Footage captured 55 days apart show devastating impact of algal bloom
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10 hours ago
- Yahoo
Australian Life Sciences Venture Capital firm Brandon Capital announces Fund Six final close totalling over A$439m
MELBOURNE, Australia, July 24, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Brandon Capital, Australasia's leading life sciences venture capital firm, today announced the final close of its sixth fund at A$439 million. Joining existing investors Hesta, Host Plus, CSL and QIC are the WA Government and Australia's sovereign investor in manufacturing capability, the National Reconstruction Fund Corporation (NRFC). This final close of Brandon BioCatalyst Fund Six (BB6) will see Brandon Capital continue to invest in emerging biomedical technologies with strong commercial potential, translating these exciting discoveries into high-growth firms that positively impact human health. To date, Brandon Capital has raised over A$1 billion across previous funds with notable Fund Six investments to date including AdvanCell (radiopharma), PolyActiva (glaucoma implant), Myricx Bio (ADC) and CatalYm (oncology). Dr Chris Nave, Co-Founder and Managing Partner at Brandon Capital, 'We're excited to welcome the National Reconstruction Fund Corporation to our sixth fund, joining HESTA, Hostplus, CSL, QIC and the WA Government. Closing at $439 million, BB6 is our largest fund to date, and we remain committed to advancing breakthrough biomedical innovations through our unwavering scientific rigour and disciplined capital allocation, in pursuit of exceeding our investors' expectations.' The firm has a track record of advancing its portfolio companies to commercialisation. Recent Brandon Capital portfolio company announcements include FDA approvals for a hypertension therapy from George Medicines and a left ventricular cardiac resynchronisation device developed by EBR Systems, with Q-Sera's blood collection tubes that produce high-quality serum faster and more reliably, recently approved in Japan. Brandon Capital has an active portfolio of over 30 companies with 17 in clinical trials, four advancing or in-market, a promising preclinical pipeline and several actively contributing to Australia's high-skilled manufacturing sector growth. Collectively supporting over 270 high-skilled Australian jobs are: surgical imaging innovator, OncoRes Medical, which has developed the first 'real-time' in cavity probe to improve cancer surgery outcomes; late-stage biotech PolyActiva, which is developing a long-term treatment for glaucoma, the second leading cause of blindness; needle-free patch for vaccine delivery Vaxxas, and radiopharmaceutical company AdvanCell, which is developing novel therapies for the treatment of a range of cancers. NRFC CEO David Gall said, "Medical science has long development timelines, and it is important for the NRFC to make early and considered investments in the sector to attract the talent and capital that we will need to build our local commercialisation capabilities. If we want medical science jobs and industries to exist in Australia in ten years, we need to invest in them today." Brandon Capital, headquartered in Australia with offices in the UK and US, has established a transcontinental presence that strengthens collaboration across regions. Australian portfolio companies gain access to UK/EU/US capital, expertise, and pharma networks, while international companies benefit from Australia's world-class clinical trial and research capabilities. About Brandon Capital – Brandon Capital is Australasia's leading life sciences venture capital firm, with offices in Australia, New Zealand, the US and the UK. Its unique model includes proprietary deal flow through Brandon BioCatalyst, a collaboration of over 50 of ANZ's leading medical research institutions, and its immersive corporate services structure enables portfolio companies to focus on research commercialisation. With more than 30 active companies in its portfolio, Brandon Capital has been sourcing and supporting the transition of world-leading science into world-leading businesses for nearly two decades. For further information please contact Media – AustraliaKirrily Davis, E: kdavis@ M: +61 (0)401 220228 Media - InternationalSue Charles, Charles Consultants E: M: +44 (0)7968 726585 Chris Gardner, E: Chris@ M: +44 (0)7956 031077 About the National Reconstruction Fund Corporation (NRFC) The NRFC invests to diversify and transform Australia's industry and economy. It has $15 billion to invest using direct loans, equity investments and loan guarantees. The NRFC investment mandate covers seven priority areas including value-add in resources; transport; medical science; defence capability; renewables and low emission technologies; value-add in agriculture, forestry and fisheries; and enabling capabilities. The NRFC's role is to invest in Australian businesses and projects that design, refine and make in order to transform capability, grow jobs and a skilled workforce, and diversify our economy. NRFC is a corporate Commonwealth entity, established by the National Reconstruction Fund Corporation Act 2023 (NRFC Act) in September 2023. For more information, visit
Yahoo
13 hours ago
- Yahoo
Thousands of river pollution tests cancelled because of staff shortages
Thousands of water tests to identify potential harmful pollution in rivers, lakes and estuaries in England have been cancelled in the last three months due to staff shortages, the BBC has learned. The Environment Agency confirmed the cancellations after campaigners showed us internal emails and documents with plans for extensive cuts to monitoring programmes. The cancelled tests are for so-called inorganic pollutants - substances such as nitrates and phosphates that can indicate sewage or agricultural pollution. The EA says its testing programme "remains robust" but this week a landmark report said it had "struggled to effectively oversee and manage the water system". In the three months from May to July the water regulator says that 10,000 scheduled tests at its main laboratory at Starcross in Devon did not take place due to staff shortages. Others were combined with other tests or postponed in what the EA says was an "optimisation" process. The Environment Agency said seven national inorganic testing programmes had been completely "paused". They include programmes that track chemical pollution in rivers, lakes and estuaries as well as one that monitors the regulator's plans for dealing with drought. Jo Bradley, who worked at the Environment Agency's water quality team for more than 20 years, told the BBC: "Some inorganic substances, such as copper and zinc, are directly toxic to aquatic organisms, including fish and insects," "Others, such as phosphorus and nitrogen, are nutrients and they can affect river health when they are present in high quantities. "These