Australasian Biotechnology (backfiles) AusBiotech ISSN: 1036-7128 Vol. 8, Num. 4, 1998

Editorial, News, Bioshares, Florey Celebration, Letters, Biocomputing, Meetings

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FROM THE EDITOR

After fourteen years of existence, the ABA has grown a bit complacent, or perhaps even lethargic. It needs new drive, new ideas and new direction.

Over the last three years, successive Councils have sought to do this, but it has been hard to find Directors or ordinary members with the time available and the enthusiasm to lead the ABA onto new ways. The demands of our professional paid work have increased. There is less time available for professional bodies such as the ABA, where most of the work is voluntary.

The current Council took the very positive step of hiring a consultant, Kelvin Hopper, to review the ABA's activities, and develop a new strategy for the ABA. This was presented (in brief) at the Extraordinary General Meeting held in Adelaide in April 1998 during the Biotech Conference. Since then, Kelvin Hopper has been commissioned to develop a Business Plan for the ABA.

A key feature is the appointment of a paid Executive Director. To do this requires funding and this is being put into effect with our increased subscription rates. Whether or not we are a large enough organisation to be able to afford a full time Executive Director is an interesting question, and will require astute financial control of the Association. Certainly, we do need the management, organisational and lobbying skills which such a person would be expected to have, but the ABA will still need an enhanced level of leadership by its Directors in order to gain the most from this proposed appointment.

The ABA is a unique organisation which tries to straddle the divide between public sector scientists and biotech companies, providing services to both the science community and the business community. It has also had to carry the load of being an information provider for business (directories and journal) and for the public, especially school children (the ABA leaflets and website).

In many countries these loads are often taken by government departments - this has not been the case in Australia. Consequently, the time available for lobbying government on matters of importance to the biotech industry and biotech community has been very limited.

We are now entering an exciting period for the ABA when we can look forward to a period of rejuvenated activity by the ABA and some new directions. So far, the decisions on the ABA's future have largely remained within the Council of the ABA, although many of you have been contacted for your views. Now, as the strategy and business plans mature, it is time for all members to have a full opportunity to consider the plans and the alternatives. The next two years will be very decisive ones for the ABA and you should all make your voices heard.

Over the next six issues of the journal, we will be bringing to you a series of articles, issues and alternatives on the future directions of the ABA. We hope you will spend time responding to these articles and contributing your ideas. I would like the journal to play its role as a forum on this important topic.

Martin J. Playne
Editor

(Dr Martin Playne was founding President of the ABA from 1986-1990.)

NEWS

Governments Fund $50 Million Science Centre at University of Queensland

The Minister for Industry, Science and Tourism, John Moore, announced on 10 June funding for a new $50 million centre of excellence at the University of Queensland.

A Commonwealth contribution of $15 million from the Federation Fund has been matched by $15 million allocated from the recent Queensland Budget and a further $15 million from UQ. The balance will be provided by the private sector. When the project is completed, the University will have a world class molecular bioscience and biotechnology institute at the St Lucia Campus.

"During the construction phase, this project will employ up to 150 people," said Mr Borbidge. "The expanded research capabilities provided by the institute will create a further 180 jobs."

The centre of excellence will be formed through amalgamating the Centre for Molecular and Cellular Biology, the Centre for Drug Design and Development, and the Centre for Microscopy and Microanalysis. It will also house the new Australian National Genome Research Facility.

The Viruses and Mutations project to be included in the program of events at the 1998 Melbourne International Festival, aims to highlight the intersection between art, science and technology. Experimenta intends to create a forum for
intellectual and theoretical debate on biotechnology, including subjects such as the human genome project, molecular biology, genetic engineering, digital imaging and viruses and mutations in the human body and in the environment.

The project comprises a cultural symposium to be held at the State Film Theatre and a two week-long exhibition at St Vincent's Hospital beginning mid-October. The work of eight leading Australian digital media artists will be profiled alongside digital imaging and technical apparatus from medical and science based organisations.

Through the cultural symposium we hope to explore some of the technical and cultural issues involved in the development of these technologies, as well as the ethical, moral and philosophical questions that arise. We would like to canvass the interest of the expert members of the Australian Biotechnology Association in this day-long conference and envision the contribution of eminent and inspiring personalities to the forum.

Funded by Cinemedia, Arts Victoria and the Australian Film Commission, Viruses and Mutations will have a global impact, inviting participation via an interactive WorldWideWeb site.

Further information: Romy Feingold, (Tel: (03) 9525 5025; Fax: (03) 9525 5105; Email: experimenta@peg.apc.org; http://www.peg.apc.org/~experimenta)

"The European Space Agency Directorate of Manned Spaceflight and Microgravity, within the frame of the Microgravity Applications Promotion Programme, invites proposals for Topical Teams to identify and promote European research making use of the microgravity environment of the International Space Station. The research must be in the field of Biotechnology including Biomedical Engineering." Press Announcements in Nature and other journals as from 21 May 1998

Dear Colleague,

In preparation for Biotechnology Research Projects, where gravity-dependent phenomena have to be taken into account, I would like to emphasise the interest of the open invitation for the creation of specialised study groups, Topical Teams in Biotechnology. These Teams provide good opportunities for establishing internationally recognised research programmes through the coordination at European level of efforts in innovative high-priority research areas.

For further information please have a look at our MAP Home Page at: http://www.estec.esa.int/spaceflight/map/

In case of difficulty accessing this site, please contact our Secretariat, MSM-GA/Ms.Sylvie Gault, ESTEC, Keplerlaan 1, Nl-2201 AZ Noordwijk, The Netherlands, Tel: +31 71 565 3262; Fax: +31 71 565 3661; Email: MAP@estec.esa.nl

Dr Ir Roger A Binot, Biotechnology Applications Coordinator, Directorate of Manned Spaceflight & Microgravity, European Space Agency, MSM-GA, Keplerlaan 1, Nl-2201-AZ Noordwijk, The Netherlands.

Canada has been selected for the 7th Pacific Rim Biotechnology Conference. It will be jointly hosted by BIOTECanada and the British Columbia Biotechnology Alliance (BCBA) and held in Vancouver from November 13-18, 2000. The event is expected to attract well over 1200 delegates.

In February, BIO began monthly publication of a new trade newsletter, Industrial Biotechnology News. It will cover uses of microbial products and processes for industrial and other manufacturing activities, as well as biotreatment and pollution-prevention applications.

The new publication is designed as a service and resource to BIO's newly established Industrial and Environmental Section, which held its inaugural meeting at the BIO offices in Washington, DC on February 18.

"We are very excited about the opportunity for this in-depth publication to explore critical issues and catalyze the efforts of the new Environmental and Industrial Section," said BIO President Carl B. Feldbaum.

BIO acquired Biotreatment News, a newsletter familiar to many in the environmental treatment industry. Its founder and editor of seven years, Kate Devine, will remain as editor of the new BIO publication.

While Industrial Biotechnology News debuts with a new name and design, its focus on industry issues, and technology and business developments, and its regular features such as the extensive calendar of events and calls for papers, will be maintained.

(Reproduced with acknowledgement to BIO News - Feb/March 1998)

The good news is, consumers may soon have a clearer sense of what they are paying for when they buy foods labeled "organic". The possible bad news: Biotechnology may not be included in new standards for organic agriculture if extremist views prevail.

The US Department of Agriculture's Agricultural Marketing Service (USDA-AMS) proposed a rule to establish national standards for organic foods and agricultural commodities. The intent of the National Organic Program is to set forth clear practices and standards for inspection and accreditation of organic production and handling of agricultural products.

The future of biotechnology in organic agriculture, however, was presented as an open-ended topic for public comment, along with two other controversial technologies: food irradiation and use of municipal sludge as fertilizer.

USDA requested public comment on the proposed organic standards and whether genetically engineered organisms can be used in a system or organic farming and handling. While the proposed standard was being developed, BIO submitted comments to the National Organic Standards Board objecting to the exclusion of biotechnology products.

In addition, USDA is hosting "listening sessions" across the country to obtain a variety of viewpoints concerning the proposed organic standards. The dates and locations are:

February 12 - The Meeting Place in Austin, Texas. Contact (512) 323 9500.

February 18 - The Iowa State Center in Ames, Iowa. Contact (515) 294 3218.

February 26 - Seattle Center, Seattle, Wash. Contact (206) 684 7202.

March 5 - Rutgers Student Center, New Brunswick, NJ. Contact (732) 932 8821.

BIO's Food and Agriculture Section recommended that BIO urge the inclusion of all biotechnology products as organic. Draft comments are currently being reviewed for submission to USDA by the March 16 deadline. The bottom line in BIO's view: There is no logical or scientific basis for a blanket exclusion of every genetically engineered organism from organic status.

The Roslin Institute, the internationally acclaimed Scottish researchers who brought Dolly to life, is seeking commercial partners in all fields of applications for its nuclear transfer technology, including human pharmaceuticals and agriculture.

Potential commercial partners may consider possible joint ventures, collaborations or other licensing agreements with the Roslin Institute. The University of Edinburgh-based institute is actively seeking commercial partners in the following areas: xenotransplantation, animal models of disease, alternative approaches to production of human proteins, applications in laboratory animals and cell therapy.

For additional information, contact Prof Grahame Bulfield, Director of the Roslin Institute (Tel: (0) 131 527 4200; Email: grahame.bulfield@bbsrc.ac.uk; Website: www.ri.bbsrc.ac.uk)

(Reproduced with acknowledgement to BIO News - Feb/March 1998)

Grants are awarded to provide support for companies to employ a graduate on an R&D related project. Funding is limited to $100,000 for up to 50% of eligible project costs (as determined by the IR&D Board) over a project life of 2 years. Eighty percent of the grant is paid to the company to cover salary and other employment costs and the remainder is paid to the institution for the provision of academic support and equipment. Project costs incurred prior to application lodgement are not eligible.

Who Can Apply?

Companies that are not tax exempt, that are incorporated in Australia, and had an annual turnover of less than $50 million (including that of related companies) in each of the three previous financial years, together with a research institution.

The Project

The graduate must work full-time on an R&D related project, which is designed to improve the performance of the company. Eligible activities include:

• R&D;
• product or service development;
• documentation of R&D activities and their outcomes;
• investigating other uses of the outcomes of R&D;
• implementing/commercialising outcomes of R&D (not including simple sales activities but including market development activities);
• related project or strategic planning, quality management.

Further information: AusIndustry Hotline 13 28 46 Homepage: http://www.ausindustry.gov.au

On 12 May 1998 the European Parliament approved the Biotechnology Patent Directive after ten years of discussion. One of the major rate-limiting steps of the Biotechnology Revolution has been the legal issue of prohibiting worldwide patenting of transgenic inventions. This vote removes legal prohibitions to patenting transgenics.

