sydney

A broad-based Biological Sciences Institute is being set up at the University of Queensland, Brisbane. Unusual in scope outside the pharmaceutical industry, it will be the best-funded new research facility established in Australia for many years.

A four-way financing deal, raising A$55 million (US$33 million), was sealed last month, three days before a closely fought State election. Australia's federal science minister, John Moore, whose electorate covers the campus, announced a grant of A$15 million, matching one pledged a year ago by Rob Borbidge, then Premier of Queensland's coalition government.

The federal contribution is the first grant to be made for scientific purposes by the Commonwealth Federation Fund, which usually finances large-scale public works such as roads, railways and dams. The university is contributing A$15 million and the university's vice-chancellor, John Hay, has announced a commitment of A$10 million from an anonymous private source, thought to be from North America.

The institute will house divisions in genomic research, developmental biology, cellular biology, structural biology, molecular design and bioinformatics. A 14,000 square-metre building is due to be completed in two years. An initial staff of 350 is expected to double by 2005.

The Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation has expressed interest in joining the project. Its own staff would focus on agricultural biotechnology — including plant and animal genomics — and may add up to 8,000 square metres more research space.

Designs on biology: John Mattick, seated, John Hay and acting manager Emma Puttick. Credit: RUSSELL SHAKESPEARE THE AUSTRALIAN

Project leader John Mattick describes the scheme as a “maxi form of Co-operative Research Centre”, a reference to Australia's scheme combining research by universities, government agencies and industry.

Four existing centres at the university will be incorporated into the new institute. These are Mattick's Centre for Molecular and Cellular Biology, the Centre for Drug Design and Development headed by Peter Andrews, the Centre for Microscopy and Microanalysis and the Australian National Genome Research Facility. Alliances with drug companies are expected, and the institute will provide substantial space for other research organizations.

The centres have already been involved in a range of projects, often with national and international collaborators. These have included bacterial, plant and mammalian genome sequencing. Their work in molecular genetics and in developmental, cancer and cell biology has already led to the identification of several developmentally important genes, and staff have investigated the dynamics of cell membranes (see Nature 384, 427–432; 1996 and Nature 392, 193–197; 1998 ).

The structural basis of novel venoms and toxins has been unravelled from cone shells and other tropical species. High throughput screening of products from Queensland's coral reefs and rainforests is giving promising leads in the development of novel drugs for central nervous system and cardiovascular disorders.

The timing of the announcement raised criticism that it was a last-minute effort to gain political credit before the State election. (In fact, Borbidge was defeated, in a result that rocked Australia's Liberal government.) But Moore has denied that political considerations were at work. Mattick says the project has always enjoyed bi-partisan support, and is confident that Queensland's new Labor Premier, Peter Beattie, will remain committed to the funding. Building work is due to start shortly.