Bringing Oz up to speed... - The The National Broadband Network Implementation study has made waves in the media but how many really know what it says? The ARDR lead provides a detailed synopsis and what experts had to say to it.
Also in the edition: "Budget specs" providing State and Federal budget news relevant to R&D
Linking Australian Science, Technology & Business
Elwinmedia
PO Box 3442
Rundle Mall SA 5000
P/F +61 8 83702778
info@elwinmedia.com
Rundle Mall SA 5000
P/F +61 8 83702778
info@elwinmedia.com
We are what we know
Australian R&D Review
The Australian R&D Review - ARDR - is a national, independent source of intelligence and information on current developments in Australia's Science and Technology sector.
Receive the ARDR each month as a hardcopy or download the latest issue (PDF). Contact us for a free trial! You can also download free Back issues
May/June edition out now:
Research in the digital age - University of Glasgow'Professor Richard Sinnott, who will take up a position as eResearch director at the University of Melbourne in July, outlines how high-end computing is transforming the research landscape with the growth of digital data hindering progress in most research areas more...
Bodiversity - everyone needs it - It is the Year of Biodiversity, yet there is little to celebrate as we are facing what many researchers call the 6th Extinction Event. Professor Iain Gordon reflects on the possible way forward more...
Highlights in April:
The Myriad case: Genes are no invention! Following on from his review of the case of the University of Western Australia vs Dr Gray/Sirtex in the ARDR March issue, Professor Luigi Palombi (ANU) comments here on the recent case involving US company Myriad; the company lost a significant US law suit over its intellectual property rights related to the BRCA breast cancer genes. Human gene patent rights are currently also under review in Australia and Professor Palombi has been a prominent advocate for change to current human gene patent legislation... more
Services and gene patenting: GTG. The Myriad case could also have direct ramifications for the Australian biotech industry. Genetic Technologies (GTG) has licensed IP rights for diagnostic tests based on the BRCA genes for the Australian market, and previously the company was criticised for attempting to reinforce its IP rights in Australia. GTG, chief executive officer Paul MacLeman, comments in the ARDR that scrapping human gene patents would actually benefit the company by levelling the playing field for all. However, taking a broader perspective, he says that in the longer term patent protection of human gene discoveries benefits a greater good... more
- Cutler review sidestepped: R&D Tax Credit. Kris Gale, managing director of Michael Johnson Associates is one of Australia's leading experts on the R&D Concession scheme, which was introduced in 1985 by the late John Button. Mr Gale says the proposed R&D Tax Credit, which is to become effective in July, is a huge shift from the Button scheme, which had bipartisan support for the past 25 years ....more
-
Are innovation and creative industries policy converging? Australia's creative industries and its technology based innovation sector traditionally walk on opposite sides of the street. Yet, Professor Terry Flew and Distinguished Professor Stuart Cunningham from the Queensland University of Technology, believe this is about to change, as the innovative service industry sector is growing in Australia and scientists increasingly seek cross-disciplinary approaches with the humanities, arts and social sciences. However, Flew and Cunningham highlight significant roadblocks in the development of creative industries, notably a lack of support by the R&D Tax concession scheme...more
- Nuclear research: Neglect we can't afford Nuclear power may never eventuate in Australia, but there are plenty of reasons why nuclear research should not be neglected. Internationally, nuclear energy innovation is steaming ahead with promising new developments such as the Bill Gates backed thermal wave reactor technology. As this unfolds, Australia, despite being a major exporter of Uranium, has all but abandoned its nuclear research and education base. Dr John Price, principal of Integrity Partners and adjunct professor at Monash University, reviews current developments and identifies some areas where Australia should target a renewed research effort... more
- The leadstory, Enabling Technology’, reports on the Government’s recently released National Enabling Technology Strategy, a new regulatory framework for the development of bio- and nano-technologies in Australia, and the Australian Academy of Science’s report Nanotechnology in Australia, a snapshot of the current state of the Australian nanotechnology sector.