substances must be tested routinely, at many hundreds of locations, so that we can see trends in river chemistry and quickly identify problems." The EA said it "paused" 17.5% of its inorganic testing at the Starcross Laboratory from May to July. Over the entire year it said it was expecting to operate at 15% below capacity. A spokesperson blamed the reduction in tests on "fluctuations in staffing capacity" and could not say when the laboratory would be working at full capacity again. Five key takeaways from the landmark water sector review Serious water pollution incidents up 60% in England, Environment Agency says Sewage discharges to halve by 2030, minister pledges Staffing problems are nothing new at the EA. In 2023 its chairman Alan Lovell told parliament that it had "struggled with recruitment and retention of staff". Internal emails obtained by campaign groups Greenpeace and Desmog through freedom of information requests were shared with the BBC. They show EA officials discussing the impact of staff departures on testing and saying that others planned to leave. One senior official, writing an email to her colleagues, said it was "not good news I'm afraid" adding "this isn't where we want to be (again)". Helen Nightingale, who worked at the Environment Agency as a catchment planner, analysing data from its water quality programme until 2022, says that while she was there she saw a shift of focus away from serious investigation to trying to find "successes". She also said that morale was low: "The pay is not great – we didn't have pay rises for years due to austerity, "But a lot people are in it [the EA] because they want to make a difference – and when you're not even getting that - well, what's the point?" Documents seen by the BBC show that the work affected by the cuts to testing this year included investigations into the water industry in various parts of the country, and monitoring of protected areas including the River Wye, which is currently facing a pollution crisis linked to intensive chicken farming. Stuart Singleton White from the Angling Trust which has been running its own citizen scientist testing programme., said: "This spring, while the EA cut 10,000 water samples, our Water Quality Monitoring Network collected its 10,000th. "Our latest annual report showed that 34% of sites breached "good ecological status" for phosphate, and 45% showed signs of nitrate pollution. Pollution is out of control, and extensive testing is key to addressing the problem." Singer-turned-campaigner Feargal Sharkey said the cancelled tests are further confirmation of the EA's limitations. "When is a regulator not a regulator? When it's the Environment Agency," Mr Sharkey told the BBC. "With impeccable timing the Environment Agency reminds us all of exactly why they to should be added to Sir Jon Cunliffe's bonfire of the quangos [the Water Commission]. Institutionally incompetent, complacent and discredited." This week, Sir Jon recommended that a single water regulator be created, with the EA handing over responsibility for monitoring water pollution. A spokesperson for the EA said: "We are committed to protecting the environment and water quality testing remains a top priority having received an extra £8m in funding." "Our water quality testing programme remains robust and prioritised on the basis of need - only a small proportion of tests were impacted by this issue, with no impact on pollution incidents and bathing water testing."
Yahoo
14 hours ago
- Yahoo
A shark attack survivor says to do this if you come face to fin with a great white
You're treading cold ocean water off Cape Cod and, suddenly, you're not alone - a great white shark has confused you for a bobbing grey seal, and is hoping for a lucky bite. What do you do? Former Australian Navy diver and shark attack survivor, Paul de Gelder, who lost his right hand and leg in a 2009 Sydney Harbor attack, says the key to ensuring your survival lies in your behavior. First, stay cool and collected, he told 'CBS Mornings' this week - no matter how hard that may be. "I know it goes against all natural instincts of preservation, not to panic, but that's the most important thing you can do," the 47-year-old said. 'You have to understand these sharks don't really know what you are, you're almost the same size as them, and they don't want to fight." Second, he said, be aware of where the shark is at all times by staring the apex predator down. 'They know when you're watching, they don't want to attack you when you're watching" he explained. Lastly, resist the urge to punch the creature — unless you absolutely have to. Pushing the sharks can guide them away from you, but divers advise people not to grab their faces. 'Because under their snouts are highly sensitive pores called the Ampullae of Lorenzini — tiny receptors that detect electrical signals. Touching that area can overstimulate them, causing a shark to reflexively open its mouth wide,' SDM Diving says. However, sharks respect size and power and people should not act passively during an encounter. Beachgoers have gotten away from sharks by taking swings at their noses and eyes. De Gelder tried to do the same, but was unsuccessful. Should the shark become aggressive, shark researcher Ryan Johnson previously told the BBC that people should try to do everything in their power and keep their hands out the animals' jaws. Ideally, they should use something hard to push the shark away. 'In a situation where you don't have that, going for the face and the gills and trying to keep your hands out of its mouth is always the best thing,' he said. Experts at the Florida Museum's International Shark Attack File say people should aim for the eyes and gills, but note that water resistance weakens a punch. Of course, the chance of any of this happening is incredibly remote. A human is more likely to bite you than a shark and a Stanford University report from 2015 found that surfers and scuba divers have a one in 17 million and one in 136 million chance of being bitten, respectively. More often than not, a bite is the case of mistaken identity and potentially the result of low vision in great whites. Last year, the number of unprovoked bites were significantly lower than average, in the U.S. and globally. There were 28 in the U.S., compared to the 36 reported in 2023. Still, to be safe, there are things people can do before they enter the water to minimize their chance of a bite, including not entering the water where there's a lot of fish, not going into the water alone or at dawn or dusk, when vision may be low. De Gelder, who is part of a new Discovery Channel special called 'How to Survive a Shark Attack,' previously told the Australian Broadcasting Company that he was wearing a wet suit and black fins, likely 'looking like an injured seal' to the shark that attacked him. "I want to show people by doing," he told CBS.
