UQ designates campus in Queensland biomed hotspot
The University of Queensland is cementing its presence in the rapidly growing biotechnology precinct in Brisbane’s south, announcing that an existing site will become UQ’s fourth campus: UQ Dutton Park.
Vice-Chancellor Professor Deborah Terry said that the Dutton Park campus is the primary teaching and research location for UQ’s School of Pharmacy, which has been located at the site for more than a decade.
“The campus is strategically positioned next to the Princess Alexandra Hospital and in close proximity to the Translational Research Institute (TRI) which is home to UQ’s Frazer Institute, colleagues from Mater Research Institute-UQ and other biotech facilities within the Queensland Government’s Boggo Road Cross River Rail Priority Development Area,” Professor Terry said.
“The announcement of our UQ Dutton Park campus underscores our commitment to working in partnership to maximise opportunities for Queensland to secure its position as a global research and innovation hub.
“In addition to our School of Pharmacy, part of the campus site has been made available for the development of a new manufacturing facility, TM@TRI, further complementing the state’s biotech aspirations.”
The announcement of the campus designation was made in the lead-up to Ausbiotech 2023, Australia’s largest life sciences conference.
Deputy Premier and Minister for State Development Steven Miles said the designation of a Brisbane south campus was a natural evolution of UQ’s deep connections to health, education, industry and research in the state.
“Queensland is recognised as a world-class research and innovation centre through the partnerships we are forging between industry, academia and government,” he said.
“A world-first mRNA research centre called the Translational Science Hub involves global healthcare company Sanofi, the Palaszczuk Government, UQ and Griffith University.
“The government has also invested $60 million TM@TRI which will enable companies and university spinouts to scale up production of their products for clinical studies here in Brisbane.”
The Queensland Government provided land for UQ to establish PACE in 2003, creating a unique health and medical precinct for pharmaceutical research, education and commercialisation.
In addition to Pharmacy, the site currently houses the Queensland Alliance for Environmental Health Sciences, a 365-seat auditorium and other teaching spaces, laboratories, a UQ library branch, specialised training rooms and UQ Healthcare’s Cornwall Street clinic, which has recently become a Medicare Urgent Care Clinic.
UQ has almost 300 staff at the precinct and around 700 undergraduate and postgraduate students.
The campus designation will officially take effect from 1 January 2024, adding to UQ St Lucia, UQ Herston and UQ Gatton.