Biotechnology
Queensland boasts a critical mass of research centres involved in biotechnology and related sectors. They span the health and medical, agricultural, environmental and industrial sectors.
Biotechnology research in Queensland encompasses new industrial processes, new or improved crops or foods, and the development of antibiotics, vaccines, genomics and advanced imaging.
Key infrastructure and support
Queensland has nine universities including three of Australia’s largest. Most Queensland universities have biotechnology research programs with dedicated world-class research institutes and centres. Details of these universities and the 200 plus research centres in Queensland are available by searching the Queensland science capability directory.
Biotechnology is part of the much broader life sciences sector. The state’s industry-led organisation, Life Sciences Queensland, also represents the interests of many of the Queensland biotechnology research organisations. The Queensland Life Sciences Industry Report 2012 provides a more detailed overview of this larger sector in Queensland.
Investment and collaboration opportunities

Discover more about Queensland's strengths and investment opportunities in biotechnology in the Queensland life sciences brochure.
Find out why top researchers and industry leaders are saying Queensland is one of the best places in the world for life science research.
Video transcript
Voice over
Queensland has a globally competitive life sciences industry with a proven track record of success.
The Queensland Government has invested heavily in state-of-the-art research facilities which provide excellent base for scientists to work collaboratively.
Queensland biodiversity also presents significant opportunities for life sciences.
The researchers have achieved health breakthroughs such as Gardasil and Nanopatch that are world class.
Collaborating with researchers and investors, the Queensland life sciences industry will open up new opportunities.
Our investors and collaborators find it’s easy to do business here.
Professor Ian Frazer AC
The University of Queensland
Translational Research Ambassador
Chair of TRI Foundation Board
Co-inventor of Gardasil
Queensland has invested in over 20 years of providing the infrastructure that will enable businesses working in the life sciences to succeed.
It’s also invested heavily in education to ensure we’ve got the talent here to help businesses succeed.
Overall Queensland is just a great place to do biomedical research.
Mario Pennisi
Chief Executive Officer
Life Sciences Queensland
Because we are a western economy in a tropical world Queensland has the opportunity to lead in tropical health and infectious diseases.
And of course our proximity to Asia gives us a unique position.
The Novartis deal which was announced around the pain research that was done by Professor Maree Smith has resulted in the largest exit of an Australian biotech to date.
And we know that we have more of those types of opportunities in the pipeline.
Dr Kym Baker
General Manager, Patheon Biologics
Patheon offer a one of a kind offering in Australia which is contract manufacturing of biotherapeutics which are destined for use in Australian and across the world.
Our customers love the clinical trial schemes that offers them that competitive advantage to get into the clinic faster.
Tertia Dex
Director Business and Project Management
Patheon
We’ve been able to very successfully attract a lot of international business, in fact 90% of our customers come from overseas to work here in Queensland.
They see a high amount of value in the collaborations we have between the clinical trials sites, between the research organisations the universities as well as the government.
The incentives they can benefit from, the R&D tax incentives as well as the clinical trial access schemes that allows them to fast track into Phase 1 clinical trials faster than anywhere else in the world.
Professor Yaping Zhang
Vice President
Chinese Academy of Sciences
Queensland has many excellent research institutions and incredible scientists and the Queensland Government encourages innovations and that is important for our collaboration.
Distinguished Professor James Dale AO, FTSE
Queensland University of Technology
We’ve got a very, very good regulatory environment for doing this sort of work and we can go all the way through to field trial.
We’ve got a very strong intellectual property environment as well.
So we’re starting to get a reputation for excellence in life sciences particularly in tropical crops.
Professor Yaping Zhang
Queensland is very nice to live, and a wonderful environment and a pleasant climate.
Professor James Dale AO
We’ve been the envy of most other states in Australia when we talk about the support we get in Queensland from particularly from the Queensland Government.
And of course that’s been translated into real outcomes which I think we’re seeing now tremendous outcome from that investment into life sciences in Queensland.
David Hoey, CEO Vaxxas
Queensland is a wonderful place to do business. It’s very straight forward. The technology that we’re working on here has the opportunity to fundamentally change the way that vaccination takes place around the world.
We’re working with the World Health Organisation, the Gates Foundation on programs that can fundamentally improve vaccination in the developing world.
But the best place that we’ve found to do that development is right here.
Voice over
Queensland has amazing researchers, strong medical capabilities and an enviable lifestyle.
Queensland the right place for life sciences research and collaboration.
Translating research outcomes into real life solutions to many of the challenges we face today.
We encourage investors and collaborators to experience why Queensland is the right place for your next venture in life sciences.
[Captions]
With thanks:
Australian Institute for Bioengineering and Nanotechnology
Chinese Academy of Sciences
Cook Medical
Ecosciences Precinct
Griffith University
James Cook University
Life Sciences Queensland
Patheon
QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute
QUT
The University of Queensland
Tourism and Events Queensland
TRI (Translational Research Institute)
[Captions]
Advance Queensland
Queensland Government
Queensland Life Sciences
Globally Competitive
For more information… www.qld.gov.au/LifeSciences
View Queensland life sciences video with Chinese subtitles
请è§èµ“昆士兰生命科学 – 全球领先”视频(附中文字幕)
There are plenty of exciting opportunities for collaboration with or investment in Queensland's biotechnology sector.
