AIBN ANNUALANNUAL REPORTREPORT 20092009 CONTENTS 1 Vice-Chancellor’s Message 2 Director’s Message 4 AIBN Scientifi c and Commercialisation Committee 5 2009 HIGHLIGHTS 6 AIBN engages with industry 8 Nanotechnology plus biomarkers revolutionise molecular based medicine 10 Swine Flu candidate vaccine 12 University research arms sign MOU 14 Future fellows - future is clear for AIBN’s latest fellows 32 Functional nanomaterials 15 AIBN RESEARCH 33 Research and development of biologic 16 Energy tops global concerns; medicines; production of recombinant proteins AIBN seeks solutions with industrial applications 18 Health benefi ts abound through AIBN research 34 Polymer nanocomposites and nanotoxicology 20 Environment benefi ts from AIBN research 35 Biomolecular engineering 36 Designer polymer nanoreactors for use in 22 STUDENTS AND TRAINING biomedical applications and environmentally 23 RHD report friendly organic reactions 24 AIBN opportunities for undergraduate students 37 Systems and synthetic biology 38 Production of baculovirus biopesticides 25 APPENDICES - a systems biology approach 26 Cell biology and tissue engineering 39 Computational molecular science 27 Smart surfaces, scaffolds and diagnostic 40 Nanotechnology, biomarkers and the next microdevices for stem cell expansion, tissue generation molecular diagnostics engineering and biofl uid characterisation 41 Polymer chemistry 28 Single-molecule technologies for diagnostics 42 Human pluripotent stem cells for 28 Materials development and characterisation regenerative medicine 29 Rapid selection of cells producing novel 43 Nanomaterials for biotechnology, energy and biopharmaceuticals environmental protection 30 Biofl uids characterisation and biopolymer 44 AIBN 2009 Commencing students’ research processing higher degree projects 31 Targeting the skin for needle-free, 45 Grants minimally-invasive vaccine delivery 50 AIBN Publications and diagnostics for disease 56 AIBN Seminars VICE-CHANCELLOR’S MESSAGE It is my pleasure to congratulate Director Peter Gray and the AIBN team on another year of outcomes, including a series of model achievements in network-building, collaboration and leveraging. The 2009 score sheet features the health, the environment and industrial launch of a facilities cluster valued at processes. The $30 million facilities $30 million, funded by the Australian cluster was a catalyst for the program, and Queensland governments and UQ. but participating companies have access The cluster comprises the Biologics to a range of other AIBN labs, where Facility, the Metabolomics Facility and the focus is in areas such as hydrogen the Queensland Node of the Australian storage, drug delivery, photocatalysts, National Fabrication Facility – all part of antibody engineering, biosensors and national groupings. As both a workplace tissue engineering. for more than 30 UQ scientists and The Industrial Affi liates Program is engineers and a resource for public and the latest stage in a structure of AIBN private sector researchers, it fosters corporate and philanthropic networks, teamwork and knowledge exchange which includes: a $17.5 million donation among university researchers and their from The Atlantic Philanthropies; a counterparts in industry. research alliance with Dow Chemicals; Furthermore, the cluster gives small, and partnerships with the likes of Unilever, medium and large businesses a new Intel and Amyris Biotechnologies Inc, as way to benefi t from – and contribute well as many Australian-based companies to – national and global progress driven of smaller scale. by research and development, while AIBN proves beyond doubt that high- helping ensure AIBN inquiry is relevant quality applied research is compatible to contemporary industry priorities. with outstanding fundamental research. Such connections also help identify It marries the two so people and gaps in national capability, such as organisations using the products of the chasm between the fundamental discovery can be certain they arise from discovery of potential biopharmaceuticals investigations that are independent, and biologics, and the ability to prepare ethical and peer reviewed. clinical grade material for human trials. With University support, Professor Gray Professor Paul Greenfi eld AO and AIBN colleagues addressed this VICE-CHANCELLOR gap, leading to the establishment of THE UNIVERSITY Biopharmaceuticals Australia Pty Ltd, OF QUEENSLAND soon to be built within the Translational Research lnstitute Queensland on the Princess Alexandra Hospital site. In 2009, AIBN launched the Industrial Affi liates Program as part of its work to smooth the business world’s runway into research. The program is a sure way for companies to avoid ‘reinventing the wheel’ by enjoying tailored access to experts who