The following is summarized from a patent commentary by Breffni Baggot in the March 1998 issue of Nature Biotechnology. Two laws have blocked the patentability of transgenics: the European Patent Convention's (EPC's) Article 53(a) blocks patentability of inventions whose commercial use would be contrary to public policy and Article 53(b) excludes "plant and animal varieties" from patentability.

Interpretations vary from country to country, and therein lies the rub. The European Patent Organization (EPO) and EU member states have selectively issued or rejected patents. Two cases have made the interpretation especially difficult, the granting of a patent to the "Harvard" mouse and the rejection of a Plant Genetics Systems transgenic plant patent.

Discontent over the inability to explain this discrepancy led to the drafting of this new legislation known as the EU Biotechnology Patent Directive, which is more favorable toward patenting transgenics and less subject to idiosyncratic interpretation. The Directive redefines EPC Article 53 to avoid the result in the Plant Genetics Systems case and defines both patentable plants and animals and plant and animal varieties.

If sorting out this legal process seems burdensome, similar things happened in the computer industry. The computer software industry ultimately claimed a mathematical algorithm in conjunction with a physical process to override the U.S. Supreme Court's rejection of patenting an algorithm alone. The biotechnology industry would do well to demonstrate the industrial application of transgenic animal and plant materials.

More information can be found on the following web sites:

1. Notice of the decision, Europe OKs Biotech Patents, http://www.bric.postech.ac.kr/science/97now/98_5now /980512c.html

2. Final text of the EC Directive on the legal protection of biotechnological inventions, http://www.wuesthoff.de/c.htm

3. Commentary on the EC Directive, http://www.wuesthoff.de/e.htm, http://ci.mond.org/9506/950613.html

4. A non-technical summary of intellectual property rights issues in agricultural biotechnology, the ISB News Report Special Issue On Intellectual Property Rights, http://www.nbiap.vt.edu/news/1995/news95.may.html

Edward Weck, BioTec Innovation, Northfield, MN eweck@microassist.com

(Reproduced from ISB News Report - June 1998)

Research in the Plants and Human Health group at the Boyce Thompson Institute for Plant Research at Cornell University, led by Drs. Charles Arntzen and Hugh Mason, is focused on developing both production and delivery systems for subunit protein vaccines. They have reported that transgenic plants can express a variety of antigenic proteins, such as hepatitis B virus surface antigen, Norwalk virus capsid protein, and the B subunit of the Escherichia coli heat labile enterotoxin (LT-B). In 1995, this group showed that not only could transgenic potato plants express the E. coli LT-B protein, but also that tubers expressing this protein could induce a specific immune response against LT-B when fed to mice as part of their normal diet. These results suggested that transgenic plant tissues expressing vaccine antigens could be used for immunization against a myriad of diseases, and raised hopes that this technology might solve many of the problems associated with delivery of safe, effective vaccines to people in developing countries. Production of recombinant subunit vaccines could be as cheap as agriculture, distribution as convenient as marketing fresh produce, and administration as simple and as safe as feeding a baby a banana! The report describing the results of the first human clinical trial of a plant-derived vaccine provides further important proof that transgenic plants could be used as "edible vaccines". This trial used E. coli LT-B-expressing potatoes produced by the Boyce Thompson Institute group.

Enterotoxigenic E. coli (ETEC) and Vibrio cholerae are the primary pathogens responsible for acute watery diarrhea. Both bacteria initiate disease by colonizing the intestinal epithelia and both produce multi- subunit enterotoxins, which cause the diarrheal symptoms. The heat labile enterotoxin (LT) of ETEC is closely related to cholera toxin (CT). There is currently no reliable and effective vaccine against either ETEC or cholera. There is, however, evidence that suggests that oral vaccination against the B-subunit of either toxin can induce production of mucosal antibodies which can neutralize the toxicity of the respective holotoxin by preventing its binding to gut cells.

In the clinical trial, two groups of volunteers consumed either 50 g or 100 g of raw potato tubers expressing LT-B (equivalent to 0.5 mg or 1 mg LT-B per dose, respectively) and were compared with a third group that ate untransformed potato tubers. The first two groups developed specific anti-LT-B mucosal and systemic immune responses while the control group did not. These responses are comparable to those observed when humans are challenged with 10x9 ETEC bacteria. The human clinical trials demonstrate that edible plant vaccines are immunogenic in humans, as was previously shown in mice; proving that they can protect humans against a challenge is the next logical step.

References

Tacket, C.O., H.S. Mason, G. Losonsky, J.D. Clements, M.M. Levine, and C.J. Arntzen. 1998. Immunogenicity of a recombinant bacterial antigen delivered in a transgenic potato. Nature Medicine 4: 607-609.

Haq, T., H.S. Mason, J.D. Clements, and C.J. Arntzen. 1995. Oral immunization with a recombinant bact- erial antigen produced in transgenic plants. Science 268: 714-716.

Kenneth E. Palmer, Boyce Thompson Institute for Plant Research, Cornell University kep12@cornell.edu

The B-glucuronidase (GUS) gene is to date the most frequently used reporter gene in genetically engineered plants. As such, it is likely to be present in some of the transgenic food, feed and ornamental crops being developed for commercial use. To aid the biosafety evaluation of GUS-containing transgenic crops, the ecological and toxicological aspects of the gene and gene product have been examined. The assessment concluded that GUS in genetically modified plants and plant products can be regarded as safe for the environment and consumers.

Biosafety assessments generally consider whether a transgenic organism presents an ecological and toxicological concern. These concerns include whether the modified crop may have a selective advantage or may become a weed; whether the transgenic character may spread from the crop to wild relatives or other organisms that as a result become problematic or may somehow disturb ecological relationships; and whether the introduced gene products are toxic or harmful to humans or other organisms. The assessment of the GUS reporter gene dealt with the origin, biological function and substrate specificity of the GUS enzyme. The work, conducted by a team of researchers from the Department of Molecular Biology, University of Wageningen, the Netherlands and supported by three Ministries within the Dutch government, was chaired by Prof. Dr. P.G. de Haan.

GUS activity is found in many bacterial species. It is also common in all tissues of vertebrates, and is present in organisms of various invertebrate taxa. Much debate has occurred with respect to the presence of GUS or GUS-like activity in plants. If any, such activity is low and its putative functions are unknown. Thus the gene is particularly useful as a reporter in transgenic plants because its activity can be detected in the absence of a background level of endogenous GUS expression. The gene used in transgenic plants originates from the enterobacterial sp. E. coli that is widespread in the vertebrate intestine and in soil and water ecosystems.

In the field, the question becomes whether a GUS-expressing plant or its progeny has a selective advantage compared to the untransformed parent plant due to expression of the reporter gene. Substrates for GUS activity could be present in the soil as a result of manuring, and could be taken up by plants. It is conceivable that in contrast to unmodified plants, the GUS-containing plants would be able to metabolize these compounds. The metabolites conceivably could be able to influence plant performance in a different manner than the intact substrate would influence the performance of non-transgenic plants.

This scenario is not likely for several reasons. First, any substrate in the field would be rapidly (within hours) hydrolyzed by GUS activity from bacteria present in the manure. This would result in a low concentration of substrate in the soil. Another possibility is that the transgenic GUS enzyme is released from genetically modified plants. The leaked enzyme must then compete for substrates with the analogous enzyme naturally present in soil bacteria. This situation will not change the environment around such plants significantly. Therefore plants expressing GUS transgenes will not have any selective advantage in the field, and any GUS activity added to the ecosystem through genetically modified plants would be negligible.

A second issue related to genetically modified plants is the possibility of making the plant more weed-like. The biosafety evaluation concluded that neither GUS-expressing crop plants nor wild relatives that might acquire the transgene through outcrossing would be expected to exhibit any increase in weediness. Weediness is the result of many different independent characteristics. Most crop plants lack several or most weedy traits. Expression of GUS in plants is not likely to alter or add any weedy characteristics to any crop plant. A GUS-containing plant does not exhibit ecological characteristics that distinguish it from the untrans- formed plant, apart from having GUS activity. Data from numerous field tests support this view.

Toxicity of GUS in food from genetically modified plants is not a concern. The enzyme in transgenic foods is identical to the GUS from E. coli in the digestive tract, and homologous to the endogenous GUS from epithelial cells of the intestine. Both types of enzyme are ubiquitously present in the gut, therefore consumers are continuously exposed to GUS. In many fresh foods such as raw beef and oyster, GUS is abundantly present and enters the digestive tract of consumers without harmful effects. The widespread occurrence of GUS and the constant exposure to the protein also preclude all concerns about any putative allergenicity.

This biosafety assessment is expected to contribute to informed decisions about the release of GUS-containing crops.

Source

Gilissen, L.J.W., P.L.J. Metz, W.J. Stiekema. and J.P. Nap. 1998. Biosafety of E. coli B-glucuronidase (GUS) in plants. Transgenic Research Vol. 7, No. 3, 157-163.

P. Janaki Krishna, Biotechnology Unit, Institute of Public Enterprise, Hyderabad, India ipe@hyd.ap.nic.in

(Reproduced from ISB News Report - July 1998)

Compounds with anti-cancer properties and potential for use in new generation antibiotics and nutritional supplements have been found in tiny marine plants around Australia's coastline.

Microalgae - single-cell marine plants at the base of the ocean food chain - produce a range of biochemicals with exciting potential, say researchers. Australian microalgae are genetically and biochemically different from microalgae found in oceans elsewhere, says Dr Susan Blackburn of CSIRO's Collection for Living Microalgae.

"That means that while our microalgae may look the same, it does contain unique compounds with the potential to solve future needs for drugs, including anti-cancer agents and urgently- needed antibiotics," says Dr Blackburn who has been investigating the properties of microalgae for 20 years. Dr Blackburn said the two year project is part of a national collaborative super-project called the Bioactive Molecule's Initiative involving six CSIRO Divisions, encompassing the strengths of CSIRO biotechnology with a major focus being marine biotechnology. The recent discovery of these biologically-active compounds in certain Australian microalgae highlights the potential for a new biotechnology dimension for Australia's oceans, she said.

"Australia's oceans are immense, and while we are beginning to understand more about its physical conditions and the large creatures that live in it such as whales, dolphins and fish, there is a vast array of life at the microscopic level that is not well understood at all. Yet from the few microalgae that have been studied, compounds with significant human health benefits as pharmaceuticals - anti-cancer, antibiotic and improved heart function drugs-have been found."

