New venture capital fund focuses on clean technologies

A new Cleantech Australia Fund has been launched to invest in clean technologies such as renewable energy and water purification.

The fund has been established by Cleantech Ventures with a capital investment of $50 million, made up of $20 million from the Australian government’s Innovation Investment Fund program, and $30 million from superannuation fund, VicSuper.

Cleantech Ventures is led by Jan Dekker, who was Managing Director of the Centre for Energy and Greenhouse Technologies prior to founding Cleantech Ventures; Andrew Pickering, previously investment manager at the Centre for Energy and Greenhouse Technologies; and Craig Moore, previously an investment director with Starfish Ventures.

The fund will make between 15 and 20 seed and early expansion investments in companies in the clean technologies sector, including renewable energy, energy storage and efficiency, low emissions technology, water recycling and pollution reduction.

Cleantech Ventures is co-authoring an analysis of cleantech venture capital, merger and acquisition and IPO activity in Australia which is expected to be released by the end of the month.

For more information visit www.cleantechventures.com.au

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Advanced Manufacturing CRC gets green light

The Australian Manufacturing Cooperative Research Centre (AMCRC) is to be established with a $35 million grant under the Australian Government's CRC scheme.

The CRC proposal was given in-principle approval for funding in the 2006 CRC Selection Round. Its aim was to facilitate the transition of local manufacturing from traditional to knowledge-based advanced manufacturing, and to develop and implement advanced manufacturing process technologies underpinned by materials science. The contact for the application was Dr Mark Trigg of CSIRO.

The new CRC will be based in Melbourne, and will bring together universities, CSIRO, research organisations and the Australian advanced manufacturing industry.

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Queensland stem cell research legislation passed

Legislation has been passed in the Queensland state parliament allowing embryonic stem cell research.

The Premier, Anna Bligh, said the Research Involving Human Embryos and Prohibition of Human Cloning Amendment Act 2007 mirrored Commonwealth legislation passed in April this year. The legislation was subject to a conscience vote, and was passed by 48 to 34 votes after an 11-hour debate. After a debate of just over eleven hours the voted passed 48-34.

Ms Bligh said the amendments lifted bans on the creation of human embryos by means other than fertilisation for research purposes using the technique known as somatic cell nuclear transfer.

“The Bill does not allow the production of embryos created by the fertilisation of an egg by sperm to be produced for research.”

The Act maintains existing bans on unacceptable research activities such as cloning a human for reproductive purposes; creating a human embryo by fertilisation of a human egg by human sperm for a purpose other than achieving pregnancy; making heritable alternations to a human embryo; collecting a human embryo from the body of a woman for research; creating a human embryo into which the cell of an animal has been introduced; and placing a human embryo in an animal or an animal embryo into a human.

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Victorian Biotech Plan sets new targets

The Victorian government has released a new biotechnology blueprint, the 2007 Biotechnology Strategic Development Plan, which sets out five new targets for the sector’s progress.

These targets are:

• Ten firms will have achieved market capitalisation in excess of $250 million;
• $1 billion capital raised by the Victorian biotechnology sector;
• Two major cross-sectoral projects initiated that address the impacts of climate change through the use of biotechnology applications in the agricultural and industrial sectors;
• Five new significant international projects facilitated;
• Victoria will have established a biomarker system with the capability to adopt new technology in an ethical and equitable framework.

The Minister for Innovation, Gavin Jennings, said that many of the targets set in 2001 had been achieved, and an updated strategic plan had been launched in 2004 that focused on building skills and international alliances and filling gaps in the discovery-to-market pipeline.

The 2007 plan focuses on building substantial and sustainable firms, forging closer collaboration between researchers and firms and integrating developments in biotechnology into the broader Victorian economy.

The 2007 Biotechnology Strategic Development Plan is at www.biotechnology.vic.gov.au

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Call for Synchrotron experiments

Researchers from Australia and New Zealand have been invited to submit proposals for the second round of experiments at the Australian Synchrotron. The first round of experiments is already underway.

Scientists can apply to undertake research on five beamlines from January 2008. Beam time is available on five beamlines: infrared; powder diffraction; protein crystallography; soft x-ray; x-ray absorbtion spectroscopy.

Applications for the second round of research proposals are open till 29 October 2007. Successful projects will be announced in December.