target solutions in AIBN ANNUAL REPORT 09 1 DIRECTOR’S MESSAGE In 2009, the Australian Institute for Bioengineering and Nanotechnology (AIBN) again expanded its intellectual capacity and capabilities, enabling researchers to effectively and effi ciently prosecute their leading-edge research and contribute toward elegant, long-term solutions for many substantial problems in the broad areas of health, the environment and energy. AIBN’s expansion fi ts well with the The year also saw the formation of the University of Queensland’s strategic Centre for Biomarker Research and objectives focusing on learning, Development, the fi rst such centre discovery and engagement by attracting established under the auspices of the the best minds to Brisbane for research institute. Headed by Professor Matt and education, as well as growing our Trau and announced on 18 May 2009 external and internal linkages. by the Honourable Stephen Robertson, It was particularly gratifying to note that Queensland Minister for Natural AIBN researchers were awarded more Resources, Mines and Energy and Trade, than $7.1 million in new funding by the the centre will focus on early diagnosis Australian Research Council in 2009. and tailored treatment of disease. Additionally, the Australian Stem Critical to AIBN’s research efforts is a Cell Centre provided more motivated and dynamic student body than $3 million in funding to and I am pleased to report that 11 of understand the processes of the Institute’s research higher degree cellular reprogramming, and students submitted their theses in how to produce stem cells in 2009 with four degrees being awarded. clinically relevant quantities. The remaining seven students are I congratulate Professors expected Mark Kendall, Michael to graduate in 2010. Monteiro, Chengzhong Yu In addition to research training, AIBN and Kirill Alexandrov (an delivers various continuing professional AIBN joint appointment development courses. The longest with the Institute for running of these is the Biologics and Molecular Bioscience), Biopharmaceuticals Course delivered by and Dr Annette Dexter Associate Professor Stephen Mahler. The who were awarded course discusses the utility of biologics prestigious Australian and biopharmaceuticals as drugs, the Research Council regulatory environment, and various Future Fellowships; Drs commercialisation strategies. The course Simon Corrie, Zhen Li was delivered to government bodies, and Chenghua Sun, who private companies and universities in were awarded Queensland Australia and abroad. There are indications Government Smart Future that demand will remain high in 2010. Fellowships; and Dr Zhi Ping Xu, who was awarded Complementing this learning opportunity a UQ Foundation Research is a newly developed course delivered Excellence Award. in conjunction with members of the Nanobiotechnology Center from Cornell It was pleasing and indicative of University, one of the premier Ivy League AIBN’s considerable international universities in the United States. reputation that one of our Future Fellows, Professor Yu, joined AIBN is committed to realising the AIBN from Fudan University in long-term benefi ts of interacting with China to take up the award. industry and the wider community and 2 AIBN ANNUAL REPORT 09 is consequently expanding its existing schools to discuss the basic principles maintaining his research involvement, industrial and community engagement of their research, and participating in albeit in a substantially reduced capacity activities. the important community discussions and we gratefully acknowledge and Industrial links give AIBN researchers surrounding the emerging technologies thank him for his contributions to AIBN the opportunity to progress their life’s of nanotechnology and bioengineering. in the previous years. passion beyond the confi nes of the Because of these high-quality It is appropriate that I acknowledge the bench, and expose their research to the achievements in 2009, and in previous contributions of all AIBN’s researchers, competition and validation of the market years, all staff and students can look support staff and students, who now place. Engagement with industry has the forward to the Institute Review in mid- number more than 360 individuals, potential to open new revenue streams at 2010. The review will be conducted by and I particularly thank the AIBN a time when competition for the available a distinguished panel of national and Executive Team for their wise counsel Australian research dollar is becoming international experts in the fi elds of over the previous 12 months. I thank increasingly fi erce. bioengineering and nanotechnology. the members of AIBN’s Scientifi c and The Institute’s industrial engagement The review is a rare occasion for the Commercialisation