media release
New consortium to drive Queensland's bioinformatics industry
An initiative to promote and project Queensland's bioinformatics industry will be officially launched this afternoon.
The Queensland Bioinformatics Consortium (QBC) - the brainchild of Genetraks Pty Ltd, the Queensland University of Technology, and including The University of Queensland - will drive bioinformatics education and training and encourage commercialisation.
"Bioinformatics is the bringing together of biology and information technology," Dr. Roslyn Brandon, QBC Executive Panel member and CEO of Genetraks Pty Ltd said today.
"Biotechnology has advanced to the gene level and we need the IT power to make sense of the data we are extracting."
Dr. Brandon said that Queensland was well known for its biotechnology industry, but was lacking when it came to bioinformatics. She said as a whole, Australia was about five years behind the United States and Europe in this area.
"Queensland has a vibrant and rapidly growing biotechnology sector which is underpinned by a strong technology skills base," Dr. Tim Littlejohn, IBM Life Sciences Solutions Manager, Asia Pacific, and QBC chairman said.
"Australia's scale and the global competitive environment in Life Sciences makes collaboration critical between local organisations. The QBC will play a leading role in uniting the Queensland bioinformatics community and linking it with organisations in other states to build capacity for Australia to be more globally competitive.
"As a founding member of the QBC, IBM will play a key role in consolidating the relative strengths and skills of all Australian states in bioinformatics. The QBC will ensure that Australian innovation in bioinformatics and biotechnology is promoted around the world."
Dr. Ron Hencin, Senior Director of Business Development for US based company Gene Logic - the global leader in the provision of genomics-based information and bioinformatics products for the pharmaceutical and biotechnology industries - will address today's launch.
The QBC, which will be officially launched by Michael Johnson MP, Federal Member for Ryan, is funded initially as part of an IAP - International Science and Technology grant of $250,000 awarded by the Federal Department of Education, Science and Training (DEST).
Genetraks is one of very few bioinformatics companies in Australia and is a member of the highly successful technology incubator, i.lab.
NOTES: All media are invited to the official launch of the QBC, Tuesday May 20, 2003 at 5.30pm. Level 2, Data #3Building, 80, Jephson Street, Toowong, Brisbane.
For more information contact Dr Roslyn Brandon on 07 3327 9822 or Ann Lund at Media Affair on Mobile 0414 612 324.