The CSIRO Collection for Living Microalgae holds over 700 species of microalgae in the collection, which is the largest of its type in Australia and one of the largest in the world. Dr Blackburn estimates there could be thousands of different microalgae in Australia's ocean territories which, at 16 million square kilometres, cover twice the size of the nation's landmass. Microalgae from the collection is presently used throughout Australia in the formulation of crucial live feeds for young aquaculture species such as oysters, prawns and abalone.

The human health benefits of microalgae are a relatively new development, with only about three microalgae species being cultured for nutriceutical production internationally, supplying large markets in Asia and America. Australian manufacturers are also supplying the nutriceutcal market with betacarotene and other compounds derived from microalgae.

"Given the large number of species of microalgae in the world's oceans and the very few being used for their pharmaceutical, nutriceutical and other properties, microalgae are a very under-utilised resource world-wide," she says. "The microalgae component of the CSIRO Bioactive Molecules Initiative combines a unique natural resource with leading edge biotechnology which allows novel chemicals to be modified or synthesised from compounds found in short supply in nature."

NSW chemist, Dr Noel Chambers was recently presented with the Biota Award for Medicinal Chemistry, which recognises the work of younger chemists in designing and developing small molecules as potential therapeutic agents.

Dr Chambers was presented with the 1997 Award by the Federal Minister for Health, Dr Michael Wooldridge, at a function marking the opening of Biota's new laboratories at the Clayton campus of Monash University.

The Award, given through the Royal Australian Chemical Institute, is sponsored by Biota, a Melbourne based biotechnology company receiving worldwide recognition for the development of an influenza therapy, RelenzaTM, and an influenza diagnostic test, AB FLU OIA®.

Dr Chambers, who completed his PhD in the Department of Pharmacology at the University of Sydney, funded his undergraduate studies by teaching swimming and resuscitation. "As a consequence, he became heavily involved in the aquatics industry, starting his own company, AQUASAFE Australia, which provided much of the funding to allow him to complete his PhD," Dr Niall said. On completion of his PhD, Dr Chambers became project manager of a commercial venture between the University of Sydney and Circadian Technologies Ltd, allowing for the further investigation of the series of compounds in specific pharmacological models and the refinement of activity. "Eventually, this led to the filing of a patent in numerous countries and the seeking of licensing partners to take compounds towards clinical trials," Dr Niall said.

"Dr Chambers acknowledges the contribution of Circadian Technologies, Professor Graham Johnson, Judith Newman, Anthony Carlsson and Nikki Farrar in the development of his research."

Dr Chambers is currently Research Manager at Thursday Plantation Laboratories, working with natural and complementary medicines in Ballina on the far north coast of New South Wales.

The Biota Award for Medicinal Chemistry is awarded annually to a member of the Royal Australian Chemical Institute under the age of 40.

The Year in Industry Program - University of Sydney

The School of Chemistry, University of Sydney, offers an elective program whereby a group of Chemistry students spend their third year of training in Chemistry in full-time employment in the chemical industry or in a government scientific laboratory. At the end of the year, the students return to the University to complete their studies for the BSc degree. In many cases they then proceed to the Honours Degree in Chemistry. Thus typically the year in industry will be at the middle of a five year program leading to an Honours Degree in Chemistry.

Kind of Work in Industry

The jobs offered are regular jobs and not a special training program or assignments designed especially for students. Therefore the range of work required is varied. This year the jobs ranged from analysis of industrial chemicals to testing of new pharmaceutical products and used a wide range of instrumentation and techniques. Some jobs are in research laboratories and others in production and control. The jobs are for approximately twelve months, commencing in December, January or February, depending on the employer.

The number of positions varies from year to year. Thus it should be realised that not all students who apply can be accommodated in the program. The salaries offered vary considerably, being determined by a variety of industrial awards.

Participating Companies

Employers participating in the scheme in 1998 (with one to three placements) are:

Australian Government
Analytical Laboratories

Testing & Certification Australia

Astra Pharmaceuticals Pty Ltd

ANSTO, Lucas Heights Environmental Science Program

ANSTO, Radiopharmaceuticals Division, R&D

Rohm and Haas Company

Memtec Research Limited

Nalco Australia

Biochemical Veterinary Research Pty Ltd

Orica

Scientists at the Children's Medical Research Institute are experts in many areas of genetic research. The CMRI is internationally known and respected for its research aimed at understanding human development, genetic therapy techniques and recombinant DNA technology. These world authorities can speak on their relevant expertise or comment on international research studies.

Medical doctor and scientist ... has a broad understanding of all aspects of genetic disorders. His particular interests lie in human development and he has established areas of research, which explore the mechanisms of human development and cancers using cellular and genetic techniques.

Dr Tam is a world renowned authority on mammalian embryology, and his work is focused on the genes controlling development in the third week of development of the embryo after fertilisation - a most crucial time for investigating the causes of congenital defects.

His expertise is in the nervous system development. By studying the brain, spinal cord and nerves and how they develop from each embryological stages brings an insight as to how diseases such as Alzheimers, Parkinson's, epilepsy, motor neuron disease can be better treated or prevented.

Leading authority on oncogenes (cancer causing genes) and tumour suppressor genes, and the property of cancer cells which makes them "immortal". Dr Reddel has an international reputation and has received a significant grant from the Cancer Council to fastrack his research.

How does a neuron, or nerve cell, `converse' with other cells? The answer to this is important in the study of neurological disorders such as epilepsy or schizophrenia. Dr Robinson is an expert on this cell signalling and how proteins play their part in normal development.

Experience in Australia and the USA (including work with Dr Robert Gallo, co-discoverer of virus named IIIV-1, which causes AIDS), he has extensive knowledge in the realistic potential of genetic therapies of the near and distant future and has started a program (with the New Children's Hospital) aimed at solid tumours.

Dr Hardeman's experience is in understanding the formation of skeletal and cardiac muscle and, in particular the genetic elements, which control expression of muscle proteins during development. Is working with a leading hospital on a radical heart muscle assist program.

Australia has just recorded its first fall in business expenditure on R&D (BERD) since the Australian Bureau of Statistics began measuring R&D in the mid 1970s. This is another gloomy sign for Australia's economic outlook, and a bad sign as we enter a millennium which is going to place an increasing emphasis on industries that are sophisticated, intelligent and sustainable.

It increases pressure on the Federal Government to bring forward reform of the tax system, to remove disincentives to business to invest in the industries of the future. It is clear that industry in Australia does not have the confidence or conviction to invest in R&D under the present financial settings and economic climate.

The Asian currency meltdown is outside the Government's control, but we can do something about a tax system, which seems almost perverse in its inability to encourage innovation. Addressing the capital gains tax issue would be a start.

Industry will respond to the right settings. The CRC Program is a well-tuned government incentive. Its success is demonstrated by the fact that 147 groups have already indicated they will compete for the 30 places available in the next round of selections, with a closing date for applications of September 30.

A fall in BERD was widely predicted since the abolition of the 150 per cent tax deductibility for industrial R&D in the 1996 Budget, and its replacement by the START Scheme. START is the latest in a long line of incentive schemes, and I hope it will take effect now that it is fully in place. START has been slow to bite so far, with $50 million being returned to Government coffers because it was not taken up last financial year. The decrease in BERD does need to be read with caution, because the fall in 1996-97 was exaggerated by an unusually high figure for 1995-96.

But the figures confirm an unacceptably low performance in the international arena. Last year Australia outranked only China, Italy, India, New Zealand and Spain in a comparison of BERD in 24 countries from the OECD and Asian-Pacific region.

(Reproduced from FASTS Circular for June 1998)

The Federal Court found this week that methods of medical treatment are unable to be granted a patent monopoly, according to national law firm Freehill Hollingdale & Page, acting for the pharmaceutical company FH Faulding & Co Limited.

In a decision with wide ranging implications for the pharmaceutical industry, the argument that methods of medical treatment should not be considered as a matter of law to be proper subject matter for the grant of a patent monopoly was strongly upheld by the judge, according to Freehills' intellectual property partner, Mr Wayne Condon.

"The case was about two patents for a method of administering an anti-cancer drug, known as paclitaxel, which has been shown to be particularly effective in the treatment of ovarian cancer," Mr Condon said.

"The company asserting the patents was attempting to claim a very wide monopoly regarding the method of administering the drug - the drug itself could not be patented as it is a naturally occurring substance. In holding the patents invalid, the judge held that the case showed `in acute form, the harmful effects which would follow from the granting of monopolies in respect of forms of medical treatment'. Medical treatment for diseases, particularly life threatening ones, should be freely and openly available to all members of the public," Mr Condon said.

"No one questions that reward should follow true innovation, but the patenting of methods of medical treatment raises questions of access to such treatment and could stifle medical education and training, leading to people being unable to obtain the best treatment at a reasonable cost."

A team of Australian scientists from CSIRO and the Biomolecular Research Institute has achieved a world-first advance by describing the structure of a vital receptor found on the surface of the body cells of all animals including humans. The discovery, reported in a July issue of the international scientific journal Nature, has major implications for our understanding of the mechanisms behind growth and development, and diseases such as diabetes and many forms of cancer.

The breakthrough, which is receiving international acclaim, was made by a team led by Dr Colin Ward of CSIRO Molecular Science and crystallographer Dr Tom Garrett of the BRI in Melbourne. The work was funded in part by Biota Holdings Limited and the Federal Government's AusIndustry program.

The Chief Executive Officer of Biota, Dr Hugh Niall said "We are delighted to be associated with this discovery. It represents an advance in our joint diabetes program with CSIRO and the BRI and also has significance for other important areas of biology and medicine." The team's goal is to understand the atomic structure of a particular family of receptors, sites on the cell surface which detect chemical messengers such as insulin, IGF (or insulin-like growth factor) and EGF (epidermal growth factor), Dr Ward says.

Receptors are a vital link in the body's command chain. Messenger chemicals like hormones and growth factors attach and switch on their special receptor, which in turn commands the cell to perform particular tasks, such as to grow or to process sugar. The team is the first in the world to clarify the structure of half of the IGF receptor, marking a major scientific milestone in a field of research that has been running since the late 1960s when the 3D structure of insulin was determined.

"The IGF, insulin and EGF receptors are all in the same family and their structures are expected to be 90 per cent similar - so understanding the crystal structure of the IGF receptor helps us to understand most of the structure of all three," Dr Ward explains. "IGF is important to the body's normal growth and development - but when it gets out of control it can also cause the growth of cancer cells. We hope this work in time will lead to a better understanding of ways to control certain cancers. This is a milestone in that process - but there is still a long, long way to go."

To understand the IGF receptor's structure, large quantities of the receptor fragment were produced in animal cells and purified to a very high level. The next step was to grow crystals from this material, much like salt crystals growing in a saline solution. The big difference is that the team's target crystal has over 7,000 atoms, whereas salt has just two.