- In ‘Bad cases make bad law: UWA vs Gray’ Dr Luigi Palombi from ANU’s Centre for Governance of Knowledge and Development, provides a critical analyses of the recent final ruling by the High Court against the University of Western Australia in its case over intellectual propertyagainst former employee Dr Bruce Gray and the medical company founded by him, Sirtex Medical Limited.
- The discovery of the ancient spice saffron as a promising treatment for age-related diseases such as age-related macular degeneration (AMD), may provide new clues about what drives the aging process. In a feature article Ancient spice saves ageing nerves, Italian researchers Professors Silvia Bisti and Bernedetto Falsini (left) and University of Sydney's Professor Jonathan Stone (right) write that the spice may counteract marginal imbalances in the ability of cells to self-repair age-related stresses, leading to improvements and even reversal of age-related macular degeneration....more
- Dr Mark Matthews, director of the Forum for European-Australian Science and Technology Cooporation (FEAST) writes in an ARDR opinion piece that tackling global challenges requires increased international collaboration. To do this effectively, impediments to international cooperation need to be removed, for example by implementing standardised ‘agile’ contractual agreements...more
- The President of the Licensing Executives Society International (LESI), D. Patrick O’Reilly, will deliver a keynote address to delegates of the LESANZ 2010 Conference in Adelaide (22-24th April 2010). In a guest column in the ARDR, he writes about ‘open innovation’, a new corporate management approach which “reflects a growing trend for companies to use external invention sources in their innovation programs”....more
Highlights of the February edition included:
- In' Global food outlook' the ARDR reviews the state of food security, both globally and domestically, and how technology developments such as GM crops and a growing biofuels industry may impact on future food supply. The article draws on a number of reviews published recently in a special issue of the journal Science on global food security. In addition, reports by the Australian Bureau of Agricultural and Resource Economics and the Rural Industries Research and Development Corporation were used for additional domestic context.
-Dr Cathy Foley, acclaimed physicist with the CSIRO and the new president of the Federation of Australian Scientific and Technological Societies (FASTS) reflects on whether science faces its own 'Global Crisis'. There are enormous expectations from society, she writes - "The modern scientist is expected to be entrepreneurial, competitive while making every piece of research count" - but there is very little understanding of the processes that govern scientific endeavour. There is a major challenge ahead as parts of society lose faith in scientists and their motivation...more
-The tragedy of the Tasmanian devil continues, as an aggressive facial cancer spreads threatening the extinction of the species. Professor Jenny Graves, ANU, writes a fascinating story, Genomics to the rescue of the devil' about a scientific journey that has very recently led a young Australian researcher, Dr Liz Murchison, to discover the origins of the cancer, providing hope for the devil...more
- The 'digital dividend', the radiofrequency spectrum the Government says is 'freed-up' by the switchover from analogue to digital transmission, will soon be up for 'grabs'. A Green Paper on the use of the 'dividend' was recently released and is currently open for comment. Dr Matthew Sorell, senior lecturer at the University of Adelaide, is untangling some of the mysteries around the issue. For starters, the term 'digital dividend' is misleading "because in fact a great deal of spectrum had to be found to effect the digital changeover, and all we are doing now is handing an equivalent amount back, namely the spectrum which was previously used for analogue TV....more
- Governments need to manage uncertainties and risks that markets can't cope with. To do that they need to be innovative, says Dr Mark Matthews, director of the Forum for European-Australian Science and Technology Cooporation (FEAST). A recent ANAO decision-support framework for the public sector focuses on ways to reduce risk aversion in order to innovate. But what about dealing with challenges where the risk is uncertain - challenges that cannot be easily quantified, accurately forecast or managed? Matthews argues that to deal with uncertain risks, the concept of 'preparedness' needs to have a more central role in science and innovation policy...more
- 'Inspiring Australia', Australia's first national report on science communication, is the focus of an ARDR special, demonstrating that while welcome, the report raises also some questions...
