'Baker Biopolis' opens doors with first networking event

Melbourne's Alfred Medical Research and Education Precinct (AMREP), locally known as the Baker Biopolis, kicked off last night with its first networking event aimed to bring researchers at AMREP's Baker and Burnet Institutes together with the companies located in the precinct.

"You have to recognise that this is the first successful biotechnology precinct in Melbourne," said Starpharma CEO Dr John Raff, one of five companies leasing lab space at the Baker.

Pointing out that the tight financial market was putting pressure on biotechnology companies and public research institutions alike, Raff said that there was never a more important time to collaborate than the present.

"The shortage of money will have consequences for biotechnology companies and research institutions. Biotechs are no longer a good source of research funds for public institutions and it's getting harder to spin off companies," he said.

"I believe we need each other. Public institutions need biotechnology companies and biotechnology companies certainly need public institutions."

Assoc Prof Ian Smith, associate director of the Baker Institute, said that the event, which included presentations by each of the Baker's five biotechnology company tenants, suggested that biotechnology was reaching a critical mass at AMREP.

"As a starting-point we should at least be talking with each other, putting names to faces and finding out what everyone does," he said.

In addition to Starpharma, AMREP companies include Smith's own start-up company Cryptome, Metabolic Pharmaceuticals, stem cell company ES Cell International and Cytopia, all located within the Baker building. But the Burnet is also preparing to lease space to tenants, which might include new clinical trials organisation Clinical Trials Victoria.

Cytopia's chief scientific officer Dr Andrew Wilks summed up the mood of the cluster's budding companies: "We're open for business, we're open to collaboration and we're keen to get even more involved than we are at this site," he said.

The event was organised by instrument company BMG Technologies.