New neuro labs open in Melbourne

A state-of-the-art cellular neurophysiology laboratory was opened today at the University of Melbourne for the National Neuroscience Facility (NNF).

Speaking at the opening, the lab's director Prof John Furness, of Melbourne University's department of anatomy and cell biology, said the initiative brought together high-level expertise and equipment to study neural cell processes.

The AUD$1.5 million labs will allow neuroscientists to examine neural signalling and related cellular processes in research ranging from pain, epilepsy and neural repair to the development of new therapeutics.

But the value of the new facility is not just restricted to basic research, with early-stage drug development comprising about half of the ongoing work in the labs, Furness said. Biotech start-up NeuProtect is using the facility for its development of novel therapeutics for stroke and heart attack, as are a number of pharmaceutical companies.

"[Cellular physiology] forms an important bridge between the molecular sciences and whole animal models or patients," Furness said. "It's important to validate a target at the cellular level first, before going on to look at toxicology, delivery and so on."

Federal science minister Peter McGauran was also on hand to open the new NNF facility, which was funded through the Commonwealth government's MNRF program.

"The great strength of the National Neuroscience Facility is the way that bonds have been formed -- [researchers] are joined in a united effort to achieve their goals," he said.