Hips

Carbon Layer Lubricates All-Metal Hips: Discovery could lead to longer-lasting hip implants