Research in the digital age - University of Glasgow'Professor Richard Sinnott, who will take up a position as eResearch director at the University of Melbourne in July, outlines how high-end computing is transforming the research landscape with the growth of digital data hindering progress in most research areas more...Bodiversity - everyone needs it - It is the Year of Biodiversity, yet there is little to celebrate as we are facing what many researchers call the 6th Extinction Event. Professor Iain Gordon reflects on the possible way forward more...Highlights in April:
And what about nuclear? The nuclear power option appears not to rank prominently in people’s minds, despite Australia being a major exporter of Uranium and the potential of nuclear power to reduce the carbon footprint of our electricity generating industry. A major new report by the National Academies Forum, Understanding the formation of attitudes to nuclear power in Australia , also finds that in Australia there is generally little understanding of how attitudes toward nuclear energy are formed, and this limits an informed debate on national energy policy. The report is the focus of the ARDR lead story in April.
The Myriad case: Genes are no invention! Following on from his review of the case of the University of Western Australia vs Dr Gray/Sirtex in the ARDR March issue, Professor Luigi Palombi (ANU) comments here on the recent case involving US company Myriad; the company lost a significant US law suit over its intellectual property rights related to the BRCA breast cancer genes. Human gene patent rights are currently also under review in Australia and Professor Palombi has been a prominent advocate for change to current human gene patent legislation... moreServices and gene patenting: GTG. The Myriad case could also have direct ramifications for the Australian biotech industry. Genetic Technologies (GTG) has licensed IP rights for diagnostic tests based on the BRCA genes for the Australian market, and previously the company was criticised for attempting to reinforce its IP rights in Australia. GTG, chief executive officer Paul MacLeman, comments in the ARDR that scrapping human gene patents would actually benefit the company by levelling the playing field for all. However, taking a broader perspective, he says that in the longer term patent protection of human gene discoveries benefits a greater good... more- Cutler review sidestepped: R&D Tax Credit. Kris Gale, managing director of Michael Johnson Associates is one of Australia's leading experts on the R&D Concession scheme, which was introduced in 1985 by the late John Button. Mr Gale says the proposed R&D Tax Credit, which is to become effective in July, is a huge shift from the Button scheme, which had bipartisan support for the past 25 years ....more
-
Are innovation and creative industries policy converging? Australia's creative industries and its technology based innovation sector traditionally walk on opposite sides of the street. Yet, Professor Terry Flew and Distinguished Professor Stuart Cunningham from the Queensland University of Technology, believe this is about to change, as the innovative service industry sector is growing in Australia and scientists increasingly seek cross-disciplinary approaches with the humanities, arts and social sciences. However, Flew and Cunningham highlight significant roadblocks in the development of creative industries, notably a lack of support by the R&D Tax concession scheme...more- Nuclear research: Neglect we can't afford Nuclear power may never eventuate in Australia, but there are plenty of reasons why nuclear research should not be neglected. Internationally, nuclear energy innovation is steaming ahead with promising new developments such as the Bill Gates backed thermal wave reactor technology. As this unfolds, Australia, despite being a major exporter of Uranium, has all but abandoned its nuclear research and education base. Dr John Price, principal of Integrity Partners and adjunct professor at Monash University, reviews current developments and identifies some areas where Australia should target a renewed research effort... more- The leadstory, Enabling Technology’, reports on the Government’s recently released National Enabling Technology Strategy, a new regulatory framework for the development of bio- and nano-technologies in Australia, and the Australian Academy of Science’s report Nanotechnology in Australia, a snapshot of the current state of the Australian nanotechnology sector. - In ‘Bad cases make bad law: UWA vs Gray’ Dr Luigi Palombi from ANU’s Centre for Governance of Knowledge and Development, provides a critical analyses of the recent final ruling by the High Court against the University of Western Australia in its case over intellectual propertyagainst former employee Dr Bruce Gray and the medical company founded by him, Sirtex Medical Limited.
