BIO 2004: Big-spending Beattie bids more on biotech

Queensland premier Peter Beattie has used the BIO 2004 conference in San Francisco as a platform to announce more than AUD$45 million of funding for clinical and medical research, clinical trials, smart foods and research facilities in the state.

Among the initiatives are $4.7 million towards Queensland's 'Smart State' health and medical research fund, which will provide for merit-based clinical research fellowships as well as operational support for the state's independent medical research institutes.

Another $3 million will be put toward the establishment of the Centre for New Foods, which will network the state's food and health agencies including the Department of Primary Industries and Fisheries, CSIRO, Queensland University of Technology (QUT), the University of Queensland (UQ), Griffith University and Queensland Health, with local and international food companies.

And $5 million is slated for the development of the Queensland Clinical Trials Network, which will build on previous investments into clinical trials facilities including Q-Pharm at the Queensland Institute for Medical Research (QIMR).

"The network will provide a one-stop shop for overseas or interstate companies that want to conduct clinical trials in Queensland. It will put them in touch with the clinical trial operators best suited for their project," Beattie said.

A further $34 million will be allocated from the Smart State research facilities fund to seven projects, including:

• $8.1 million to establish the Queensland Pre-clinical Drug Development Facility at UQ.
• $3.5 million for the Queensland Crop Development Facilities at QUT.
• $9.5 million to establish a Centre for Advanced Animal Science at UQ.
• $3 million for cancer and disease research at Mater Medical Research Institute.
• $5 million to establish a Medical Engineering Research Facility at QUT.
• -- $2.52 to establish the Queensland Viral Testing and Product Characterisation Centre at the QIMR.

The funding initiatives are part of Queensland's strategy to foster R&D in the state. Since 1998, the state government has spent more than $2 billion on science infrastructure and research projects.

"Our researchers are among the best in the world and they deserve world-class research facilities. That's exactly what my government is providing for them," Beattie said.