Biotech gets a boost from La Trobe

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.

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).

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 (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.