Biotech hits a big six in CRC applications

Biotechnology is making room for itself at the high table of Australia's scientific-industrial community, judging from the number of biotech-centric applications in the latest round of Cooperative Research Centre (CRC) funding.

Of the 57 applications currently being assessed, at least 14 involve the participation of one or more biotech companies or research institutes, according to information released by the Department of Education, Science and Training.

Six of the proposals show particularly heavy biotech components. They are:

• CRC for Sugar Industry Innovation through Biotechnology. Seeks to develop superior, IP-protected varieties of sugarcane plus novel processes for extraction of renewable biomaterials. Participants include the Bureau of Sugar Experiment stations (an industry-supported research group with a $20 billion annual budget and 25 biotech researchers), CSIRO, DuPont, Farmacule Bioindustries and four Queensland universities.
• CRC for Value Added Wheat. Aims to rapidly incorporate quality traits into new wheat varieties and provide breeders with mapping, DNA extraction and microarray tools. Participants include Centre for Application of Molecular Biology to International Agriculture and Grain Biotech Australia.
• CRC for Molecular Plant Breeding. Participants include Australian Genome Research Facility, CRC for Diagnostics, and GeneScan Australia.
• CRC for Biodiscovery. Facilitate the commercialisation of biologically active molecules derived from Australia's natural biodiversity. Participants include Bioprospect, CSIRO and Schering Plough.
• CRC for Smart Surfaces. Intends to produce breakthrough biotechnology products and catalyse development of a new Australian biomaterials sector. Participants include Australian Proteome Analysis Facility, Biosignal, Gradipore, Nanosonics, Novapharm, Polymerat and Proteomeca.
• CRC for Chronic Inflammatory Diseases. Aims to discover new molecular targets involved in pathogenesis of chronic inflammatory lung and joint diseases. Participants include AstraZeneca, Monash University and the universities of Melbourne and Queensland

Between them, the six applications span agriculture, environment, manufacturing, and medical science and technology.

The overall pool of applicants takes in a number of existing CRCs submitting further proposals, but about 30 appear to be entirely fresh initiatives.

Government funding is increasing for the CRC program, which has launched 64 centres since 1990 and attracted $1.4 billion in industry funds plus a similar amount in taxpayer money.

Next year will see public funding rise to $198 million per year from $145 million, with another increase scheduled for 2005.

Every two years on average, the ranks of existing CRCs are swelled by a fresh intake. If the government follows its 2000 script, between 15 and 20 of the latest round of applicants will be successful.

Names of winning consortia are unlikely to be announced before December.