Queensland biotechnology research centres
Queensland has more than 100 large institutes, facilities, research hospitals, precincts, to smaller laboratories and other research organisations involved in the biotechnology sector including:
- Advanced Water Management Centre AWMC
- Agricultural Systems Modelling Research Group ASMRG
- Army Malaria Institute AMI
- Aus-China Centre for Tissue Engineering and Regenerative Medicine ACCTERM
- Australian Infectious Diseases Research Centre AID
- Australian Institute for Bioengineering and Nanotechnology AIBN
- Australian Institute of Marine Science AIMS
- Australian Institute of Tropical Health and Medicine AITHM
- Australian Institute of Tropical Health and Medicine, Cairns
- Banyo Pilot Plant
- BioBank BB
- Bribie Island Research Centre
- Central Queensland University CQUniversity
- Central Queensland University - Brisbane CQUniversity
- Central Queensland University - Bundaberg CQUniversity
- Central Queensland University - Cairns CQUniversity
- Central Queensland University - Gladstone CQUniversity
- Central Queensland University - Mackay CQUniversity
- Central Queensland University - Townsville CQUniversity
- Centre for Advanced Imaging CAI
- Centre for Animal Science CAS
- Centre for Biodiscovery and Molecular Development of Therapeutics CBMDT
- Centre for Biophotonics and Laser Science CBLS
- Centre for Biosecurity and Tropical Infectious Diseases CBTID
- Centre for Clean Environment and Energy CCEE
- Centre for Comprehensive Biomedical Imaging ACRF-CCBI
- Centre for Genetics, Ecology and Physiology
- Centre for Health Sciences Research CHSR
- Centre for High Performance Polymers CHPP
- Centre for Immunotherapy and Vaccine Development QIMR-CIVD
- Centre for Integrated Preclinical Drug Development CIPDD
- Centre for Integrative Legume Research CILR
- Centre for Macroalgal Resources & Biotechnology MACRO
- Centre for Microscopy and Microanalysis CMM
- Centre for Nutrition and Food Science CNAFS
- Centre for Organic Photonics and Electronics COPE
- Centre for Plant Science QAAFI CPS
- Centre for Sustainable Tropical Fisheries and Aquaculture CSTFA
- Centre for Tropical Crops and Biocommodities CTCB
- Clem Jones Research Centre for Regenerative Medicine CJRCRM
- Clinical Trials Centre CTC
- Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation CSIRO
- Community for Open Antimicrobial Drug Discovery CO-ADD
- Comparative Genomics Centre CGC
- Compounds Australia
- Department of Agriculture and Fisheries DAF
- Diamantina Institute UQDI
- Dow Centre for Sustainable Engineering Innovation Dow Centre
- Ecology Centre
- Ecosciences Precinct ESP
- Forest Industries Research Centre FIRC-USC
- Genomics Clinical Trials Centre GCT
- Genomics Research Centre GRC
- Griffith University GU
- Griffith University - Gold Coast GU
- Health & Medical Research Centre HMRC
- Health and Food Sciences Precinct
- Herston Imaging Research Facility HIRF
- Inflammation and Healing Research Cluster INFLAME
- Institute for Future Environments IFE
- Institute for Future Farming Systems IFFS
- Institute for Future Farming Systems - Bundaberg IFFS
- Institute for Glycomics
- Institute for Integrated and Intelligent Systems IIIS
- Institute for Molecular Bioscience IMB
- Institute of Health and Biomedical Innovation IHBI
- James Cook University JCU
- James Cook University - Cairns JCU
- Life Sciences Queensland Ltd LSQ
- Mackay Renewable Biocommodities Pilot Plant MRBPP
- Maroochy Research Facility
- Menzies Health Institute Queensland MenziesHIQ
- Pharmacy Australia Centre of Excellence PACE
- Princess Alexandra Hospital PAH
- QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute
- Queensland Alliance for Agriculture and Food Innovation QAAFI
- Queensland Animal Science Precinct QASP
- Queensland Bioscience Precinct QBP
- Queensland Centre for Advanced Technologies QCAT
- Queensland Cyber Infrastructure Foundation, CQU QCIF
- Queensland Cyber Infrastructure Foundation, GU QCIF
- Queensland Cyber Infrastructure Foundation, JCU QCIF
- Queensland Cyber Infrastructure Foundation, QUT QCIF
- Queensland Cyber Infrastructure Foundation, UQ QCIF
- Queensland Cyber Infrastructure Foundation, USQ QCIF
- Queensland Eye Institute QEI
- Queensland Herbarium
- Queensland University of Technology QUT
- Queensland University of Technology - Caboolture QUT
- Queensland University of Technology - Kelvin Grove QUT
- Research Computing Centre RCC
- Sustainable Minerals Institute SMI
- The University of Queensland UQ
- The University of Queensland - Gatton UQ
- The University of Queensland - Herston UQ
- Translational Research Institute TRI
- UQ School of Chemistry & Molecular Biosciences SCMB
- UniQuest Pty Limited
- University of Southern Queensland USQ
- University of Southern Queensland - Ipswich USQ
- University of Southern Queensland - Springfield USQ
- University of the Sunshine Coast USC
- University of the Sunshine Coast - Fraser Island USC
- University of the Sunshine Coast - Gympie USC