2006 Media Releases
Wednesday, 15 February 2006
La Trobe University research in new $20m AgriBiosciences Centre
Australian agricultural and biotechnology industries can expect significant benefits from La Trobe University research to be developed at the new $20 million Victorian AgriBiosciences Centre (VABC).
The research includes helping plants survive drought and cold, boosting their salt tolerance, controlling when crops flower, enhancing crop yields, reducing crop losses to pest and diseases and improving quality.
A dozen La Trobe University staff members and some 25 postgraduate scholars are involved in research projects connected with the new Centre.
The new Centre is located on La Trobe University’s R&D Park, on the main Melbourne campus at Bundoora. It was opened today (Wednesday 15 February) by the Premier, Mr Steve Bracks in the presence of the Minister for Innovation, Mr John Brumby and the Minister for Agriculture, Mr Bob Cameron.
La Trobe University provided $12 million towards the new building. Other contributors were the Victorian Department of Innovation, Industry and Regional Development ($5 million) and the Victorian Department of Primary Industries ($2.8 million).
Vice-Chancellor of La Trobe University, Professor Brian Stoddart, welcomed the arrival of the VABC as ‘a major building block in the future profile and development of the University.’
The two-storey building on two hectares of the La Trobe University 50-hectare R&D Park comprises 5,700 square metres of floor space for state-of-the-art research laboratories, offices and meeting spaces.
The VABC also houses a Research Hotel to provide an additional science and business incubator for the agricultural biotechnology sector on the La Trobe R&D Park.
The University already operates the successful Technology Enterprise Centre, (TEC) on the R&D Park and sees the VABC as a new advantage in moves towards enhanced commercialisation.
The VABC consortium comprises the Department of Primary Industries, La Trobe University, the Molecular Plant Breeding CRC, Florigene Ltd (a division of Suntory), Monash and RMIT Universities. The consortium is chaired by Professor Roger Parish, Head of La Trobe University’s School of Life Sciences.
Professor Parish said the primary objectives of the VABC are to act as a science and business incubator and to support research discoveries through conversion to delivery for the agricultural biotechnology sector.
‘The VABC co-locates and clusters academic and commercial research and development groups in the agricultural biotechnology sector, fostering an environment that promotes effective interactions, networks and the incubation of spin off companies.
‘We intend to grow the reputation of the facility as a location of world class research and development, adding to the international standing and competitiveness of the Australian agricultural biotechnology industry,’ Professor Parish said.
Two La Trobe University academic staff members are on the VABC Management Committee.
They are Professor Parish and Professor German Spangenberg, Research Director, Plant Genetics and Genomics of DPI, Research Director of MPBCRC and Director of the Plant Biotechnology Centre, who chairs the VABC Management Committee. La Trobe R&D Park Director, Ms Sue Bell, is also a committee member.
Professor Spangenberg said long-standing links with the DPI Plant Biotechnology Centre and the Molecular Plant Breeding CRC means scientists from these research agencies co-supervise La Trobe University postgraduate students. Collaborative links with industry have already resulted in a number of shared patents.
He said the VABC will significantly enhance the science and technology base and innovation capability of Australia’s agricultural biotechnology sector.
‘Co-locating academic and commercial R&D groups in this way fosters an environment that promotes effective interactions, networks and the incubation of spin-off companies. La Trobe University also provides opportunities for VABC tenants to collaborate with visiting scholars and to access overseas speakers for seminars, forums and conferences,’ Professor Spangenberg said.
Ms Sue Bell said the new Centre was a watershed in the trend to successfully combine research, academic and industry requirements into facilities that satisfy high-end research needs as well as the commercial demands of industry.
The VABC construction was managed by CRI Australia. Principal architects and consultants were S2F Pty Ltd. The builder was Hooker Cockram Projects Ltd.
For further information:
Professor Roger Parish, Tel. +61 3 9479 2228;
Professor German Spangenberg, Tel. +61 3 9479 2995;
Ms Sue Bell, Tel. +61 3 9479 1947.