New members named to biotech advisory council

Four new members have been appointed to the Australian Biotechnology Advisory Council (ABAC) -- the independent board of industry experts advising the government on biotech issues.

The four new ABAC members are:

• Dr Jackie Fairley, CEO of Cerylid Biosciences.
• Dr Andrew Sinclair NHMRC principal fellow and associate professor at the Department of Paediatrics, University of Melbourne.
• Prof Tony Weiss, founding director of the Molecular Biotechnology Program at the University of Sydney.
• Dr Eric Huttner, general manager of Diversity Arrays Technology.

They join Queensland's chief scientist, Prof Peter Andrews, WA State Agricultural Centre director Prof Mike Jones, Starfish Ventures principal Dr Michael Panaccio, Dr Julia Playford of the Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service, Bionomics CEO Dr Deborah Rathjen, and Hugh Roberts of the NSW Farmers' Federation. The three retiring founding members of ABAC are Dr Ken Reed, Prof Dick Wettenhall and Colin Armit.

Panaccio has been appointed the new chairman of ABAC, replacing Prof John Hearn. "Prof Hearn has brought valuable leadership and guidance to ABAC over the last three years and I'm pleased he has agreed to continue as a member for a further twelve months," said federal industry minister Ian Macfarlane, who chairs the government's Biotechnology Ministerial Council,.

Weiss, one of the new members on the ABAC, said the council advised the government on a wide range of biotechnology-related issues, including R&D, commercialisation and issues of public interest. ABAC aimed to provide "strong advice", Weiss said -- "It's meant to be independent, consisting of senior people."

He said he would like to see ABAC providing advice on a range of issues, including enhancing the implementation of the National Biotechnology Strategy, expanding the biotech industry, exploring how Australian biotechnology could contribute economically back to the country, and increasing the industry's national and international profile.

"I think it's a fantastic collection of activities. I'm very excited to be contributing to [ABAC]," said Weiss. "I believe strongly that Australian biotechnology has extraordinary potential that has not been fully realised."

The revamped council is scheduled to meet in July.