The case has drawn international interest because of its potential ramifications for the innovation sector.....more
- The discovery of the ancient spice saffron as a promising treatment for age-related diseases such as age-related macular degeneration (AMD), may provide new clues about what drives the aging process. In a feature article Ancient spice saves ageing nerves, Italian researchers Professors Silvia Bisti and Bernedetto Falsini (left) and University of Sydney's Professor Jonathan Stone (right) write that the spice may counteract marginal imbalances in the ability of cells to self-repair age-related stresses, leading to improvements and even reversal of age-related macular degeneration....more
- Carla Gebor, director of the Australian National Alliance comments in ‘Effective networks the key to success’ on the Governments National Enabling Technologies Strategy, and the Nanotechnology in Australia report by the Australian Academy of Science....more
- Dr Mark Matthews, director of the Forum for European-Australian Science and Technology Cooporation (FEAST) writes in an ARDR opinion piece that tackling global challenges requires increased international collaboration. To do this effectively, impediments to international cooperation need to be removed, for example by implementing standardised ‘agile’ contractual agreements...more- The President of the Licensing Executives Society International (LESI), D. Patrick O’Reilly, will deliver a keynote address to delegates of the LESANZ 2010 Conference in Adelaide (22-24th April 2010). In a guest column in the ARDR, he writes about ‘open innovation’, a new corporate management approach which “reflects a growing trend for companies to use external invention sources in their innovation programs”....more
Highlights of the February edition included:
- In' Global food outlook' the ARDR reviews the state of food security, both globally and domestically, and how technology developments such as GM crops and a growing biofuels industry may impact on future food supply. The article draws on a number of reviews published recently in a special issue of the journal Science on global food security. In addition, reports by the Australian Bureau of Agricultural and Resource Economics and the Rural Industries Research and Development Corporation were used for additional domestic context.-Dr Cathy Foley, acclaimed physicist with the CSIRO and the new president of the Federation of Australian Scientific and Technological Societies (FASTS) reflects on whether science faces its own 'Global Crisis'. There are enormous expectations from society, she writes - "The modern scientist is expected to be entrepreneurial, competitive while making every piece of research count" - but there is very little understanding of the processes that govern scientific endeavour. There is a major challenge ahead as parts of society lose faith in scientists and their motivation...more
-The tragedy of the Tasmanian devil continues, as an aggressive facial cancer spreads threatening the extinction of the species. Professor Jenny Graves, ANU, writes a fascinating story, Genomics to the rescue of the devil' about a scientific journey that has very recently led a young Australian researcher, Dr Liz Murchison, to discover the origins of the cancer, providing hope for the devil...more- The 'digital dividend', the radiofrequency spectrum the Government says is 'freed-up' by the switchover from analogue to digital transmission, will soon be up for 'grabs'. A Green Paper on the use of the 'dividend' was recently released and is currently open for comment. Dr Matthew Sorell, senior lecturer at the University of Adelaide, is untangling some of the mysteries around the issue. For starters, the term 'digital dividend' is misleading "because in fact a great deal of spectrum had to be found to effect the digital changeover, and all we are doing now is handing an equivalent amount back, namely the spectrum which was previously used for analogue TV....more- Governments need to manage uncertainties and risks that markets can't cope with. To do that they need to be innovative, says Dr Mark Matthews, director of the Forum for European-Australian Science and Technology Cooporation (FEAST). A recent ANAO decision-support framework for the public sector focuses on ways to reduce risk aversion in order to innovate. But what about dealing with challenges where the risk is uncertain - challenges that cannot be easily quantified, accurately forecast or managed? Matthews argues that to deal with uncertain risks, the concept of 'preparedness' needs to have a more central role in science and innovation policy...more- 'Inspiring Australia', Australia's first national report on science communication, is the focus of an ARDR special, demonstrating that while welcome, the report raises also some questions...
Licensing Executives Society of Australia and New Zealand