The crystals were then bombarded with X-rays, yielding diffraction patterns. A powerful computer was then used to construct an image of the receptor from the diffraction data. From this Dr Garrett was able to work out the location of each atom in the receptor and build a three dimensional structure for this protein molecule. "It's like a giant jigsaw puzzle. Piece by piece, we're slotting it together," Dr Ward says. "There has been plenty of excitement from our colleagues round the world about this discovery because it is the first glimpse of that part of the receptor which binds the hormone. It's been a long time coming."

Three years ago a US team clarified the structure of the portion of the receptor that lies inside the cell. The Australians have now described the structure of half of the receptor that lies outside, on the cell surface. "The next step is to get the whole thing because the remaining parts of the receptor are also important for binding and biological action - and that should tell us a lot more about how these important chemicals communicate with the body. That, in turn, will help us to manipulate their effects and, hopefully, treat diseases like diabetes and cancer more effectively," said Dr Ward.

Break into new markets at the Biotech Marketplace, from 5-7 October 1999 - in Hannover

Increasingly, BioTechnica is emerging as a centre of competence for life sciences. With its dedicated concentration on the application areas of medicine/pharmacy, agriculture, nutrition, the environment, biotechnology, analysis and services, the 11th BioTechnica from 5-7 October 1999 provides an ideal forum for business contacts and communication for all those involved in biotechnology. Only in Hannover are you able to meet in the space of three days a concentration of all the key decision-makers and market partners from industry, science and politics.

In 1997 580 exhibitors from 21 countries and an international mix of visitors from 31 different countries and from all branches of industry and management levels (percentage of professionals 99%) came to view the international range of products and applications on display at the world's leading trade fair for biotechnology. And BioTechnica '99 with its slogan "From Science to Business", is raising its profile even further; new trade fair highlights such as the Innovations Forum, corporate and product presentations, job and contact marts and - particularly for financial service providers - the BioTechnica Financial World, provide the ideal setting for an attractive presentation of products, ideas and services. You can select the most beneficial mode of participation for your company from four options:

For financial service providers - at the new Financial World.

The registration deadline for all types of participation is 1 March 1999. At this time the stand layout planning will commence. For this reason we recommend you secure your place at Bio- Technica in good time. We will be happy to assist you in all aspects of your pre-show planning and look forward to any queries or suggestions you may have.

Further information: Tel: +49 511 89 32128 or +49 511 89 32133; Fax: +49 511 89 31218

Australia's Own Giant High-Tech Fair

Manufesto '98, the prestigious annual event for Australia's industrial and technology development communities, will be held at the Melbourne Convention Centre from 22-25 September 1998.

The ultimate aim of Manufesto '98 is simple: "to create local jobs and expand Australia's export opportunities," said CSIRO's deputy chief executive, Dr Bob Fraser. "Manufesto '98 will bring together Australian industry, leading edge research and development, international finance and manufacturing investment. It is a unique opportunity for those involved in manufacturing technology research, development and commercialisation to exchange information and ideas and study models of international best practice."

The event is sponsored by CSIRO, Business Victoria and the Federal Department of Industry, Science and Tourism (DIST) with the support of the Australian Industry Research Group (AIRG) and the Australian Vice Chancellors' Committee (AVCC).

Manufesto '98 includes presentations and workshops by top Australian and overseas speakers in fields such as automotive component manufacture, telecommunications, food processing and more.

Topics include collaborative R&D; accessing and managing venture capital investments; improving productivity; employment growth; and export growth.

The program will explore the many challenges facing Australian industries and researchers in bringing innovative technologies to the international marketplace.

The exhibition will feature Australia's best technologies from Cooperative Research Centres, universities and CSIRO.

Contact: Julian White, CSIRO Tel: 02 6276 6535; Email: julian.white@exec.csiro.au

An innovative new bio- informatics company, recently launched by NSW Health Minister and Deputy Premier, Andrew Refshauge, is already a pathfinder in areas of understanding of disease and the development of new medicines. Bioinformatics is a new discipline at the leading edge of two of the fastest growing areas of science and technology - Biotechnology and Information technology.

EnCompass Bioinformatics Pty Ltd is a joint venture between the University of Sydney and industry partners, with equipment being provided by Sun Microsystems and seed funding provided by Biotechnology Investments Ltd, a fund advised by the Rothschild Bioscience Unit. The new company has grown out of the Australian National Genomic Information Service (ANGIS) and EnCompass will focus on bioinformatics research & development and bioinformatics service delivery to the global bioscience research community.

Associate Professor Tim Littlejohn has been appointed Chief Executive of the new venture which will launch its services on the global market in the coming months. Our next issue will contain a special feature on this exciting new Australian venture.

COMPANY NEWS

AMRAD - Clinical Trials of AM424 Progress

Despite some important medical advances, there has been little progress in providing innovative and effective drug treatments for debilitating diseases that destroy nerves and muscles.

AM424 is a molecule that may provide a treatment for individuals who have been diagnosed with the neurodegenerative syndrome, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, the most common form of motor neurone disease. It may also benefit the many more people, whose peripheral nerves have been damaged by diabetes, trauma or cancer chemotherapy.

AMRAD recently announced the successful completion of Phase 1 clinical trials of AM424 in healthy volunteers. This important milestone was closely followed in January 1998 by the commencement of an Australian phase 1 clinical trial of AM424 in cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy. This trial will involve approximately 40 volunteer patients and is being supervised by the Melbourne-based Centre for Development Cancer Therapeutics (CDCT).

Dr Russell Basser, Director of the CDCT and Medical Oncologist supervising the study at Western Hospital said: "Patients undergoing chemotherapy may potentially benefit from AM424 in reducing chemotherapy side effects. These side effects include numbness, pain, bruising or bleeding."

Dr John Flack, Director of Research and Development at AMRAD outlined the objectives of the most recent clinical trial:
"This clinical trial will investigate the safety, tolerability and biological actions of AM424 in cancer patients who are undergoing chemotherapy."

AM424, the pharmaceutical form of leukemia inhibitory factor (LIF), was discovered in 1986 at The Walter & Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research (WEHI) by a group of well-known local scientists under the leadership of Professor Don Metcalf.

Originally discovered and named because of its ability to inhibit the proliferation of a leukemic cell line, this remarkable molecule was later found to prevent the death of neurones, including motor neurones, and to protect both nerves and muscle following damage. These early results have been followed by trials of the compound in a range of pre-clinical studies.

In July last year, AMRAD announced a collaboration with the Bionic Ear Institute and the Melbourne University Department of Otolaryngology to investigate the effect of AM424 in slowing or reversal of hearing nerve death. Studies are also being carried out at St Vincent's Neurology Department, Melbourne University, Monash University and WEHI to investigate the effects of AM424 on damaged nerves and muscle. "A key component of the AMRAD R&D strategy is to focus on diseases of the neuromuscular system", said Dr John Flack.

Cortecs plc has appointed Mr James Long as Director of Finance commencing Monday May 18, 1998. After a short qualifying period it is intended by the Company to invite Mr Long to join the Main Board of Cortecs plc.

Cortecs has not in the past had a Finance Director appointed to the Main Board. This is because prior to becoming a plc in December 1997, it has traditionally functioned in a more Continental or US structure where there were a limited number of executives on the Board, but with a full operational executive board reporting on all matters, including strategy, to it. Having become a plc, it is recognised by Cortecs that it is a priority to move the operating structure closer to UK practice and to conform to the principles of Corporate Governance set out in the Cadbury, Greenbury and Hampel reports.

After due consideration Cortecs decided that, to broaden its financial capabilities, the position should best be offered outside the Group. Mr Long was until recently with Inchcape plc as Corporate Finance Director. He joined Inchcape in 1989 as Group Treasury Director and as a Member of the Executive Committee and in 1993 was appointed Corporate Finance Director. His remit also covered taxation, M&A financing, capital raising, financial analysis and risk management. Prior to Inchcape Mr Long was with Burmah-Castrol plc between 1981-1989 where he was for the last four years Group Treasurer. Educated at Christ Church, Oxford where he obtained an MA in Modern Languages, Mr Long is married with four children. He holds the Territorial Decoration for service in the Intelligence Corps. He is a Director of the Fleming Asian Investment Trust plc.

The establishment of Biota Holdings Limited's laboratories at Monash University is fostering a collaborative research environment, the biotechnology company's CEO, Dr Hugh Niall, said on 10 June.

Dr Niall was commenting at the official opening of Biota's new molecular biology laboratory and a new, larger chemistry laboratory at Monash University's Clayton campus by the Federal Minister for Health, Dr Michael Wooldridge.

Biota is a biotechnology company receiving worldwide recognition as the developer of RelenzaTM, a revolutionary influenza therapy, as well as a rapid, point-of-care influenza diagnostic test, AB FLU OIA®.

Dr Niall said the location of its laboratories within Monash University's Microbiology and Chemistry Departments was of mutual benefit to Biota and the University. Biota established a chemistry laboratory at Monash University's Clayton campus in late 1994. Due to the success of the arrangement, Biota located its molecular biology laboratory on the Clayton campus this year, as well as establishing a larger chemistry laboratory.

"These are state-of-the-art of research facilities for each of these scientific disciplines," Dr Niall said. Biota leases the laboratory space from the University and has access to major items of equipment at the University through agreements with both departments, while they shared the costs of refurbishing the laboratories.

Dr Niall said the goal of the laboratories is to conduct research and development aimed at new human pharmaceuticals in Biota's focus areas of viral respiratory diseases and cancer. Biota is currently undertaking three structure-based design projects at the laboratories which target:

• Rhinovirus (the common cold)
• Respiratory Syncytial Virus (`flu-like illness'); and
• A glycosylation inhibitor (for cancer).

The Chemistry Laboratory is headed by Dr Keith Watson, who has held senior appointments with the CSIRO and ICI Australia, and was a recent recipient of the prestigious Adrian Albert Award for Medicinal Chemistry. Two of the inventors of Relenza - Dr Wen-Yang Wu and Ms Betty Jin - work in the chemistry laboratory.

The Molecular Biology Laboratory is headed by Dr Tony Mason, previously of US-biotechnology company, Genentech Inc. Dr Mason is a highly regarded molecular biologist with skill in the expression of proteins in mammalian cell lines. This protein is used as the starting point for Biota's structure-based design projects.

Biota Holdings Limited of Melbourne, Australia announced on 4 June that it has been awarded a 3 year R&D Start Grant to the value of AU$3.2M to pursue its rhinovirus project.

Biota's rhinovirus project utilises structure-based design and is being conducted at its Chemistry Laboratory. This approach utilises techniques which were involved in the design of RelenzaTM, Biota's influenza drug.