More information is at www.synchrotron.vic.gov.au

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Position Vacant: Project Manager, Pre-Breeding

- Research Investment
- Biotechnology & Molecular Biology
- Career Opportunity

The Grains Research & Development Corporation (‘GRDC’) is acknowledged as a worldwide leader in linking innovative research with industry needs. Its primary business activity is the allocation and management of investments in agricultural R&D with its research directions and investment programs operating along four lines of business.

An exciting opportunity has now become available for a Project Manager in the Varieties Business Group whose objective is to ensure growers have access to superior varieties that enable them to effectively compete in global grain markets. You will manage all aspects of a group of related projects within gene discovery and germplasm enhancement. At the same time, you will contribute to the general direction of the varieties portfolio and to the general direction of the gene discovery, breeding, variety commercialisation and variety testing segments of the R&D portfolio.

THE ROLE 
- Assist with the development of strategy for the Varieties business group and the structure and focus of its pre-breeding program in addition to building business cases for implementation 
- Engage with stakeholders and research providers regarding R&D priorities and the development of R&D strategies 
- Recommend an investment strategy and R&D expenditure for pre-breeding investments 
- Manage the progress of contracted R&D projects to ensure the delivery of research outcomes is on time and within budget

THE REQUIREMENTS 
- Technical/research background with a strong appreciation of relationship management with researchers and the delivery of R&D outcomes 
- Sound knowledge of biotechnology, molecular biology and agricultural production systems 
- Ability to network and liaise with industry and scientists in addition to being able to influence and motivate people 
- Degree in science, agricultural/rural science or equivalent – postgraduate qualification highly regarded

Like to know more?

Contact Stephen Penhall in confidence or fax, mail or email your application, quoting
Reference No PG08S06 to:

Stelle International Pty Ltd
PO Box 3871 Manuka ACT 2603

Telephone: (02) 6299 9221 / Facsimile: (02) 6299 9224
Email: Stephen@stelleinternational.com.au  

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2007/08 DuPont Innovation Awards - Enter Now

The 2007/08 DuPont Australia & New Zealand Innovation Awards are now open for entry.

Launched in 2004, the biennial awards program is an independently judged competition that recognizes and rewards the introduction of a new and innovative technology, application, product or service.

The Awards are free to enter, and are open to individuals, companies or tertiary students.

The program is an official event of the National Innovation Festival, with each of the seven categories supported by leaders in the fields of science, industry and environmental sustainability.

Winners of these prestigious awards will be announced at the DuPont Innovation Awards presentation in Sydney in May 2008 and gain opportunities to further develop designs and ideas through access to industry and government networks.

2007/08 AWARD CATEGORIES
1. Building Innovation - sponsored by Fletcher Building Limited
2. Medical & Healthcare - sponsored by Invetech
3. Sustainable Energy - sponsored by BHP Billiton
4. Sustainable Services - sponsored by Worley Parsons
5. Agriculture & Food Production - sponsored by Cargill Australia Limited
6. Performance Materials - sponsored by Plantic
7. Tertiary Student Award - sponsored by ABB

KEY DATES
May 1, 2007 - Call for Entry Opens
November 30, 2007 - Call for Entry Closes
March 2008 - Finalists Announced
May 2008 - Award Presentation in Sydney

Find out more and download an entry form here.  

Or contact:

DuPont Innovation Awards, c/- Two de Force, Suite 5 / 50 Reservoir St, Surry Hills NSW 2010

Awards Hotline - Tel: +61 2 9923 6144
Email - innovation@aus.dupont.com  

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Graduate Diploma in Drug Evaluation & Pharmaceutical Sciences: 2008

University of Melbourne, Australia

Today’s potent drugs, combined with the complex issues of their production and use has created a growing need for evaluation of their safety and efficacy.

For such evaluation, wide ranging expertise is required in the areas of Chemistry, Pharmaceutics, Pharmacology and Toxicology, Clinical Medicine, Epidemiology and Legal and Ethical Considerations.

This diploma course gives a systematic overview of these areas and how they affect the very practical issues of drug evaluation and is aimed at Pharmacists, Research Nurses, Scientists, Medical Practitioners and others involved in regulatory affairs.

For more information please contact Mrs Nicola Cash Ph: +61 3 9496 3420, Fax: +61 3 9459 3510 or Email: njcash@unimelb.edu.au  

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