WAIMR researchers head to U.S. for biotech push

Western Australian Institute for Medical Research scientists are part of a WA contingent heading to the world's premier annual biotechnology event in the US next month.

WAIMR Director Professor Peter Klinken and Professor Lyle Palmer, head of WAIMR's Laboratory for Genetic Epidemiology, are two of a group of science, business and government leaders making the trip to Chicago.

More than 25,000 delegates will descend on Bio 2006, which is on from April 9 to 12, to hear about the latest developments in the fast-growing biotechnology industry.

"Given the strong commitment the State Government has recently shown to backing the health, medical and biotech industries in WA, this is an amazing opportunity for us to further make our mark on the world scene," said Professor Klinken.

"Two of the spin-off biotechnology companies that are linked to WAIMR will also showcase their latest advancements at the forum, so the potential for attracting new investment into WA is huge."

A third WAIMR researcher, Jean-Philippe Lalonde, will also attend Bio 2006 under sponsorship from WA biomedical research company BioPharmica.

BioPharmica is working to commercialise Professor Klinken's discovery of the gene HLS5, which could hold the key to improving the detection and treatment of breast, colorectal and prostate cancer.

Professor Klinken said medical research had the potential to become a major industry further driving the success of the State into the future.

"This really is the most exciting time health and medical research has seen in WA in the past decade and we want to capitalise on that in overseas markets - these sorts of events give us the perfect opportunity to do that," he said.

Before Bio 2006, Professor Klinken will visit San Francisco to showcase Australia as the world's best place to conduct clinical research trials, as found by the international analytical organisation, the Economist Intelligence Unit.

He will present to the Advance Lifesciences Australian Clinical Research Symposium on April 7 2006.

"The rest of the world is starting to see the benefits of conducting clinical tries in Australia due to the low average costs of conducting studies here, the quality of the data generated, the large number of recognised trial sites we have and the high percentage of trials being completed on time," Professor Klinken said.

Investment in medical research in WA currently stands at $35 million a year.