Published Tuesday, 21 October, 2008 at 09:43 AM
Minister for Tourism, Regional Development and Industry
The Honourable Desley Boyle
NQ biotech on stage for North American delegation
A delegation of leading North American biotechnology interests led by Trade Commissioner Peter Beattie will visit Cairns and Townsville this week.
Tourism, Regional Development and Industry Minister Desley Boyle said the visitors were members of the Queensland North American Biotechnology Council.
The delegation and Mr Beattie will arrive in Cairns today.
“Our Toward Q2 ambition is to see Queensland become stronger and smarter – and this delegation is an important step in achieving that by showcasing Queensland’s biotech expertise and capabilities,” Ms Boyle said.
“The visitors are drawn from key international alliances, business, venture capital and research relationships in North America.
“They include representatives from companies such as global chemical company, Dow Chemicals, which is currently working with UQ, and is exploring opportunities to convert sugar into new organic based synthetics and plastics.
“The President and CEO of Hawaii Biotech, which focuses on the research and development of vaccines for established and emerging infectious diseases is also in the party, along with senior people from US investment bank Global Markets Capital Group and Clemson University, South Carolina.
“The purpose of the visit is to give them a direct understanding of Queensland’s key capabilities within biotechnology.
“Those capabilities are impressive and North Queensland is particularly valuable when it comes to biodiversity.
“Queensland is not only the lifestyle capital of Australia. We are also the most biodiverse State; home to many plants, animals and microbes found nowhere else on the planet.”
Ms Boyle said the delegates would tour the Australian Tropical Forest Institute at James Cook University in Cairns, as well as the Australian Tropical Herbarium and the Centre for Tropical Agri-tech Research.
“They will hear all about innovative biotech research projects related to horticulture and plant science and witness a presentation on genetic engineering of bananas, papaya and sugarcane,” she said.
“Then tomorrow, the group will meet with the Northern Queensland Tropical Science and Innovation Leadership Group in Townsville.
“Delegates will then tour the Australian Institute of Marine Science for a presentation on marine sponge biotechnologies and developments in creating a viable rock lobster aquaculture industry.”
Ms Boyle added that while in Townsville, the group would enjoy lunch at James Cook University and hear further briefings on medicine, health and molecular sciences, as well as a project to develop biofuels from green algae.
“The Queensland Government is committed to transforming Queensland from a ‘rocks and crops’ economy to a knowledge-intensive one,” Ms Boyle said.
“Thousands of people are now employed in our biotechnology industry and billions of dollars has been invested in research and development.
“It is appropriate that Mr Beattie leads this delegation as he is highly regarded by the industry world-wide. Earlier this year, he was presented at BIO 2008 in San Diego, USA with the 2008 Biotechnology Industry Organisation's first-ever International Award for Leadership Excellence.
“The visit to Cairns and Townsville will provide direct opportunity to incorporate regional players into US alliances, particularly James Cook University.
“A study our Government commissioned last year revealed that tropical north Queensland could be a major global player in ‘tropical expertise’.
“With climate change a serious threat to the world, tropical science will play a key part in coming up with solutions.
“Biotechnology will also take a lead role in Premier Anna Bligh’s new blueprint for growing our economy – Towards Q2 Tomorrow’s Queensland which highlights challenges including climate change, preventable disease and unhealthy lifestyles.”
Following their visit to Cairns and Townsville, the delegation will attend industry functions in Brisbane before heading to AusBiotech 2008 in Melbourne – Australia’s largest biotechnology conference for the Asia Pacific region.
21 October 2008
Media contact: 3224 2007 or 3225 1005
Tourism, Regional Development and Industry Minister Desley Boyle said the visitors were members of the Queensland North American Biotechnology Council.
The delegation and Mr Beattie will arrive in Cairns today.
“Our Toward Q2 ambition is to see Queensland become stronger and smarter – and this delegation is an important step in achieving that by showcasing Queensland’s biotech expertise and capabilities,” Ms Boyle said.
“The visitors are drawn from key international alliances, business, venture capital and research relationships in North America.
“They include representatives from companies such as global chemical company, Dow Chemicals, which is currently working with UQ, and is exploring opportunities to convert sugar into new organic based synthetics and plastics.
“The President and CEO of Hawaii Biotech, which focuses on the research and development of vaccines for established and emerging infectious diseases is also in the party, along with senior people from US investment bank Global Markets Capital Group and Clemson University, South Carolina.
“The purpose of the visit is to give them a direct understanding of Queensland’s key capabilities within biotechnology.
“Those capabilities are impressive and North Queensland is particularly valuable when it comes to biodiversity.
“Queensland is not only the lifestyle capital of Australia. We are also the most biodiverse State; home to many plants, animals and microbes found nowhere else on the planet.”
Ms Boyle said the delegates would tour the Australian Tropical Forest Institute at James Cook University in Cairns, as well as the Australian Tropical Herbarium and the Centre for Tropical Agri-tech Research.
“They will hear all about innovative biotech research projects related to horticulture and plant science and witness a presentation on genetic engineering of bananas, papaya and sugarcane,” she said.
“Then tomorrow, the group will meet with the Northern Queensland Tropical Science and Innovation Leadership Group in Townsville.
“Delegates will then tour the Australian Institute of Marine Science for a presentation on marine sponge biotechnologies and developments in creating a viable rock lobster aquaculture industry.”
Ms Boyle added that while in Townsville, the group would enjoy lunch at James Cook University and hear further briefings on medicine, health and molecular sciences, as well as a project to develop biofuels from green algae.
“The Queensland Government is committed to transforming Queensland from a ‘rocks and crops’ economy to a knowledge-intensive one,” Ms Boyle said.
“Thousands of people are now employed in our biotechnology industry and billions of dollars has been invested in research and development.
“It is appropriate that Mr Beattie leads this delegation as he is highly regarded by the industry world-wide. Earlier this year, he was presented at BIO 2008 in San Diego, USA with the 2008 Biotechnology Industry Organisation's first-ever International Award for Leadership Excellence.
“The visit to Cairns and Townsville will provide direct opportunity to incorporate regional players into US alliances, particularly James Cook University.
“A study our Government commissioned last year revealed that tropical north Queensland could be a major global player in ‘tropical expertise’.
“With climate change a serious threat to the world, tropical science will play a key part in coming up with solutions.
“Biotechnology will also take a lead role in Premier Anna Bligh’s new blueprint for growing our economy – Towards Q2 Tomorrow’s Queensland which highlights challenges including climate change, preventable disease and unhealthy lifestyles.”
Following their visit to Cairns and Townsville, the delegation will attend industry functions in Brisbane before heading to AusBiotech 2008 in Melbourne – Australia’s largest biotechnology conference for the Asia Pacific region.
21 October 2008
Media contact: 3224 2007 or 3225 1005