A cutting-edge University of Queensland program which will create new jobs, and targets ways to handle the mass of data arising from biotechnology research received a major funding boost this week.
The University attracted $1.236 million over three years in the inaugural Science Lectureships scheme for a project entitled: Data Mining and Visualisation in Biotechnology.
"We're looking at how to sensibly handle ways to extract, interpret, and apply the enormous amount of information arising from the new science of genomics, which is the code which makes up life," project researcher Professor Kevin Burrage said.
"Data mining is extracting information from large data sets, while visualization means interpretive analysis."
Vice-Chancellor Professor John Hay said the program would assist in establishing an exciting new area of study at The University of Queensland. It would provide a unique opportunity for Australia to establish world-class programs in computational biology (bioinformatics).
"These skills are highly sought world-wide, and the opportunity to gain such skills in Australia will attract graduates of the highest quality into science," he said.
"It represents a multidisciplinary approach combining areas in which the University already has sigificant international reputation for excellence - High Performance Supercomputing and Communications and Biotechnology," he said.
The program will enable the University, in partnership with industry, to develop and deliver innovative education and training programs in computational biology.
Professor Hay said the program would provide for six new lectureships. The University's commitment to the program was demonstrated in its continued support after three years so that top class staff could be appointed immediately on a five-year basis.
The project is headed by Professor John de Jersey and Associate Professor Susan Hamilton of the University's Biochemistry Department, and Professor Burrage of the Advanced Computational Modelling Centre in the Mathematics Department.
Industry and government partners include Boeing, Bureau of Sugar Experimental Stations, Celera Genomics Corporation, CSIRO, MSI, PE Biosystems, Queensland Agricultural Biotechnology Centre, Queensland Department of Natural Resources, Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service, SGI and Sun Microsystems.
UQ has also been named a partner in three other projects in the scheme announced to date, with the value of the four projects totalling $3.45 million.
Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Research) Professor Paul Greenfield said the projects reflected the strength of the University's research and teaching across a diverse range of fields. The key outcome will be graduates who possess multidisciplinary skills required by industry. Direct industry participation ensures programs will be highly relevant," he said.
The projects in the technology and general sciences sections of the scheme are:
o A Monash University $1.350 million project, Building the Internet Workforce to develop core teaching resources for teaching software, network and application developers in the Internet workforce. The materials will be used in universities, TAFE and some secondary schools. Partners also include the Australian Computer Society, Australian Information Industries Association, Compuware Asia Pacific, Distributed Systems Technology Centre, ISOC (Internet Society), Internet Industry Association, New South Wales State Government, Sun Microsystems, the Victoria State Government, and the University of Sydney.
o A La Trobe University $517,100 project, Educational Invitation to meet an Industry Imperative to develop a graduate certificate, postgraduate diploma and Masters course in Telehealth/E-Health to be offered across three universities. Other partners with UQ include Ericsson Australia, Data General, Apple, Sun, Microsoft, Therapeutic Guidelines Ltd, Victorian Department of Human Services, Health Issues Centre, Chronic Illness Alliance, MS Society of Victoria, Telehealth Victoria, VTEL Corporation and University of Southern Queensland.
o A $351,198 University of Adelaide project, Cognition and Applied Decision Making to develop teaching materials and programs in cognition and applied decision making to meet learning needs in the Defence Science and Technology Organisation and other organisations. Partners include UQ, the Australian Research Council Key Centre for Teaching and Research in Human Factors and Applied Cognitive Psychology at UQ, the DSTO, University of Melbourne and La Trobe University.
The University is awaiting word on applications in the rest of the project categories - biotechnology, physical sciences, health sciences and engineering - which are believed to be announced at intervals over the next week.
Further information: Professor John Hay, telephone 3365 1300, Professor Paul Greenfield, telephone 3365 3917.
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