The rhinovirus family of related viruses causes more than half the common colds that occur each year. Complications include bronchitis, sinusitis and middle ear infections, which can be severe in susceptible individuals.

Biota Holdings Limited announced on 28 May that it has signed a marketing and distribution agreement in Australia with PanBio Ltd, for Biota's AB FLU OIA® rapid, point of care influenza diagnostic test. Distribution is planned to begin in the southern hemisphere winter of 1999.

Biota retains the worldwide marketing rights for the diagnostic outside Australia and the US, and is currently reviewing additional alliances to market and distribute the product in other areas.

BioStar, Biota's development partner for AB FLU OIA, is responsible for all US marketing efforts. Marketing of the diagnostic in the northern hemisphere is planned for late 1998.

PanBio of Brisbane, Queensland, develops, manufactures and markets a range of medical diagnostic test kits for hospitals and pathology laboratories. The company was formed in 1987, and has been ranked in the Business Review Weekly Top 100 Fastest Growing Australian Companies consecutively over the last five years.

"We are pleased to have PanBio working with us on the AB FLU OIA product," said Dr Hugh Niall, Chief Executive Officer of Biota. "Their strong commitment to and expertise in the marketing and distribution of point of care diagnostics in Australia will enable us to realise the full revenue potential of the diagnostic in Australia."

Mr Mel Bridges, Executive Director of PanBio said, "As an Australian owned biotechnology company we are excited by the opportunity of working closely with Biota in providing diagnostic tests to support the release of this important new influenza therapeutic in the Australian market.."

Utilising BioStar's proprietary Optical ImmunoAssay (OIA®) technology, the AB FLU OIA allows the practitioner to collect a patient specimen and detect both infleunza A and B within 15 minutes. The test also has the potential to provide rapid diagnosis of unusual flu variants, such as the recent avian virus found in Hong Kong. Currently available influenza diagnostics detect only influenza A or require hours or days to provide results.

Australia's emerging biotechnology sector has taken a quantum leap forward following the approval of Peptech Limited's new veterinary product Ovuplant, by the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Peptech is the first Australian biotechnology company to receive FDA approval of a drug product developed entirely in Australia.

The FDA, whose standards are considered amongst the most stringent in the world, notified the Sydney-based listed company, Peptech Limited, that its product Ovuplant has been approved for sale in the US market. Ovuplant uses synthetic natural hormones to regulate ovulation in horses to improve fertility rates and increase the efficiency of stud operations.

Peptech's Executive Chairman, Dr Michael Cohen, said that gaining FDA approval was a major milestone. It establishes Peptech as the first Australian biotechnology company, and one of only a handful outside of the USA, to have successfully completed the rigorous registration process. "The Registration is the first in a series of related compounds for control of reproductive function in animals and means that Peptech's long-time research program will begin to justify investors' confidence in the quality of the Company's scientific expertise and its ability to commercialise this to the benefit of its shareholders," he said.

Peptech has manufactured Ovuplant for the Australian equine industry since 1995, achieving year-on-year growth of 30% since its introduction. The product is currently sold in Australia, New Zealand, Canada and Argentina but as the American equine industry is the world's largest market, gaining FDA approval had been a vital goal for the company.

Ovuplant is widely used by internationally renowned commercial thoroughbred studs in Australia. In the US, Peptech has signed an exclusive contract with Fort Dodge Animal Health (a subsidiary of American Home Products) who will distribute the product.

The contract, which will result in Peptech receiving an immediate up-front milestrone payment, is subject to agreed growth objectives being met by Fort Dodge. There is also an annual increase in the minimum number of doses Fort Dodge will be required to pay for over the life of the contract and it is anticipated that the price Peptech receives for each dose will increase as volumes rise and the production process becomes more efficient.

Managing Director of Peptech Animal Health, Dr Tim Trigg, and his team had been engaged on this project for nearly seven years before the announcement.

Dr Cohen said the potential for opening further markets for Ovuplant was excellent. "Peptech is currently working towards gaining approval to sell Ovuplant in Japan and the European Union by the year 2000," he said. "The technology behind the development of Ovuplant also has the potential to be expanded to create products for other animal and human uses. Because the hormone (Gonadotrophin Releasing Hormone) which is the active ingredient in the Ovuplant delivery system is a naturally occurring regulator of reproduction in all mammalian species, development of products for use in other ways to benefit a wide range of animals is being actively pursued."

Ovuplant - Fact Sheet

• Ovuplant® contains a synthetically prepared derivative copy of a naturally occurring neurotransmitter brain hormone (Gonadotrophin Releasing Hormone or GnRH).
• This hormone induces ovulation in mares within 48 hours of implantation by triggering the natural reproductive mechanism.
• By regulating the time of ovulation safely and precisely the chances of successful breeding from stallions is improved.
• The improved predictability of ovulation in cycling mares
  provides a number of other benefits including:
• - Reduced handling of animals
• - Higher yield from breeding programs
• - Easier management of breeding programs
• - Less wastage of trans ported semen due to higher yield from artificial insemi- nation
• Ovuplant is formulated as a small implant (approximately 3.6 mm long) in a pre-loaded, disposable syringe.
• Ovuplant has already been approved and is currently used by the equine industries in Australia, New Zealand, Canada and Argentina.
• Peptech was listed on the Australian Stock Exchange in 1985.
• Chance of successful breeding from stallions with low sperm counts is greatly enhanced.
  ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Mississauga-Hyal Pharmaceutical Corp reported a consolidated net loss of $3.2M or $0.12 per share for the three months ending March 31, 1998 compared to a consolidated net loss of $3.4M or $0.13 per share for the same period in 1997. R&D expenses were $1.3M compared with $2.3M for the same period in 1997. The decrease was primarily the result of higher costs incurred in 1997 related to the wind-up of the Solarase clinical trials. Cash reserves totalled $9.4M of which approximately $5.6M was held by the company with the remainder controlled by their Australian subsidiary.

Dr J.P. Friend has been appointed Director, Australian Proteome Analysis Facility at Macquarie University, Sydney, NSW.

Australia fields new player in war on crop insect pests

A novel gene discovered by Melbourne scientists can help thwart insect pests which cost farmers worldwide hundreds of millions of dollars. The gene, identified by researchers at the University of Melbourne's Plant Cell Biology Research Centre, will be used first to develop insect-resistant varieties of cotton. Patents on the gene have been issued in Australia and New Zealand and are pending in the USA and Europe.

Australia's newest agri-industry biotechnology company Hexima Limited will develop commercial applications of the gene. Victoria's Deputy Premier and Agriculture Minister, Mr Pat McNamar
a, launched Hexima Limited on Wednesday, 15th July, at the University of Melbourne. Hexima Limited is a joint venture between the University of Melbourne, key members of the research team and Australia's largest farmer-owned company, Pivot Limited.

University of Melbourne Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Research), Professor Frank Larkins, describes the new venture as a necessary move to ensure that development and ownership of the gene remains in Australia. "Industry involvement in Hexima Limited helps keep a potentially high-earning Australian technology in Australian hands," he says. "And it provides a vehicle for Australian researchers and commercial interests to share in agricultural biotechnology developments that will shape global food and fibre production in the 21st century."

Chiron Technologies Pty Ltd (CTPL), an wholly owned subsidiary of Chiron Corporation of Emeryville, USA, has announced the appointment of Professor John Stocker as Chairman of the Board of Directors. Dr Stocker replaces Dr Neville McCarthy, AO, FTS, the founding Chairman of the Company, who announced his retirement earlier this year.

Dr Stocker is the Commonwealth Government Chief Scientist and Chairman of the Australian Science and Technology Council (ASTEC). He was previously Chief Executive of CSIRO and Managing Director of AMRAD Corporation Ltd. Dr Stocker is also a principal of FOURSIGHT Associates Pty Ltd, a consultancy company which specialises in providing advisory in research, science and technology.

CTPL is one of the world's largest suppliers of custom peptides and materials for solid phase organic chemistry. This technology is used in drug discovery programs. Based in Clayton, Victoria, CTPL employs approximately 60 staff, including 17 PhDs and has sales offices in San Diego, Raleigh NC and Paris.

"We are delighted to welcome Dr Stocker to the Board", said Ron Deane, Managing Director of CTPL. "We look forward to drawing upon John's experience and expertise as we move to strengthen our position in Polymer Sciences and Combinatorial Chemistry."

One of the world's leading specialists in gas and liquid filtration, purification and separation equipment is expanding its presence in Australia after demand for its products here has quadrupled over the last four years. The international domnick hunter group plc - which operates in more than 80 countries and is known by its "Pure Innovation" marketing signature - has established, from July 1, a full Australian subsidiary backed by new and larger warehouse and service facilities at Boronia in Melbourne.

Australian Sales Director, John Davis, says domnick hunter (correct spelling and capitalisation) sees a bright future for Australia's major industries, despite the economic fluctuations in Asia, and intends to make this country one of its major regional centres of excellence.

"Through an emphasis on quality, energy-efficient and innovative engineering, domnick hunter has grown very quickly to become one of Australia's most advanced specialists in energy-efficient filtration, drying and condensate management systems for compressed air installations. We are also a major supplier of breathing air equipment used by such industries as construction, mining, metal working, petroleum, processing, automotive finishing, transport and industrial maintenance. Now, through the new company, we want to further expand the business of our highly successful Industrial Division, while also giving greater emphasis to the products of our Gas Generation Division and its Process Divisions, which are used extensively by food, beverage, electronics, pharmaceutical and laboratory organisations."

"Sales growth of 400 per cent since domnick hunter established here four years ago has clearly demonstrated the strong and rising preference for top-quality and energy-efficient solutions to filtration, purification and separation needs," said Mr Davis, who has been Sales Director of the Australian company since it was established as a joint venture with the PGI group (and previously known as domnick hunter PGI).

The new Australian domnick hunter organisation - which has been established as one of domnick hunter's international centres of excellence - is headed by Managing Director Mr Jim Sergeant, who, working with the existing Australian management team, will direct the company's development over the next three years.

Mr Davis said customer benefits of the centre of excellence strategy would include expanded local resources - including expanded stocking, servicing and information technology capabilities - backed by direct access to the technology of the international domnick hunter organisation, which employs 900 people operating globally across virtually every industrial sector.

"To further extend our market reach and service capability into particular production areas - including those requiring unique gas generation and process operations - we have formed exclusive Australian distribution arrangements with established market leaders, including BOC Gases."

PPL and ProBio America Inc. have entered into an arrangement pursuant to which ProBio will license to PPL its proprietary cloning technology, more commonly known as the "Honolulu Cloning Technique," initially for research into the cloning of pigs, subsequently expanding the research to the cloning of sheep and other farm animals. PPL will be part of an international consortium, which shall be licensed by ProBio to use the Honolulu Cloning Technique for research in animal cloning. The research work will be undertaken both in the UK and in the United States.

