Bio21: The co-op for science commerce

Opened by the Victorian premier earlier this month, the Bio21 Institute provides a structure in which research, business incubation and commercialisation are all conducted under one collaborative roof.

Melbourne's shiny new Bio21 Institute is open for business, providing laboratory, infrastructure and business accommodation on the one site to foster collaboration between researchers as well as those with entrepreneurial expertise.

The institute will also act as a training-ground for a more commercially sophisticated generation of scientists, producing research which is well-packaged for further development.

The Bio21 Institute joins a number of institutes around the country that rely on this mixing of academic researchers with business specialists to produce successful, commercial research outcomes.

Scientific strenths of the institute will be biochemistry, gene technology, proteomics, molecular diagnostics, and a broad range of chemistries. The driving principle is a simple collaborative ethic: all facets of R&D are in close proximity - the scientists, research labs, and the latest instrumentation, along with those knowledgeable in the commercialisation side of science: intellectual property protection, technology transfer and business incubation.

Building biobusiness

Bio21's research strengths are as diverse as structural chemistry, agriculture, molecular biology and dental science. Many of its laboratories have come from, and remain strongly affiliated with, the nearby University of Melbourne.

It is a move with interesting implications for an academic research scientist. Bio21 might be just across the road, but with its commercial focus and mixed bag of research labs, it's a long way from the stately bluestone of the University of Melbourne.

The most noticeable difference is the language barrier. University recruits unfamiliar with biobusiness buzzwords may find the Institute a veritable jargonaut. The director of the Parkville precinct, Prof Richard Wettenhall, explains that they deliberately skittled straight talking for 'marketspeak' very early in the planning process to show that Bio21 meant business -- literally. "We had to get with the times," he explains. "We were looking to brand ourselves in a dynamic and focused way, and we were keen to show we weren't just another new department in another new building."

That's not a mistake easily made. Prof Paul Gleeson, who is just settling his cell biology and immunology lab into Bio21 after moving from the University, believes that he now has the best of both worlds. "The idea of disciplines working separately in isolated mother departments is an outdated philosophy," he says. "Here we have a situation where individual labs are seconded to the institute to make what they can of it. It's a completely new playing field."

While retaining full control of his research program, Gleeson has access to new equipment, patenting advice, business development opportunities, and collaboration with the gurus of a dozen different scientific disciplines and technologies.

In return, he offers his breadth of experience, specialised lab equipment, and a future workforce of students educated in a biotech-friendly environment. "There's nothing quite like it," he explains. "There are enormous benefits to be had in letting research groups do what they do well, and having those who are skilled in commercial translation around to help."

Multidisciplinary research

For those with IP on the cusp of commercialisation, the advantages of associating with the Bio21 precinct are obvious. For many academics, however, a commercial application for their work is much further off. Dr Simon Read, a scientist seconded from the University's Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, thinks the nature and stage of his research means he will personally advantage more from its lively atmosphere than from its business support.

"I think it'll take a couple of years before that impacts on how we do things," he says. "There does seem to be an element of 'hands-off' about research and collaboration here. The challenge will be to get us all interacting day-to-day, because at this early stage we still seem to be living in our labs. You can't force people to talk to one another, but if you create space where they can do it, then that will happen."

Wettenhall agrees that fostering collaboration is essential if Bio21 is to succeed. "Academic groups are asked to commit to the spirit of the institute, which is improving human health through innovation and industry engagement," he says. "They commit to multidisciplinary research."

This commitment is monitored carefully, which again is an interesting departure from usual university practice. Researchers initially move into the Institute on a five-year contract, which effectively means their stay is subject to performance. An external review panel will assess progress towards both research and business objectives annually, and then will recommend continuation or otherwise on a triennial basis.

"The review panel is far from being a prescriptive force," Wettenhall explains. "Even though it will encourage researchers to look to commercialisation, the panel doesn't impact on so-called 'blue sky' research. It actually sponsors programs that are innovative, to encourage collaboration. The problem with government grants is that people have to have well-established research to get funded. Our strategy affords people some room for creativity," he says. "Then, when they make their discovery, we're there to help with development."

This is the heart of Bio21 -- the focus on the gap between discovery at the lab bench, and incorporation as a start-up company. The leap into business is getting harder to achieve directly from a university department, usually because seed funding isn't enough to pay for all the equipment and technology required. This results in researchers trying to run companies from their laboratories, in commercially sub-optimal conditions.

"If Australia wants to do well in this area, we can't rely on small groups to pull it off," Gleeson says. "You need to work within a structure that has good insight into what will take off, and that is large enough to help you through the tough transitional periods."

Wettenhall agrees. "The business incubator at Bio21 separates the academic and commercial precinct, while giving start-up companies access to equipment they wouldn't otherwise be able to afford. We're also setting up an IP register, so researchers can match up their work for a better licensing package. With the opportunity to move, you're much more likely to nurture a company and give them every chance of success."

This makes the opportunity for academic secondment to Bio21 even more valuable. "We're putting effort into finding out what people are doing, giving advice on whether or not to patent, and then -- very importantly -- getting them thinking like a company," Wettenhall says. "This is where the gap is often found in universities."

This collaboration and access to technologies will hopefully facilitate discovery and innovation, however, the review process, the IP register, and even the buzzwords are deliberate pre-business strategies to blood researchers with little experience in commerce.

Anne Fletcher is a Melbourne-based PhD student and writer.