A Federal Government funding boost for science and innovation may help the Western Australian State Agricultural Biotechnology Centre (SABC) meet increasing demand from commercial researchers desperate for laboratory space.

“Simply to meet current demand, SABC is planning a $5.5 million, 72 laboratory space extension using scarce university funds,” said Director, Professor Mike Jones.

“We’ve had to turn away potential researchers due to a shortage of laboratory space, which shows funding for additional infrastructure is desperately needed in WA.”

The Government has allocated $542 million for a National Collaborative Research Infrastructure Strategy to provide world-class infrastructure to Australian researchers and $1 billion to help businesses access innovation support.

SABC has more than $8 million worth of agricultural biotechnology infrastructure in its high quality laboratory facilities at Murdoch University and encourages incubation and development of commercial companies.

Its 225 resident and non-resident scientists conduct basic and applied molecular research to underpin improved productivity and health in crop plants and livestock.

Professor Jones said the Government funding would be a much needed boost for research and development (R&D) and WA’s biotechnology industry. 

“With a combination of researchers from universities, state government and industry working together in one centre, the SABC is ideally placed to provide maximum benefit to the community from such funding.

“The Government wants to promote commercialisation of R&D and the SABC exactly fits that criterion, having already supported the establishment of several commercial ag-biotech companies, including Grain Biotech Australia, Saturn Biotech and Proteomics International,” he said.

WA has a strong biotechnology sector, but needs more facilities, like those at SABC, which combine public and private research with a strong commercialisation focus.

“Extra funds would be an advantage, not only by funding more high quality research projects and laboratories, but also by supporting the purchase of major equipment and platform technologies to give WA a competitive advantage,” Professor Jones said.

“The funding could also support the cost of increasing our intellectual property, by supporting the patenting of new ideas and technologies developed by WA researchers.

“Such patents are usually needed to commercialise results and enable the community to benefit from research.”