Australian Institute for Bioengineering and Nanotechnology AIBN

Are theranostics worth the cost? 🧪 ☢️ Funded through the ARC Research Hub for Advanced Manufacture of Targeted Radiopharmaceuticals (AMTAR), AIBN researchers teamed up with health economists from UQ's Centre for the Business and Economics of Health to find out. After reviewing 25 studies from around the world, the team found that many health systems are assessing a treatment designed to work together as though it were two separate interventions. The consequence? A game-changing approach to cancer care can take longer to reach the people who need it most. AMTAR Director Professor Kristofer Thurecht explains it simply. First, a diagnostic scan identifies where the cancer is and whether a patient is likely to benefit. Then, targeted radiotherapy treats those same cancer cells. Yet many health systems still assess and fund these two steps separately, rather than as one integrated treatment. The researchers also found huge differences in how the value of theranostics was measured, making it difficult for health systems to compare studies and make consistent funding decisions. Health economist and lead author Dr Yufan Wang  from UQ Economics said there is a sector-wide effort calling for action as the team work to develop a new value framework to guide future reimbursement decisions. This study is another great example of the power of collaboration across disciplines at UQ. By bringing together experts in theranostics and health economics, the team is helping ensure promising cancer treatments can be assessed in ways that better reflect their real-world value. Thank-you to Dr Yufan Wang and Professor Haitham Tuffaha from UQ Economics for leading this important work. #QueenslandInnovation #Cancer #UQResearch #Theranostics #Radiopharmaceuticals

Two of Australia’s leading biologics capabilities are becoming one!   Two facilities housed at AIBN, the Protein Expression Facility (UQ PEF) and the NCRIS supported National Biologics Facility (NBF) are uniting as a single, integrated national facility - operating under the NBF banner.   For more than two decades, PEF has supported researchers with world-class protein expression and engineering expertise, and NBF provided leading, clinical grade biologics manufacturing and process development for the research community. Now united, the expanded National Biologics Facility offers Australia’s most comprehensive end-to-end biologics pipeline.   To be led by Associate Professor Seth Cheetham, the expanded NBF covers the full biologics pipeline: antibody discovery and protein engineering, mammalian, bacterial, yeast and insect-cell expression, upstream and downstream bioprocess development, analytical characterisation, and clinical-grade manufacture of drug substance for first-in-human trials. This creates a single entry point for researchers and industry and accelerates the journey from concept to clinic.   As home to Australia's highest concentration of NCRIS facilities, AIBN understands the competitive edge world-class research infrastructure provides our researchers and industry partners. This merger brings together decades of biologics expertise in a single integrated capability.   Congratulations to the newly merged NBF!   UQ Strategic Partnerships, Therapeutic Innovation Australia, The University of Queensland

🥁 Drum roll, please... We're thrilled to announce that Professor Kristofer Thurecht has been appointed Institute Director of the Australian Institute for Bioengineering and Nanotechnology (AIBN) at The University of Queensland! 🎉 After serving as Interim Director since November 2025, Kris now steps into the role on a permanent basis, building on an accomplished 18-year career at UQ and a long-standing commitment to AIBN's success. A leading researcher in nanomedicine, Kris has helped elevate AIBN's international research reputation while advancing UQ's imaging capabilities, particularly in the radiopharmaceutical space. He's equally passionate about supporting people, creating opportunities for researchers at every career stage, mentoring emerging scientists and building a culture where collaboration, curiosity and bold ideas can flourish. Kris will continue working alongside AIBN's executive leadership team, supporting more than 500 academics and professionals, and shaping the institute's next chapter of discovery, collaboration and impact: • Stephanie Jillett – Director, Institute Operations •  Associate Professor Samantha Stehbens – Interim Director of Research •  Associate Professor Idriss Blakey – Director, Higher Degree by Research • Lesley Green – Principal Administration Coordinator Together, they're committed to supporting our researchers, students and industry partners as they push the boundaries of science to solve some of the world's biggest challenges. 🌏 Please join us in congratulating Kris on his appointment and celebrating the executive leadership team as they lead AIBN into the future. 👏 UQ Strategic Partnerships

ICYMI, a first-of-its-kind Biosustainability Hub is now officially open at The University of Queensland! 🎉 At AIBN, we believe biotechnology has the potential to transform the way industries tackle some of the world's biggest challenges. From climate change and resource scarcity to food security and industrial emissions, solving these challenges will take new ways of thinking, new technologies, and stronger partnerships between research, government and industry. That's why we've established the UQ Biosustainability Hub, led by AIBN's Professor Esteban Marcellin, bringing together world-class researchers, industry partners and cutting-edge infrastructure to develop scalable biological solutions for industry. If your business is tackling a complex challenge, let's explore whether biology could be part of the solution. UQ Strategic Partnerships, Queensland Alliance for Agriculture and Food Innovation (QAAFI), Australia's Food and Beverage Accelerator (FaBA), School of Chemical Engineering UQ, UQ Engineering, Design and Computing, Sustainable Minerals Institute #Biosustainability #FutureMadeInAustralia #IndustryInnovation