The Honolulu Cloning Technique developed by Dr Yanagimachi and his team at the Department of Anatomy and Reproductive Biology of the John A Barns School of Medicine at the University of Hawaii has been described in detail in the July 23rd issue of Nature magazine.

Dr Ron James, Managing Director of PPL Therapeutics said: "If this collaborative research to adapt the mouse cloning techniques to pigs is successful, we expect it to lead to commercial rights in the xenograft and, possibly, other areas."

ProBio America, Inc. is a Honolulu-based biotechnology company whose aim is to assist in the development and commercialization of reproductive and DNA preservation research for pharmaceutical and agricultural purposes. ProBio has acquired licensing rights and research funding obligations for the University of Hawaii and holds patents in the area of mammalian research and for technologies in related fields.

It seems to get harder and harder to write about the business side of agricultural biotechnology without discussing Monsanto in one way or another. This month is no exception. In fact, in a flurry of recent activity, Monsanto has further strengthened its position in the crop biotechnology arena. There is also some talk that the hunter might also be the hunted, as recent divestitures on the part of chemical giant DuPont have led to speculation that Monsanto might become an acquisition target of the Wilmington, Delaware (USA)-based company.

In mid-May, Monsanto announced that it had reached agreements with DEKALB Genetics and Delta & Pine Land Company to acquire the two companies (1). DEKALB is a global leader in agricultural genetics and a top hybrid seed corn company, while Delta & Pine is a major breeder, producer, and marketer of cotton seed. These acquisitions by Monsanto allow the company to "provide both technology and global reach by creating broader seed platforms that enable [Monsanto] to better connect traits to the needs of growers and processors, and allow [Monsanto] to more quickly anticipate new markets or marketplace trends."

Monsanto agreed to ante up a total of $4.2 billion in cash and stock for the two seed companies, paying over $100 per share for DEKALB ($2.3 billion) for the 60% of the company it did not already own, and about $1.9 billion for Delta & Pine (2). The price that Monsanto agreed to pay for DEKALB is nearly three times the price that the shares traded for in February prior to the Roberts' Family (founders and holders of a controlling stake) decision to put its shares up for sale. The premiums reflect Monsanto's desire to continue building its crop biotechnology and life sciences business.

There was some concern raised in a recent Wall Street Journal article about Monsanto's debt level given the magnitude of its acquisition activities in the past few years (2). In the same article, Monsanto CEO Robert Shapiro was quick to note that this would not be a problem as Monsanto operates with significant cash flow and is capable of paying down debt very quickly. There was also concern as to the ability of Monsanto to carry out, on its own, its aggressive agbiotech vision. This has led some to speculate that Monsanto will ultimately seek toalign itself with a larger partner to create the necessary critical mass to be a major player in the biotechnology-driven agricultural world of tomorrow.

One such possible partner, DuPont Co., recently shed its Conoco oil unit, generating an estimated $25 billion which the company has stated it will likely use to invest in its life sciences business (3). The sale of the Conoco unit is thought by some to precede a major acquisition in the life sciences area by DuPont. Monsanto has been mentioned as one possible target, along with Zeneca and Pioneer Hi-Bred (of which DuPont already owns 20%). DuPont's expectations for life sciences and biotechnology are not paltry. The company anticipates that as much as a third of earnings will come from this area in another five years, compared with only about 18% now. DuPont has been working in recent years to establish its life sciences presence, having last year spent $1.7 billion for its 20% stake in Pioneer Hi-Bred.

Given the feverish pace at which acquisitions have been taking place in the last couple years, it is not unreasonable to expect some kind of action on the part of DuPont in the near future. What exactly that will be is yet to be determined, and the rumors are flying. At the end of May, there was a report that DuPont might purchase healthcare biotechnology giant Amgen (4). Although neither company discussed the proposition publicly, there were mixed sentiments among Wall Street analysts as the validity of the rumors. As always, stay tuned.

References

1. Monsanto Acquires Two Seed Companies To Broaden Availability Of Agricultural Biotechnology. Press Release (www.monsanto.com), May 1998.

2. Kilman, S. Monsanto Buys Two Companies for $4.2 Billion. The Wall Street Journal, May 12, 1998.

3. Warren, S. DuPont Plans to Shed Conoco Oil Unit. The Wall Street Journal, May 12, 1998.

4. Seachrist, L. Amgen Stock Jumps On Rumor DuPont May Buy Out Company. BioWorld Today, Vol. 9, No. 99, May 26, 1998.

William O. Bullock, Institute for Biotechnology Information, LLC Research Triangle Park, NC http://www.biotechinfo.com

(Reproduced from ISB News Report - June 1998)

Warning - This table is a guide only to stock movements. Persons should not use this information as the sole basis for business and financial decisions. Advice from financial advisors should be sought.

Events for September 1998

12 September - Education Program

Launch of the CSIRO drama production on the trams/trains in Melbourne as part of the education program

18 September - Symposium on Penicillin
A symposium on penicillin and antibiotiic resistance organised by The University of Melbourne, Monash University and The Howard Florey Institute of Experimental Physiology and Medicine. Program to be announced. Professor Peter Doherty to host a public forum for the event
Public lecture with Professor Peter Doherty and other Tall Poppies

19 September - Tall Poppies Dinner
If you receive an invitation to this dinner then you too are a Tall Poppy. If you don't keep growing!

19 - 26 September - Florey week
The travelling display will be on show at major shopping centres in Melbourne and other relevant venues such as Scienceworks

September - Activities that will run through the month of September

Poppies

• Tall Poppy portrait exhibition for young artists to be exhibited in Old Parliament House Portrait Gallery
• Iceland poppies planted in grounds in front of old Parliament House over the period of the Floriade
• Fields of poppies outside Questacon and other National Institutions

Florey Suburb

• Quiz game developed on the street names
• Guided educational walk around the streets
• Displays/posters in suburban shops
• Street party
• Bike ride

Floriade - 20 September - 26 September

• Florey children's garden. Interactive display for young people.
• Poppy bed located in the main horticulture display including interpretive sign and background into Florey's activities.
• Commissioned sculptural work for Floriade

21 and 22 September - Symposium on Helicobacter pylori at the Clark Centre, Australian National University. Registrations are available from the National Secretariat or Conference Logistics on (02) 6281-6624 or email conference@conlog.com.au

September - Launching of the Florey red and white wines with advance purchase packages being distributed by March.

September - Launching of the Florey rose with the support and involvement of the Australian Rose Festival Inc. Order forms will be available for purchase and for order

19 or 20 September - Florey's Adelaide by bicycle. A cycle ride will commence near `Coreega' (Florey's family home) in Mitcham, going through Unley and then to the University of' Adelaide.

19 or 20 September - Florey Festival of Science Day. This will follow the cycle ride. The venue is still to be decided (on the University campus). There will be a barbeque. The three Universities will be arranging exhibitions and making available information on careers in the science faculties. The Investigator Science and Technology Centre will have displays, workshops and practical exercises available for the general public. The CSIRO Drama Production will be performing a play on the life of Howard Florey. Florey memorabilia will also be on display.

23 and morning of 24 September - Symposium to highlight research and researchers in Adelaide. The symposium will be organised by Prof. Derek Frewin, University of Adelaide. Program to be announced. Professor Peter Doherty will attend the Symposium.

24 September - Gala Dinner in the Festival Banquet Room, Festival Centre. An eminent scientific personality will address the dinner. The Prime Minister will be asked to present the inaugural Florey Medal. There will be a video link with Oxford to contact Norman Heatley, the remaining member of the Florey team. The Florey red and white wines will be available for purchase.

Letter to the Editor

Dear Sir

Re: A Bleat from the Bench: Jan/Feb Edition by Dr Martin Playne

Dr Playne's article on "leave us alone, we just want to get on with the science" rings the bell of many a good scientist in New Zealand who failed their performance review and have since gone west. The victims of a system that did not understand itself. When profit objectives are applied to science, the meaning of "risk management" takes on a sinister tone. The provision of a Business Manager to meet profit objectives in a science environment has even greater consequences. I suspect New Zealand has been a lot harsher on its science fraternity in this respect than Australia.

Having specialised in the technology development and transfer field and now providing contracted support to science providers and companies that wish to see commercial success, I can look back at the days when this was my formal senior executive role within science based organisations.

The view does look quite different from outside and now clients can either buy into the process or dispense with my services but I do lay claim to a number of very good commercial successes achieved by setting realistic planning timeframes and focusing on project management systems.

The science : business interface is most complex. Scientists would like to see their outcomes be successful but this is not what drives them. The majority just want to do the science as reflected in Dr Playne's article.

Validation and up-scaling are the two fundamental processes that need good project management. The feed back loops must be controlled and regulated so that everything happens in the correct order. The scientists generally even have problems with this process because it requires technical focus and imposes constraints within project boundaries and this is not true science.

Science performance should be measured in terms of value creation. The science team's performance should be based on their total science portfolio's performance in a business sense. The technology transfer process should be project managed in a defined and precise way and this is where the business element should be addressed. The true Business Manager should have a generic role, focusing on IP protection, branding and market position.

Technologists should play specific roles in project managing the key phases of technology transfer. This in my view is a new breed that is quite rare. They understand the science and the financial and business requirements. Most importantly, they have the confidence and trust of the scientists.

Sitting in a room of scientists listening to a Business Manager trotting out his stuff is about the gloomiest scenario imaginable. There is a better way. There has to be. The requirement for a business related outcome is inevitable in today's world and cannot be circumvented.

Managing Director, Duirs NZ Ltd

The Asia Pacific Biotech News (APBN), published by KH Biotech Services and World Scientific Publishing in Singapore (featured in Australasian Biotechnology 7, 180, 1997) is a weekly report on the development of biotechnology in the Asia-Pacific region. It focuses on new government policies and regulations, company profiles, corporate deals and industry trends, new products and patents, new techniques, scientific breakthroughs, technological updates, new drugs, profiles of scientists and research institutions, calendar of events and a Chinese version of US and European news. APBN now has a free issue which can be accessed on line at http://www.kh-biotech.com.sg or contact hchen@wspc.com.sg for further information.

The National University of Malaysia (UKM) has just announced the opening of its new Gene Analysis and Technology Centre (Gene Centre) on the grounds of its sprawling campus in the township of Bangi, about 30 km from Malaysia's capital, Kuala Lumpur. The Centre was set up to encourage the study of molecular biology and biotechnology for the purpose of both research and teaching. The three main focus areas of the Centre's activities are genetic engineering, DNA technology and protein engineering. The Centre is currently staffed by five academic staff members and has more than 20 postgraduate students, including several from overseas. For more information the Centre's activities, contact Dr Zulkeflie Zamrod at zza@pkrisc.cc.ukm.my.

