Canberra summit to explore Australia's genetic research prospects

Federal and state MPs are to get an insight into Australian genetic and genomic research capabilities and opportunities, at a national forum to be held in Canberra in February.

The forum has been arranged by the Australian Genome Alliance, an informal association of researchers led by Australian Genome Research Facility director Susan Forrest, and Assoc Prof Phil Batterham, deputy director of the ARC-funded Centre for Environmental Stress and Adaptation Research (CESAR).

The forum will look at Australia's place in the genome revolution, to explore the opportunities for the future, and to give parliamentarians and other the opportunity to get briefings in areas relevant to their portfolios and electorates.

"We'll go through a variety of areas, but we'll snapshot key projects such as improvement of crops, the potential for medical treatments that come out of some of the studies, the ability to understand how to turn genes on and off, and using a variety of different animal species to benefit mankind," said Forrest.

Other topics on the agenda include how Australian scientists can optimise their research efforts, whether insects will reveal the real extent of climate change, whether wheat farms and forests are a future source of pharmaceuticals, whether more genomes need to be sequenced, or whether the focus should be on harvesting information from the gene sequences that are already available, and whether a 'Genome Australia' umbrella body is needed for a new national approach on this type of research.

"The forum is intended to raise awareness of the natural resources that we have in this country and where genetic information could really make major advances," said Forrest. "If we don't research and utilise some of the biological diversity that we have in this country, it will go offshore and we'll lose all potential benefits from it for Australia."

While Australia could focus on an enormous range of genome research activities, the country could instead concentrate on doing 10 things extremely well, said Forrest. "But it needs a significant investment to do so, and a significant awareness of the need for the investment," she said.

Around 20 scientists from around the country have been invited to tell the forum about examples of the types of outcomes more detailed genetic studies would deliver. "But that's just the tip of the iceberg," said Forrest.

The forum will bring together people who might compete for scientific funding, but who also have a shared vision, said Forrest. "It's a great show of strength that we're delivering and its strength that we need to capitalise on," she said.

Participants in the forum will include: former CSIRO Plant Industry chief Jim Peacock, CESAR's Ary Hoffman, CSIRO Livestock Industries chief Shaun Coffey, Alex Andrianopolos of the University of Melbourne, AusBiotech CEO Anna Lavelle, Chris Goodnow of the Australian Phenomics Facility, and Australian Biotechnology News editor-in-chief Iain Scott.

Federal and state political representatives have also been invited as delegates, particularly in key portfolios related to genome research initiatives. "These projects are found under many different government portfolios," said Forrest. "We're looking for a united vision from the federal and state governments to support detailed genetic studies and analysis."

More details about the forum, to be held on February 8, can be found at www.genomealliance.org.au