UQ Institute to generate jobs and new industries for Queensland
Queensland's business community will receive a first-hand report of an $80 million Institute for Molecular Bioscience set to become a focal point for new industry generation in the State.
Members of the business community are encouraged to attend a University of Queensland Business Associates presentation about the new Institute's role on Wednesday, November 11, at Brisbane Customs House.
The University and CSIRO have joined forces to build the new Institute integrating genome (genetic) research with cell biology, structural biology and bio-informatics R&D.
The world-first Institute will be one of the nation's major engines of research and development (R&D) and is of great strategic importance in keeping the State globally competitive in biotechnology. It will lead to new industry and business enterprise, technology exports and jobs.
Director-designate Professor John Mattick will explain the relevance of the Institute's activities to all sections of the Queensland community.
Professor Mattick said the Institute would provide the enabling science and technology for understanding the biological processes integral to areas ranging from medicine and pharmaceuticals to agriculture and the environment.
"The revolution in biological knowledge and technology will have a huge impact on the Australian and world economy in the next century," Professor Mattick said.
"It has been rated as the third great technology revolution, following the Industrial Revolution and the Information Technology Revolution. All aspects of the economy involving biological systems, from medicine to the environment, will be fundamentally changed by these developments.
"This is probably Australia's best and last chance for the foreseeable future to participate in a major industrial and technological development."
UQ Business Associates president John Lyons said the presentation was of major importance for people from all levels of business (including professional service, the corporate arena, senior, middle and junior management).
University of Queensland Vice-Chancellor Professor John Hay has predicted that new industry will cluster around the Institute in the same way as the computer and biotechnology industries have clustered around Silicon Valley in the San Francisco region.
It will amalgamate a number of University research centres - the Centre for Molecular and Cellular Biology (CMCB) and the Centre for Drug Design and Development - and other University research groups.
"By being a major Australian player in this explosion of knowledge, the Institute will provide opportunities for the development of new biotechnology-based industries, including biopharmaceuticals and genetic diagnostics, and advanced strains of plants and animals that will revolutionise Queensland's primary industries," Professor Mattick, also CMCB director, said.
"Each of these sectors represents billions of dollars of potential economic activity and opportunity for Australia."
* The University of Queensland Business Associates presentation will be held from 5.30pm until 7pm on Wednesday, November 11, in the Art Gallery Annexe, River Level, of the Customs House, 399 Queen Street. For more information, contact Marina Ostash (telephone 07 3221 6621).
Media contact: Professor Mattick (telephone 07 3365 4446).