The 10th National Biotechnology Seminar, organised by the National Biotechnology Directorate and SIRIM (Standards & Industrial Research Institute of Malaysia), will be held in Kuala Lumpur from 27-28 October, 1998. This year's seminar will focus on the development of biotechnology industries in Malaysia and will cover the following fields: plant biotechnology, animal biotechnology, medical biotechnology, environmental & industrial biotechnology, molecular biology, biopharmacy and food biotechnology. An exhibition and industrial fair will also be held in conjunction with this annual seminar. For further information contact Dr Neelam Shahab (neelam_shahab@sirim.my) or Dr Kamarulzaman Kamaruddin (kamarulzaman_kamaruddin@sirim.my) either by e-mail or through fax no: 603 5567590.

Effective from 1 January 1998, Assoc Prof Dr Khatijah Yusoff has been appointed the new Editor-in-Chief of the Asia Pacific Journal of Molecular Biology & Biotechnology, a regional journal published by the Malaysian Society for Molecular Biology & Biotechnology. She succeeds Prof Tikki Pang, the founding Editor of the journal who completed his five-year term at the end of 1997. The journal continues to flourish and has become an important forum for publication of research findings for scientists in the region. Despite the economic uncertainties plaguing the region, the journal will strive to maintain the standards it has set since its establishment in 1993. Currently, the journal is cited in ISI's Biotechnology Citation Index and Research Alert as well as several databases from Cambridge Scientific Abstracts, USA. A new and restructured Editorial Board consisting of regional editors, associate editors and an international advisory board has been appointed. For further information about the submission of manuscripts and subscription rates please contact Dr Yusoff at khatijah@fsas.upm.edu.myor fax: 603 9423552.

In a significant recent development, the International Molecular Biology Network for Asia and the Pacific Rim (IMBN) (see Australasian Biotechnology, 8, 18, 1998) recently announced the selection of its first 200 Members who will assist in fulfilling the IMBN objectives and vision. The members, from various countries in the Asia and Pacific Rim regions were rigorously selected based on the criteria of excellence in research and/or professional activities in molecular biology, following an extensive assessment and evaluation process involving special committees of IMBN and EMBO (European Molecular Biology Organization).

Prof Ken-Ichi Arai, one of the primary movers of the IMBN, has also announced (reported in Science, June 5, 1998 issue, vol 280, p 1515 and also in the June 12, 1998 issue, vol 280, p 1708) that the network's plans to set up an International Molecular Biology Laboratory (IMBL), modeled along the lines of EMBL's Heidelberg facilities, may be realised sooner than expected. Preliminary plans envisage two laboratories, one in Tokyo and one elsewhere in Asia, possibly Shanghai, each housing up to 200 researchers and funded to the tune of $50-$100 million annually. Financial support from Japanese government sources have been promised as well as a possible site. The plan still needs endorsement from the IMBN and financial support from governments and will be discussed at the first IMBN conference to be held in late June, 1998 in Seoul.

The Human Genome Center at the Institute of Medical Science, University of Tokyo will be organising the Ninth Workshop on Genome Informatics in Tokyo, Japan from December 10-11 1998. This Workshop aims to present recent research results (theory/practice), to demonstrate systems, and to explore directions for future research and new applications related to genome science. A comprehensive range of topics will be covered including sequence analysis, motif extraction and search, multiple alignment, gene structure/function prediction, phylogeny tree, comparative genome analysis, genome databases, etc. For further information contact Dr Satoru Miyano, Human Genome Center, Institute of Medical Science, University of Tokyo, 45-1 Shirokanedai, Minato-ku, Tokyo 108-8639, Japan (Tel: 81 3 54495615; Fax: 81 3 54495442; Email: gix@ims.u-tokyo.ac.jp) or visit the web site at http://www.hgc.ims.u-tokyo.ac.jp/giw)

To help the public learn more about food safety, the Australian Academy of Science has added a new topic to its Nova: Science in the news Internet site (http://www.science.org.au/nova). Called `When bugs have you on the run', the topic is supported by the Cooperative Research Centre for International Food Manufacture and Packaging Science.

The Nova site has a number of other health and environmental topics available. They include:

• El Niño - riding the climate roller coaster
• How many Australians can our environment support?
• Immunisation - protecting our children from disease
• Toxic algal blooms - a sign of rivers under stress
• More food, cleaner food - gene technology and plants
• Australia's threatened species
• The rise and rise of asthma
• Sun and skin - a dangerous combination
• A plague on the pest - rabbit calicivirus disease.

ChemWeb, In. (http://ChemWeb.com) and The Royal Society of Chemistry (http://www.rsc.org) are pleased to announce the launch of four more RSC databases on ChemWeb. ChemWeb members can choose between pay-per-view or subscription payment methods.

Chemical Business NewsBase is a vital source of information for all those in the chemical industry, providing highly current facts and figures on company activities and results, new products, markets, legislation, environmental aspects, new technologies and trends. This major business information database is updated twice weekly. More than 1300 new items are added each week.

Chemical Engineering and Biotechnology
Abstracts is a collaboration of The Royal Society of Chemistry, the DECHEMA, FIZ CHEMIE and IchemE, formed to produce the foremost database in chemical engineering. CEABA provides worldwide information in the fields of chemical and process engineering, safety engineering, environmental protection, corrosion, materials science, and biotechnology.

Chemical Safety NewsBase provides information on the health and safety issues affecting the chemical and allied industries, the laboratory and the office environment. Subject coverage includes: chemical reactions; biological hazards; safety precautions; legislation; fires and explosions; waste management and storage practices; emergency planning and office hazards.

Mass Spectrometry Bulletin is the most comprehensive current awareness publication in mass spectrometry. It contains titles, bibliographic details and keywords for recently published documents dealing with all areas of mass spectrometry and related ion processes. These are selected from over 800 primary journals, conference proceedings, new books, patents and reports.

Analytical Abstracts, added recently to ChemWeb, now has the complete backfile available. Data back to 1970 can now be searched on ChemWeb.

Australian Copyright Council http://www.copyright.org.au

The ACC site provides a wide selection of information sheets on copyright, access to its newsletter and other publications. Information is also available on free legal advice and up-coming seminars.

Australian Publishers Association http://www.publishers.asn.au

This site includes publication and membership services, an events calendar, information on training and industry development, a membership directory and export activities.

Australian Society of Authors http://www.peg.apc.org/~asauthors

The ASA promotes and protects the professional interests of Australian literary creators. This website includes information on representation of members in negotiations and disputes, advice on industry standards and practices and Australian literary agents.

An interactive Internet site is being developed that will cover the life and work of Howard Florey and the development of antibiotics. The site will provide an educational forum for all age groups. It will also have updated information on all events that are planned in Melbourne, Adelaide and Canberra to celebrate the Florey Centenary year.

Internet address: www/tallpoppies.net.au

ISB provides information on agricultural and environmental biotechnology research, product development, regulatory issues, and biosafety. This service is supported by a grant from USDA's Cooperative State Research, Education, and Extension Service to Virginia Tech.
http://www.nbiap.vt.edu

The NAL provides access to a variety of information services and publications covering many aspects of agricultural biotechnology. Specific topics include theory and techniques of genetic engineering, plant and animal genetics, monoclonal antibodies, single cell proteins, food processing, biomass applications and risk assessment and bioethics.
http://www.nal.usda.gov/bic

A division of USDA's Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, Biotechnology and Scientific Services regulates and issues permits for the importation, interstate movement, and environmental release of certain genetically engineered plants and microorganisms under the Code of Federal Regulations vol. 7 part 340.
http://www.aphis.usda.gov/bbep/bp

Responsible for the "NIH Guidelines for Research Involving Recombinant DNA Molecules."
http://www.nih.gov/od/orda

Formed to deal with questions and policy related to transgenic arthropods and other invertebrates. http://www.aphis.usda.gov/bbep/bp/arthropod

This site was created to allow more efficient public, governmental and educational access to the TSCA Biotechnology Program. Here you will find the regulation under which the Program functions, supplementary documents created to support this regulation, as well as status reports on the submissions, reviews, and agreements undertaken by the Program.
http://www.epa.gov/opptintr/biotech

Proposed, pending and final rules and policies regarding food biotechnology.
http://vm.cfsan.fda.gov/~lrd/biotechm.html

Abstracts for the 1996 Grant Awards are available, as well as Program contact information. Future Solicitations for Proposals will also be posted here.
http://www.reeusda.gov/crgam/biotechrisk/biotech.htm

IBI has provided comprehensive information on commercial biotechnology to hundreds of organizations worldwide - corporations, universities, and government agencies. IBI makes this information available in a variety of formats, including databases, a unique array of publications, and special studies.
http://www.biotechinfo.com

The National Biotechnology Information Facility (NBIF) will provide a single-point access to a vast store of widely distributed biotechnology data. The NBIF will encourage information sharing between researchers, promote biotechnology in Historically Black Colleges and Universities/Minority Institutions, and provide training in biotechnology. The NBIF will also be active in developing new sources and types of biotechnology databases.
http://www.nbif.org

Providing people with differing viewpoints a neutral forum where they can come together and freely exchange ideas on the critical issues facing agricultural biotechnology, the National Agricultural Biotechnology Council (NABC), founded in 1988, counts among its membership the leading agricultural research and educational institutions from throughout the United States and Canada. http://www.cals.cornell.edu/extension/nabc

The common threads of global sustainability and global security weave the Union of Concerned Scientists's work on agriculture, arms control, energy, global resources, and transportation into a unified vision: achieving a secure and sustainable world today without sacrificing the environment of tomorrow.
http://www.ucsusa.org

Founded in 1939, the Institute of Food Technologists is a nonprofit scientific society with 28,000 members working in food science, food technology, and related professions in industry, academia and government.
http://www.ift.org

The Biotechnology Industry Organization (BIO) is the largest trade organization to serve and represent the emerging biotechnology industry in the United States and around the globe. The organization's leadership and service-oriented guidance have helped advance the industry and bring the benefits of biotechnology to the people of the world.
http://www.bio.org

Dedicated to increasing awareness and communications between biotechnology investors, researchers, and industry. Bioportfolio specialises in applied commercial developments utilising modern biotechnological techniques impacting on the life sciences and associated industries.
http://www.bioportfolio.com

A clearinghouse for information, with industry and the University joining to produce outstanding research and practical knowledge. Their mission is to develop competitive, highly integrated food production systems that provide safe, economical food products through the utilization of molecular tools and methods.
http://fabctr.umn.edu

