SciDev.Net

Can Brazil use its booming economy and abundant natural resources to become a life sciences juggernaut, asks Gene Russo.

Yvo de Boer, the UN climate chief, speaks to SciDev.Net about getting clean technology into the developing world.

Leading geneticist Samir Brahmachari explains why India should kickstart a new open source approach to drug discovery for diseases like TB.

Traditional healers are joining forces with plant chemists in Kenya to develop antimalarials isolated from plants, reports Tatum Anderson.

The debate goes on over China's ongoing production of malaria monotherapy, which is thought to promote drug resistance. Jane Wu reports.

By setting up a comprehensive R&D centre in China, Swiss drug giant Novartis breaks a longstanding trend. Richard Stone and Hao Xin report.

Anuradha Alahakoon reports from rural Sri Lanka on how simple, effective science has boosted traditional methods of harvesting sap from 'treacle trees'.

As three Andean nations forge ahead with free trade agreements with the United States, Lisbeth Fog reports on the implications for healthcare, research and regional stability.

Are South Africa's science policy choices hindering its drive to commercialise research and speed development? Sonja van Renssen reports.

Mary Moran argues that profits are not the only way to spur research into neglected diseases; non-profit public-private partnerships have much to offer.

India's biotechnology sector is thriving, but K. S. Jayaraman asks whether simply increasing investment will be enough to sustain it.

Using India's indigenous knowledge system to develop new drugs is far from easy, reports T. V. Padma.

Bonwoo Koo and colleagues review intellectual property legislation on plants and their products.

Paul Mooney reports on efforts by Chinese drug manufacturers to tighten the criteria applied to patent applications by foreign companies.

Victor Bwire describes how small-scale farmers across Africa can access high yielding crops under a special arrangement linking the needs of farmers with better farming methods and technologies.

Vibha Varshney describes the difficulties faced by those assessing the quality of herbal medicines in India, and the need for legislation to standardise these products.

Linda J Demaine and Aaron X Fellmeth describe a test that can be used to distinguish products of nature from patentable inventions.

Erik Stokstad reports that a foundation to be opened later this year will help African scientists gain access to new technologies.

Dennis Normile reports that Swiss drug giant Novartis is setting up a private non-profit institute in Singapore dedicated to discovering better treatments for neglected diseases.

Leena Chakraborty and Nitin Sethi investigate what makes basmati a clear winner among grains and India a loser in international trade.