AusBiotech signs agreement with Indian counterpart

Biotechnology industry association AusBiotech has signed a memorandum of understanding with its Indian counterpart, the Association of Biotechnology Led Enterprises (ABLE).

The MoU is expected to strengthen ties between the two countries, and open partnering and collaboration opportunities.

AusBiotech's executive director, Tony Coulepis, said the Indian biotechnology industry was expected to reach 50 per cent of the size of the US market in the next 20 years. "India is emerging as the new destination for building a globally competitive biotech industry," he said.

Coulepis said the Indian relationship was a pillar of AusBiotech's new three-year business plan, 'Globalising Australian Biotechnology', and that a relationship between the two countries would help to unlock potential in the region. An Indian business mission is expected to visit AusBiotech's national conference in Brisbane next month.

New directors

Meanwhile, AusBiotech has elected a new team of directors at its recent AGM. They are:

• Carolyn Beasley, MD of Enterix Australia.
• Michael Gilbert, GM of the Australian Centre for Plant Functional Genomics.
• Mikael Hirsch, CSIRO biotechnology strategy coordinator.

They join Simon Carroll, David Irving, Leigh Farrell, Susan Pond and Sandra Webb. Peter Devine of Uniseed was re-elected as a director, but long-time AusBiotech director Peter Riddles has stepped down from his post, along with Stephen Wellink and Scott Carpenter.

Venter joins club

Genomics pioneer J Craig Venter has just been named to present at Club Biodiversity, a satellite event to this year's AusBiotech conference.

Venter, one of the key personalities behind the Human Genome Project, is currently following in the footsteps of the great scientific voyages of the 18th and 19th centuries, capturing the DNA of specimens and sending them off to be sequenced and analysed. His yacht, Sorcerer II, is currently in Australia.

Club Biodiversity will be held at Cairns on Friday, November 12.