Monash Memo - 29 August 2001

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Monash gets biotechnology boost

Biotechnology research at Monash was given a $6 million boost last week by UK-based company Wellcome Trust.

The funds will be used to provide a range of new facilities to assist biomedical research, both within Australia and overseas.

Wellcome Trust’s international program manager, Dr Mary Phillips, joined the School of Biomedical Science head, Professor Warwick Anderson, and Monash Institute of Reproduction and Development director Professor David de Kretzer at the official launch of the facilities last week.

Speaking at the launch, Dr Phillips said Monash had been a significant recipient of support from the trust through its major equipment fund.

“A total of nine awards have been made over the last three years,” Dr Phillips said.

“These figures represent about one-quarter of all equipment awards to Australia and recognise the excellence of the science research being conducted here at Monash.”

According to Dr Phillips, Monash had received a significant slice of the funding in the Asia Pacific Region.

“Monash has done very well, and Australia has benefited more than any other country from Wellcome Trust funding,” he said.

The facilities to be funded by the trust range from a DNA sequencer and electron microscope to a real-time PCR analysis system and mass spectrometry system.

The main aim of the Wellcome Trust, which supports global biomedical research, is to support research into major diseases affecting the developing world.

Professor Anderson said Monash was proud to have received 25 per cent of Wellcome Trust donations to Australia.

“We will be using this equipment to increase collaboration between researchers and to train the next generation of researchers,” he said.

In addition to funding a number of postdoctoral fellowships, the trust has provided funds for Monash to acquire state-of-the-art equipment for seven major facilities.

These include:

• a molecular and cellular rheology laboratory;
• a microscopy and imaging research facility;
• a ‘mouseworks’ facility;
• a real-time PCR analysis system;
• a spectral confocal system, to be housed at the Australian Centre for Blood Diseases based at Box Hill Hospital;
• a mass spectrometry facility; and
• a DNA sequencing facility.