🦠⛏️ Meet the 'super fungi' helping recover the critical minerals needed for tomorrow's technologies. Researchers at UQ's Biosustainability Hub have engineered fungi capable of extracting valuable critical minerals from toxic mining waste, offering a cleaner, more sustainable alternative to traditional mining processes. Critical minerals like vanadium and scandium are essential for everything from electronics and microchips to clean energy technologies but recovering them from mining waste typically relies on harsh chemicals. Led by AIBN Dr Denys Villa Gomez, her team has developed new ‘super fungi’ that can naturally produce organic acids, allowing valuable minerals to be recovered while helping detoxify mine waste at the same time. “In the future, it’s hoped we could deploy these fungi directly at mine sites, recovering minerals while helping remediate the land at the same time,” she said. The breakthrough could help transform mining waste into a valuable resource while reducing the environmental footprint of mineral recovery, creating new opportunities for Australia's critical minerals sector. 🌱 It's also a great example of what the UQ Biosustainability Hub was designed to do. By bringing together researchers, industry partners and world-class infrastructure, we're developing scalable biological solutions to help industry tackle complex manufacturing and sustainability challenges. Whether it's recovering critical minerals from waste, developing sustainable fuels or advancing next-generation manufacturing, the Hub is helping unlock new opportunities for Australian industry. 🚀 Fernanda Soto Montandon, Professor Esteban Marcellin 🤝Dr Denys Villa Gomez has a joint appointment with UQ School of Civil Engineering #Biosustainability #CriticalMinerals #MiningInnovation #FutureMadeInAustralia

Motor Neuron Disease (MND) is a devastating neurological disease, and improving our understanding of it has the potential to improve outcomes for people living with MND. That's why this new research led by UQ Institute for Molecular Bioscience (IMB) is such an important step forward. Led by IMB's Professor Naomi Wray, the research brought together clinicians and researchers from across Australia to establish the world’s most comprehensive unified patient data collection of Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS), which is the most common and aggressive form of MND that usually results in death within 3-5 years. AIBN's Associate Professor Shyuan Ngo (Shu), Director of the UQ Centre for MND Research, said the new database features information and samples from more than 1300 Australian ALS patients, and is the starting point for better detection and higher survival rates. “MND is ruthless and about 90 per cent of cases appear to occur randomly in people with no family history of the disease so more research is needed,” Shu said. “This database creates a powerful national platform to advance our understanding of MND that we hope will lead to breakthroughs in earlier diagnosis, new therapies and better survival rates." The database – Strategic ALS Australia – Systems Genomics Consortium (SALSA-SGC) – will be stored at The University of Queensland and includes biobanked samples of blood, tissue and genetic material that researchers will be able to use to validate drugs and develop targeted therapies. Lead senior author Professor Naomi Wray, from UQ’s IMB, said the database has already led to some new findings about ALS and that the platform will enable scientists across the world to generate new data and advance ALS research in the decades ahead. This research was funded by an Ice-Bucket Challenge Grant from MND Australia, with further funding provided by the Peter Goodenough Trust and National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC). The project is also supported by FightMND, MND and Me Foundation, the Nerve Connection Foundation and the Halpin Trust. 🤝 Associate Professor Shyuan Ngo has a joint appointment with the UQ School of Biomedical Sciences 

We couldn’t be prouder of our AIBN researchers! 🧑🔬 This week, they took centre stage at the official opening of the UQ Biosustainability Hub, sharing their expertise, leading tours and showcasing the discoveries and technologies that are helping shape the future of sustainable manufacturing. As Director of the UQ Biosustainability Hub, Professor Esteban Marcellin reflected on the deep sense of gratitude he feels for the people who brought us to where we are today, and for the students and researchers who will fill its laboratories with ideas, discoveries and innovation for years to come. That spirit of collaboration is one of the Hub's greatest strengths, bringing together researchers from AIBN, Queensland Alliance for Agriculture and Food Innovation (QAAFI), School of Chemistry & Molecular Biosciences and UQ Engineering, Design and Computing, and agriculture communities to tackle some of industry's biggest net-zero challenges. Working side by side, they are combining ideas, capabilities and infrastructure to accelerate the development of sustainable products, processes and technologies, helping move discoveries more quickly from the laboratory to real-world impact. The official launch was a fantastic opportunity to open our doors to government, industry and academic partners and showcase what is possible when world-class research, industry collaboration and cutting-edge infrastructure come together in one place. A huge thank you to everyone who joined us to mark this important milestone and to our speakers Professor Deborah Terry AC, Assistant Minister Julian Hill MP, Professor Esteban Marcellin and MC Professor Kristofer Thurecht for sharing their insights, vision and enthusiasm for the future of biosustainability. We'd also like to thank our colleagues across The University of Queensland, including UQ Strategic Partnerships, and the many teams who worked behind the scenes to help bring the event to life. The doors are open. Now it's time to turn ideas into industries. 🚀🌱 #Biosustainability #ResearchTranslation #FutureMadeInAustralia

