Australian universities offer top teaching in the biotechnology field

Imagine a future where cancer can be cured, brain injury can be reversed and HIV/AIDS patients have a vaccine to make them well again. Or a world in which every country has clean, quality water, disabled people can control home appliances with their brainwaves and nutrients in food waste can be re-used in medicines and health supplements. Biotechnology can take us into this world.

Australian research is at the forefront of biotechnology innovation. Dr Tikki Pang, Director, Research Policy and Cooperation at the World Health Organisation in Switzerland notes that, “it is a well known fact that Australian scientists and institutions have played a role in advancing knowledge in critical areas of bioscience such as molecular biology, genetics, immunology, physiology and biochemistry - and in developing the fields of environmental, medical, veterinary and plant biotechnology.”

The application of biotechnology can already be felt in disciplines as diverse as health, agriculture, veterinary science and the environment. It is emerging as one of the most important research fields because of its potential for dramatic breakthroughs in almost any field of human endeavour.

University research backed by government and industry

Biotechnology in Australia's universities is supported by investment from government and industry.

Biotechnology is integral to the four priority areas for innovation nominated by the Australian Government: nano-materials and bio-materials; genome/phenome research; complex/intelligent systems; and photon science and technology. The Australian Government support includes various programs under Backing Australia's Ability - a seven-year $5.3 billion innovation action plan launched in 2004.

The Queensland Government has established a $100 million Smart State Research Facilities Fund to help develop essential science and technology infrastructure to support the biotechnology, aviation and advanced manufacturing industries.

Professor Lesley Johnson, Pro Vice-Chancellor (Research and Development), University of Technology, Sydney, explains why biotechnology is an Australian success story. “Australians are renowned for inventiveness and scientific excellence and today these attributes are being applied to biotechnology in great measure. As a result, Australian biotechnology is emerging as a significant contributor to social, economic and environmental well-being globally.

“Australian universities provide high level research education in the area of biotechnology to develop the people skills, both in terms of development and commercialisation, to support the biotechnology industry. At the same time, they have strong research relationships with global industry partners to ensure great success for biotechnology into the future.”

Coursework and research in biotech

New biotech-specific coursework and research programs are launched each year in universities, ensuring the continual development of Australia's personnel, research and technologies. Australia's universities are increasingly providing unique specialisations to ensure personnel and students stay abreast of biotechnology, as so many new fields emerge, eg bioinformatics, proteomics and as each new technology leads to new capabilities and new issues, eg bio-security, stem cell research.

Article by IDP Education Australia. For a free book for international students, The Biotech Digest: Quality in Postgraduate Biotechnology Education, contact your local IDP office which can be found on http://students.idp.com or www.idp.com/excellenceaustralia