Top State award for biomedical innovation

Monday, 26 June 2006

The University of Adelaide's commercialisation division, Adelaide Research & Innovation (ARI) has been awarded a $10,000 prize for the most outstanding South Australian technology project at the recent Commercialisation Expo held in Melbourne.

The biomedical innovation, uses an enzyme named Biotin Protein Ligase (BPL) as a target for the development of anti-infective agents, such as anti-bacterials, anti-fungals and anti-parasitic agents.

The technology was developed by University of Adelaide researcher Dr Steven Polyak together with Professor John Wallace, Dr Grant Booker and Mr Cvetan Stojkoski of the Biochemistry Discipline, at the School of Molecular and Biomedical Sciences.

Dr Paul Tolstoshev who is managing the commercialisation of the project for ARI said: "This award is a recognition of the high quality science and the important commercial applications and potential of the BPL technology. Due to the widespread development of drug resistance there is a major medical need for new anti-infectious drugs. ARI and the University of Adelaide are actively engaged in developing the technology and realising its potential to benefit the community."

The BPL project was also short-listed for the Peter Doherty Prize for Innovation, the premier prize for the most outstanding eligible opportunity, valued at $100,000 in cash and in kind services.

Commercialisation Expo is one of Australia's largest and influential R&D and new technology events that aims to connect the research and business communities.

More than 80 exhibitors and around 400 attendees took part in this year's event.

Adelaide Research & Innovation also used the opportunity to showcase several other new technologies from the University, including vaccines and therapies for Hepatitis B and stage IV melanoma from the Faculty of Health Science, and a novel target for a new class of anti-arrhythmic drugs from the Faculty of Molecular and Biomedical Science.

Adelaide Research & Innovation representatives at the Expo included Deputy Director Robert Chalmers and Commercial Development Managers Dr Paul Tolstoshev, Dr Elaine Stead and Matthew Chong as well as The University of Adelaide's Deputy Vice Chancellor (Research) Professor Alan Johnson AM.

The project has received support from Bio Innovation SA, an initiative of the South Australian State Government, to provide business development, finance, infrastructure and marketing assistance for the development of the bioscience industry.

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