NEWS
Catch up on the news and updates driving change and inspiring discovery across our fields.
Australian Fish Genomics Initiative – Request for Partnership Guidelines 2026
THE AUSTRALIAN FISH GENOMICS INITIATIVE Bioplatforms Australia and the Minderoo Foundation are investing in the generation of referential molecular data to advance knowledge of Australia’s fish species and support critical research and management strategies. Fish play...
Australian Venom Innovation and Discovery Initiative – Request for Partnership 2026 guidelines
Background and Aims Australia is home to one of the world’s most diverse ranges of venomous species, yet the majority remain poorly characterised at the molecular level. These organisms play critical ecological roles and hold significant potential for applications in...
Inaugural NCRIS SynBio Retreat brings together a breadth of biomanufacturing expertise
Bioplatforms Australia recently hosted the inaugural NCRIS SynBio Retreat, a two-day gathering in Mackay, Queensland. The event brought together 50 people from the leadership and staff of the Australian Genome Foundry, IDEA Bio, Plant SynBio Australia, along with...
Sentinel Species Genomics Initiative (Theme 2) – Request for Partnership guidelines
REQUEST FOR PARTNERSHIP GUIDELINES Background and AimsEnvironmental monitoring is vital for detecting ecosystem change and guiding conservation, restoration and climate adaptation. Genomic data can complement existing monitoring approaches by providing insight into...
Bioplatforms Australia joins global Technician Commitment community
Bioplatforms Australia has formally pledged to address workforce challenges facing technical staff who are critical to research and teaching activities. Now a formal supporter of the internationally recognised Technician Commitment, Bioplatforms Australia joins a...
New genomic resource strengthens Australia’s biosecurity defences
A new genomic resource is helping strengthen Australia’s ability to detect and respond to viral threats to agriculture, aquaculture and native biodiversity. The Australian Biosecurity Genomic Database, developed by the BioCommons team in collaboration with Agriculture...
Making genetic quality control faster and more accessible
Plant Synbio Australia – University of Western Australia has launched a new whole plasmid sequencing service to make quality assurance of genetic constructs faster, more accessible and more affordable for researchers across Australia. Plasmids are fundamental tools in...
Engineering duckweed for the future of space exploration
Researchers at PSBA Adelaide University are developing a new genetic transformation system for duckweed that could open up applications in sustainable biomanufacturing and space exploration. The project, led in partnership with Professor Matthew Tucker at the...
Rewriting evolution to transform therapeutic drug production
The Australian Genome Foundry (AGF) is developing a novel approach to improve the production of psilocybin, an emerging therapeutic compound being investigated for conditions including treatment-resistant depression, substance dependence and end-of-life anxiety....
Developing wheat that can withstand a warmer climate
Wheat is Australia’s leading cereal crop and a major contributor to the national economy, with $10.1 billion in farm gate value in 2024 to 2025. However, rising temperatures and more frequent and prolonged heatwaves pose a growing threat to wheat production, with...
Understanding how seed potatoes age could help growers improve crop performance
The quality of seed potatoes plays an important role in crop establishment, yield and profitability. However, while growers know that seed potatoes change physiologically during storage, there is currently no reliable way to measure this ageing process or predict how...
How lettuce adapts to life in space
As space agencies prepare for longer missions to the Moon and Mars, growing fresh food in space will be essential for supporting astronaut health and wellbeing. Lettuce, already grown aboard the International Space Station, is helping researchers understand how plants...
How genomics and AI helped develop a personalised cancer vaccine for Rosie
When Rosie, a seven-year-old rescue dog, was diagnosed with an aggressive and incurable form of mast cell cancer, her owner turned to genomics in search of another option. Working with the Ramaciotti Centre for Genomics at UNSW Sydney, Rosie's tumour and healthy DNA...
Decoding the harmful algal bloom: sequencing the genome of Karenia mikimotoi
Harmful algal blooms are an increasing threat to marine ecosystems, fisheries, aquaculture and coastal communities. The recent bloom along South Australia’s coastline has highlighted how much remains unknown about the organisms responsible and the factors driving...
Pipeline Accelerator 2026-27 Round 1 voucher scheme now open for applications
Bioplatforms Australia is proud to partner with Therapeutic Innovation Australia (TIA), Microscopy Australia, Phenomics Australia, and ANSTO’s National Deuteration Facility (NDF) to support translational medical research through the Pipeline Accelerator voucher...
Launching the Australian Sentinel Species Genomics Initiative
New national initiative to harness genomics for Australia’s ecosystem monitoring and resilience management The Sentinel Species Genomics Initiative is a three-year collaboration between Bioplatforms Australia and Minderoo Foundation to coordinate the development of...
Proteomics International secures Australian patent for innovative endometriosis diagnostic
Proteomics International has reached a major milestone in the development and commercialisation of PromarkerEndo, receiving a notice of acceptance from IP Australia for a patent covering its proprietary blood test for the diagnosis of endometriosis. The Australian...
Australian Functional Fungi Initiative– Request for Partnership 2026
The Australian Functional Fungi Initiative is now seeking partnerships to create foundational biomolecular data resources to fast-track knowledge and innovation of Australian Fungi. NOTE: Due to Bioplatforms Australia’s prior investment in the Plant Pathogen Omics...
Invasive Plants and Animals Initiative – Request for Partnership 2026
REQUEST FOR PARTNERSHIP GUIDELINES Background and AimsInvasive species are one of the most significant and persistent threats to Australia’s environment, economy and biodiversity. They are the leading driver of species decline, impacting 82% of Australia’s threatened...
Mapping the Great Barrier Reef microbiome reveals a hidden world of microbial diversity
Scientists have mapped the microbiome of the Great Barrier Reef, uncovering hundreds of thousands of previously unknown viral genomes and more than 500 bacterial species new to science. Published in Nature, the study was led by researchers from the...