The $120 million first stage of a new UQ centre will ease a chronic shortage of pharmacists and help to improve health care nationally and globally.
Queensland Premier Anna Bligh inspected the 1.7ha site of the Pharmacy Australia Centre of Excellence (PACE) on March 7, saying Queensland was about to realise a plan to lead the nation in bringing pharmacy education, research and industry together in one location.
"The University of Queensland will be the first cab off the rank with the relocation of its internationally-recognised School of Pharmacy to the precinct and a ramping up of its research into the Quality Use of Medicines," she said.
A first for the Asia-Pacific, PACE will combine Australia's leading pharmacy educators and researchers with key pharmacy professional organisations and commercial research and development groups.
UQ’s Deputy Vice-Chancellor (International and Development), Professor Trevor Grigg, said the Queensland Government made PACE possible by donating the land - which adjoins the Princess Alexandra Hospital in Brisbane - in 2001. Construction follows an agreement between UQ and Alba Capital Partners.
“The location has risen in strategic importance since the Government donated the land. It is now part of what will become a concentrated health and pharmaceutical version of Silicon Valley.
“PACE will be a stone’s throw from the planned Translational Research Institute, which will house UQ’s Diamantina Institute for Cancer, Immunology and Metabolic Medicine and scientists from the Mater Medical Research Institute, Queensland University of Technology and the Princess Alexandra Hospital,” Professor Grigg said.
UQ’s School of Pharmacy will move into Stage One, which is scheduled for completion in 2010. In anticipation of PACE’s extra capacity, UQ has increased new pharmacy student enrolments from 185 in 2006 to 246 in 2008. Numbers will continue growing in order to ease a widespread shortage of pharmacists that is estimated to reach 3000 nationally in 2010.
“Optimal health care requires multi-professional education as well as more graduates, and that is facilitated by co-locating education and research for health professionals in a centre such as this,” Professor Grigg said.
Michael Still, managing director of Alba, said the company is pleased to be working in partnership with UQ to provide Australia with an innovative and functional development that will set a global benchmark for medical research and education precincts.
“Alba is focused on a partnership approach as demonstrated by a history of successfully developed projects within the university sector,” he said.
“PACE will be a state of the art pharmaceutical research, education and drug commercialisation precinct cementing Queensland’s position at the forefront of medical research.”
PACE will complement and enhance UQ’s established strengths in biotechnology, nanotechnology and molecular bioscience.
The researchers attracted to it will include top Australian and international postgraduate students who want to develop new and improved pharmaceuticals as well as better results for consumers.
Stage one will cover 10,155 square metres including lab space, a 360 seat lecture theatre, other teaching facilities, offices, and basement parking.
Subsequent stages are envisaged to include up to 30,000 square metres to accommodate entities involved in health and pharmaceutical research and development and services.
“This unique project will eventually cover every aspect of the pharmaceutical production line from drug discovery to eventual use, offering world class, co-ordinated and cost-effective research and testing capability,” Professor Grigg said.
Other confirmed PACE partners and future tenants include The Pharmaceutical Society of Australia, the Society of Hospital Pharmacists of Australia and the Australian Institute of Pharmacy Management.
Media: Fiona Kennedy 07 3365 1088/ 0413 380 012
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