This is a new feature where we will highlight some of the week’s top biotechnology stories.

“US Biopharma: nearly 300 Vaccines in R&D,” PharmaTimes

US biopharmaceutical companies are developing nearly 300 vaccines for the prevention and treatment of a wide variety of diseases, according to new industry data.

Stay tuned for an upcoming vaccine production series on The Dish

“Stem Cell Agency CIRM Earmarks $30M to Woo Biopharma, VCs,” San Francisco Business Times

A $30 million effort from California’s Stem Cell Research funding agency will dole out awards to help biotech or pharmaceutical companies or venture capital firms take research into early clinical trials.

If you like this story, please see our stem cell blog titled “Exciting Treatment Possibilities With Stem Cells What is the Best Cell Culture Method”

“Human Genome Most Lucrative on Record Biotech Premiums,” Bloomberg

Drug companies are in such need of the latest experimental therapies to replace medicines losing patent protection that even a 68 percent takeover premium for Human Genome Sciences Inc. isn’t enough.

If you like this story, please see our blog titled “CHO Cells the Top Expression System of Best Selling Biologic Drugs”

“George Rathmann, Amgen Chief, Dies at 84,” New York Times

George B. Rathmann, who was the first chief executive of Amgen and helped build it into the world’s largest biotechnology company, died on Sunday at his home in Palo Alto, Calif. He was 84.

“Lab Mistakes Hobble Cancer Studies But Scientists Slow to Take Remedies,” Wall Street Journal

In hundreds of documented cases that undermine a broad swath of research, cancer samples that were supposed to be one type of tumor have turned out to be another, through either careless laboratory handling, mislabeling or other mistakes.

If you like this story, please see our blog titled “Has Your Research Been Compromised? The Role of Cell-Line Authentication”