The future of farming is here - seeds genetically designed to fight pests and resist herbicides.
Progressive Farmer Online takes a look at what this new technology means and what's on the biotechnology horizon.
http://www.pathfinder.com/@@XteY9gQA7hO6mHbX/PF/features /biomenu.html

The goal of this website is to provide information on communication of biotechnology issues and the impact of biotechnology on society. The material currently displayed covers public perceptions of the scientific, regulatory, educational, and commercial issues involving the many different aspects of biotechnology, with emphasis on the environment and agriculture.
http://fbox.vt.edu:10021/cals/cses/chagedor/index.html

The Germplasm Resources Information Network (GRIN) web server provides germplasm information about plants, animals, microbes and invertebrates within the National Genetic Resources Program of the U.S. Department of Agriculture's (USDA) Agricultural Research Service (ARS).
http://www.ars-grin.gov

AGIS provides genome information for agriculturally important organisms. At present, this encompasses mostly crop and livestock animal species. Also included are a number of databases that have related information, e.g. germplasm and plant gene nomenclature data. AGIS is a cooperative effort between the Department of Plant Biology, University of Maryland, and the USDA's National Agricultural Library' Genome Informatics Group.
http://probe.nalusda.gov:8000/

A diverse group interested in the conservation of plant genetic resources. Evolved from a focus group concerned with the work of the USDA/ARS National Plant Germplasm System, and working to generate public awareness of and support for the National Plant Germplasm System's genetic resource conservation work.
http://www.amgra.org/index.htm

Contact: Conference Secretariat Tel: +44 141 553 1930; Fax: +44 141 552 0511; Email: ebs@meetingmakers.co.uk; Website:http://www.genengnews. com/symposium2.html

Contact: Conference Logistics, PO Box 505, Curtin, ACT 2605. Fax: 02 6285 1336; Email: conference@conlog.com.au

Contact: Julian White, CSIRO Tel: 02 6276 6535; Email: julian.white@exec.csiro.au

Contact: ASM Secretariat Tel: 03 9867 8699; Fax: 03 9867 8733; Email: ASMConference @clari.net.au

Contact: http://www.hfi.unimelb.edu.au/peptideoz.html

International Symposium on Analytical Quality Assurance For the 21st Century
15-16 October, 1998
CSIRO National Measurement Laboratory (NML), Sydney

Contact: A Squirrell, NATA (CITAC Symposium) 7 Leeds Street, Rhodes, NSW 2138; Tel: 02 9736 8222; Fax: 02 9743 5311; Email: asquirrl@nata.asn.au

Ecobiz 98
Business and the Environment Expo
21-23 October, 1998
Adelaide, SA

Contact: 08 8212 8050

6th Annual BioPartnering Europe
Accessing New Bioscience Markets in Europe
26-27 October, 1998
Queen Elizabeth II Conference Centre, London, England

Contact: Nancy Connelly, Conference Producer, Tel: +1 408 464 7100; Fax: +1 408 464 4240; Email bpe@techvision.com

10th Malaysian National Biotechnology Seminar
27-28 October, 1998
Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

For further information see Asian News, page 245

EuropaBio '98
The European Biotechnology Congress - "Where Biotech meets Biobizz"
27-30 October, 1998
Brussels Congress Centre, Belgium

Contact: European Association for Bioindustries, Avenue de l'Armêe 6, 1040, Brussels, Belgium Tel: +32 2 735 03 13; Fax: +32 2 735 49 60; Email: mail@europa-bio.be; Website: http://www.europa-bio
.be

4th International Conference on Transgenic Plants
IBC USA
2-3 November, 1998
Lake Buena Vista, Florida

Contact: pcanney@ibcusa.com

Recombinant DNA Techniques Course
15-20 November, 1998
Microbial Biotechnology & Diagnostic Unit, Department of Microbiology, Monash University, Melbourne

Micromon is now accepting enquiries and applications for its forthcoming course which offers introductory to intermediate training in "recombinant DNA technology". Highly regarded throughout the industry and by former participants, this outstanding course has been established for 12 years and has attracted applicants from diverse backgrounds in private, government, scientific, clinical, educational and commercial organisations. It is designed to teach fundamental skills to participants who have had little or no previous experience with recombinant DNA techniques.

Contact: Mr Mark Cauchi, Micromon, Dept Microbiology, Monash University, Wellington Road, Clayton VIC 3168; Fax: 03 9905 4811; Email: mark.cauchi@med.monash.edu.au

First European Symposium on Applied Genome Research
26-27 November, 1998
Brussels, Belgium

Contact: http://www.dechema.de/efb.htm

GeneCom '98
Gene Technology and the Community
29 November - 1 December, 1998

This meeting will provide a forum for debate regarding ethical, moral and practical considerations surrounding genetic technologies

Contact: Ali Dyer Tel: 08 8364 6688; Fax: 08 8364 6588; Email: intradex@gryphen.com.au; Website: www.gryphen.com.au

Biotechnology in Public: DNA and the Quality of Life
2-4 December, 1998
EFB Task Group on Public Perceptions
UNIDO Headquarters, Vienna

Contact: Michaela Bemdl or George Tzotos Email: george@binas.unido.org; michaela@binas.unido.org or Richard Braun from EFB/TGPPB rdbraun@bluewin.ch

Ninth Workshop on Genome Informatics
10-11 December, 1998
University of Tokyo, Japan

The Australian International Hospital and Medical Exhibition
2-4 March, 1999
Sydney Showground and Exhibition Complex, Homebush Bay, NSW

Contact: 02 9413 4244

Inaugural CRC for Diagnostic Technologies International Conference 1999
12-15 April, 1999
Crown Towers, Melbourne

Contact: Conference Managers Organisers Australia, PO Box 2393, North Brighton, 3186. Tel: 03 9595 0259; Fax: 03 9596 2538; Email: melbourne@orgaus.com.au

In Situ and On-Site Bioremediation
The 5th International Symposium
19-22 April, 1999
San Diego, California

Contact: Tel: 614 424 5461; Fax: 614 488 5747; Email: conferencegroup@compuserve.com

Hannover Messe '99
Research and Technology World Fair
19-24 April, 1999

Contact: Tel: +49 5 11 89-0; Fax: +49 5 11 89-3; Website: http://www.messe.de

BioTop 99
9th European Congress on Biotechnology - Health, Agriculture, Food, Environment, Chemicals
12-15 July 1999
Brussels Exhibition Centre, Belgium

Contact: Marcel Hofman, Tel: +32 2 511 58 56; Fax: +32 2 767 21 91;
Email: ecb9.orcom@skynet.be

BioTechnica
International Trade Fair for Biotechnology
5-7 October 1999
Hannover

Contact: Oliver Wedekind Tel: +49 511/89 321 2
8; Email: oliver.wedekind@messe.de

7th Pacific Rim Biotechnology Conference
13-18 November, 2000
Vancouver, Canada

Contact: BIOTECanada or British Columbia Biotechnology Alliance

ATCC 1998 Workshops/Conferences

Cell Culture and Hybridomas: Quality Control and Cyopreservation Techniques - 9-11 September

16th AnnualATCC Biotech Patent Forum - 14-15 September

Microscopy/Photomicrography - 23-25 September

Hybridoma Technology and Monoclonal Antibody Product Development - 5-8 October

Microbial DNA Fingerprinting - 13-16 October

Virus Propagation Seminar - 16 October

Downstream Processing, Recovery and Purification of Proteins - 21-23 October

Freezing and Freeze-Drying of Microorganisms - 27-30 October

Anaerobic Bacteriology - 5-6 November

Recombinant DNA: Techniques and Applications - 9-13 November

Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) Applications/Cycle DNA Sequencing - 17-20 November

ATCC Workshop Coordinator, 10801 University Blvd, Manassas. VA 10110 Tel: 800 359 7370; Email: workshops@atcc.org; Website: http://www.atcc.org/workshops/workshop.html

PRESIDENT: Prof. Joan Dawes (BioDiscovery Ltd)

Tel: (02) 9332 3224; Fax: (02) 9332 3073

VICE PRESIDENT: Dr John Smeaton (BresaGen Limited)

PAST PRESIDENT: Dr. John Smeaton (BresaGen Limited)
Tel: (08) 8234 2660; Fax: (08) 8234 6268

DIRECTORS: Dr Anne Campbell (CRC Association)
Tel: (06) 279 8835; Fax: (06) 279 8836

Dr Edwina Cornish (Florigene Pty Ltd)
Tel: (03) 9419 9844; Fax: (03) 9416 1761

Mr Gary Cox (Wray & Associates)
Tel: (08) 9325 6122; Fax: (08) 9325 2883

Prof. Joan Dawes (BioDiscovery Ltd)
Tel: (02) 9332 3224; Fax: (02) 9332 3073

Dr Shirley Lanning (Rothschild Asset Mgmt)

Tel: (03) 9254 4945; Fax: (03) 9254 4940

Dr Peter Riddles (CSIRO Div of Tropical Agriculture)
Tel: (07) 3214 2829; Fax: (07) 3214 2888

Dr John Smeaton (BresaGen Limited)
Tel: (08) 8234 2660; Fax: (08) 8234 6268

Ms Lyndal Thorburn (Advance Consulting & Evaluation)
Tel: (02) 6297 2438; Fax: (02) 6297 2203

Dr Elane Zelcer (Thrombogenix Pty Ltd)
Tel: (03) 9827 6427; Fax: (03) 9824 0054

SECRETARY: Mrs Barbara Arnold
Tel: (03) 9596 8879; Fax: (03) 9596 8874

TREASURER : Dr Ross Crittenden - Food Science Australia
Tel: (03) 9252 6478; Fax: (03) 9252 6555

PUBLIC EDUCATION RESOURCES COMMITTEE:

INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY: Dr Robert Klupacs (AMRAD Operations)
Tel: (03) 9208 4068; Fax: (03) 9208 4089

GENETIC RELEASE: Dr Sue Meek (WA Dept of Commerce & Trade)
Tel: (08) 9327 5637; Fax: (08) 9327 5542

PUBLICATIONS: Dr Martin Playne (CSIRO)
Tel: (03) 9252 6000; Fax: (03) 9252 6555

W.A. BRANCH CHAIRMAN: Dr Michael Borowitzka (Murdoch Uni)
Tel: (08) 9360 2333; Fax: (08) 9310 3505

QLD BRANCH CHAIRMAN: Dr Peter Riddles (CSIRO Div of Tropical Agriculture)
Tel: (07) 3214 2829; Fax: (07) 3214 2888

http://www.amgra.org/index.htm

Copyright 1998 Australian Biotechnology Association Ltd.