🦷🍬Calling all sweet-tooths! Researchers at UQ's Biosustainability Hub, in partnership with MSF Sugar, have developed a process for producing rare sugars at scale, a breakthrough that could help transform the food and beverage industry. Rare sugars have long shown promise as a healthier alternative to conventional sugar, but high production costs have limited their commercial potential. Now, Dr Axayacatl (Axa) Gonzalez and his team, working in collaboration with Australia's Food and Beverage Accelerator (FaBA)'s Dr Nathan Qifeng Zhong have demonstrated a pathway to large-scale production, bringing lower-calorie foods and beverages made with rare sugars a step closer to everyday consumers. As one of the world's largest sugar exporters, Australia is well placed to benefit from innovations like this, creating new opportunities for producers while helping meet growing demand for healthier food and beverage options. MSF Sugar General Manager Business Development Jia Poontanasombat said the work at the UQ Biosustainability Hub could help Australian sugar producers remain competitive internationally. "Rare sugars are a high-value commodity that possess obvious health and economic benefits," Ms Poontanasombat said. "The work being done at UQ's Biosustainability Hub is paving the way for producers to diversify their product offering in a way that meets the health needs of communities around the world." We're proud to see our researchers working alongside industry partners to solve real-world challenges and unlock new opportunities for Australian manufacturing, agriculture and food production. It's also a great example of what the UQ Biosustainability Hub was designed to do. From healthier food ingredients to more sustainable production methods, this research highlights the role bioscience can play in building the industries of the future. #Biosustainability #FoodInnovation #FutureMadeInAustralia

The UQ Biosustainability Hub is officially open! 🎉 Backed by more than $70 million in investments, the Hub brings together researchers, industry partners and world-class research infrastructure with a shared mission to develop sustainable solutions for the future. More than 100 researchers and professional staff from across UQ are now connected through the Hub, creating a powerful network of expertise spanning engineering, biology, chemistry, manufacturing and agriculture. Together, they're tackling some of the biggest challenges facing industry, from sustainable agriculture and food production to energy, manufacturing, mining and waste recovery. 🌱 Supported by more than 200 bioreactors and cutting-edge facilities like Q-MAP and IDEABio, the Hub provides the kit needed to move ideas faster from discovery to impact, helping promising technologies make the leap from the lab into industry. 🔬 What makes the Hub truly unique is the concentration of talent, knowledge and infrastructure working towards a common goal. As Director of the Hub and AIBN Group Leader Professor Esteban Marcellin said today at the official opening, “the answer is not to stop progress, the answer is to find a better way forward. At the Biosustainability Hub, we believe that biology can be part of that solution.” It's a powerful example of what can be achieved when universities, industry and government align behind a shared vision, creating the conditions for innovation to thrive and deliver lasting impact. We were delighted to have Assistant Minister the Honourable Julian Hill MP, Elizabeth Watson-Brown MP, Queensland’s Chief Scientist Professor Kerrie Wilson and UQ’s Vice-Chancellor Professor Deborah Terry AC with us to celebrate this exciting milestone. The future of biosustainability is taking shape right here in Queensland. 🚀 We can't wait to see what's next. UQ Strategic Partnerships, Queensland Alliance for Agriculture and Food Innovation (QAAFI), Australia's Food and Beverage Accelerator (FaBA), School of Chemical Engineering UQ, UQ Engineering, Design and Computing, Sustainable Minerals Institute. #Biosustainability #QueenslandInnovation #FutureMadeInAustralia

💨Waste gases are usually the end of the story. But at the UQ Biosustainability Hub, they are the beginning of something valuable. Microbes already exist that can consume carbon dioxide and survive in extreme conditions – traits that make them promising tools for transforming waste gases into valuable products. Dr Lars Puiman and Dr James Heffernan from AIBN are using gas fermentation to harness and boost these natural assets and then partnering with industry to scale them up and test them in real-world environments. In the controlled environment of specialised biofermenters, microbes can produce proteins, biodegradable plastics, precursors for fuels and rubber, and chemicals. Microbes can thrive where chemistry struggles, which is a key advantage of gas fermentation compared to conventional manufacturing. Their biological flexibility means they can often tolerate impurities that would quickly disrupt catalysts used in conventional chemical processes. The promise of gas fermentation lies not just in what it can make, but overcoming the challenge of making those products viable at an industrial scale - making sure they are cost-efficient and commercially relevant. With the right partnerships and pilot facilities, these tiny microbes could be the biological solution to some of the world’s toughest environmental challenges. The UQ Biosustainability Hub is led by AIBN's Professor Esteban M..