Chinese life sciences giant to work with Queensland scientists

One of the world’s largest life sciences companies today signed major agreements with four Queensland research institutes at a special ceremony at Parliament House.

Speaking at a reception at the Parliamentary Annexe today in celebration of Queensland and China’s growing business and science collaborations, Science Minister Leeanne Enoch said the agreements with the Guangdong-based Beijing Genomic Institute (BGI) was a huge boost to Queensland’s life sciences industry.

“BGI is one of the world’s largest genomic organisations and their achievements include sequencing the genome of an Asian person, the giant panda and the human gut microbiome, as well as involvement in an international program to sequence the genome of rice,” Ms Enoch said.

“BGI will collaborate with Queensland’s research community on a range of initiatives, including omics-based cancer and dementia research with the QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute, millet research with CSIRO, sport health research with Griffith University, and marine science and healthcare research with James Cook University.”

The agreements follow hot on the heels of BGI’s announcement earlier today that it was opening a new facility at the QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute at Herston at the end of this year.

The Minister said BGI’s decision to come to Queensland demonstrated the company’s confidence   in the state as a major global hub for biotechnology.

“It speaks volumes about how far Queensland has come under the Palaszczuk Government in our drive, through our Advance Queensland initiative, to transition to a knowledge-based economy built on science, innovation and entrepreneurship.”

Founded in Beijing in 1999, the gene-sequencing company moved its headquarters to Shenzhen in Guangdong Province in 2007. It has established 47 laboratories worldwide, employing more than 5000 people.

BGI President and co-founder Professor Jian Wang said BGI had already established some very strong links with Queensland research institutes, including Griffith University and the University of

Queensland, on genomics research related to biodiversity, crop improvement, the environment and diseases.

“We’ve been considering coming to Queensland for some time given the strength of the research sector, and a visionary state government committed to innovation and science as the driving forces of economic development,” Professor Wang said.

Media contact: Daniel Lato 0438 830 201