Few in the UTS community even know it exists, but an Australian-first facility below the Vicki Sara (Science) building is about to start making waves in the biotech industry.
The Biologics Innovation Facility (BIF) has opened beneath the Vicki Sara (Science) building (photo:Andrew Worssam).
Following a year-long construction process, the Biomanufacturing Immersion Facility (BIF) – formerly known as the GMP Lite project – opened in July. It now has UTS poised to become a leader in biotech research and development, small-scale manufacturing and training, while supporting the development of local biotech enterprises.
Tapping the emerging potential of biologics
Biologics research is beginning to unlock solutions to a range of complex health issues that confront the world today. In fact, it is already transforming treatments of some cancers and autoimmune diseases. However, with therapies based on living cells or tissues (rather than chemicals as is the case with conventional medicine), biologic drugs can be costly to produce.
BIF looks to overcome this hurdle by putting cost-effective short-run production within the reach of more researchers and industry partners, paving the way for mass-market production of successful products. The flexible design of the facility can accommodate traditional bioprocessing such as yeast and mammalian cells, as well as new emerging expression platforms.
Equipped for small-batch biotech production for businesses ranging from start-ups to commercial operations, BIF has big ambitions. Its goal is to position UTS as a leader in this space while offering our students the kind of hands-on experiences that can only come from a state-of-the-art manufacturing facility.
BIF will offer students unbeatable hands-on experiences (photo:Andrew Worssam).
What’s more, post-grad students learning in the space – 430 square metres of clean rooms and containment labs designed to meet Australia’s Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) codes – will be working at the cutting edge of biotechnology.
They’ll also be gaining valuable industry experience, thanks to the involvement of industry partner GE Healthcare Life Sciences, which hopes that new research in algae-based pharmaceuticals can reduce the cost of life-saving treatments for cancers and other diseases while enhancing local job prospects for science graduates.
Continue reading at UTS Newsroom: Underground facility targets biotech innovation