UQ awarded Industry’s Choice Award by AusBiotech and J&J

Biotech News: The University of Queensland (UQ) has been awarded the Industry’s Choice Award, the final AusBiotech and Johnson & Johnson Innovation Industry Excellence Award for 2020. The prestigious Industry Excellence Awards were announced at the AusBiotech + Invest 2020 national conference, during the biggest week in biotech.

The AusBiotech and Johnson & Johnson Innovation Industry Excellence Awards recognise and celebrate life science leaders who are championing the sector and the Australian community through the worst pandemic and greatest collaboration seen in the sector.

The Awards celebrate those who have played a critical role guiding and inspiring us locally, and shining a light on Australia globally as a leader in the response to COVID-19. Behind these critical and timely responses are people and companies that inspire their workforce, their State, and their nation.

• Industry’s Choice Award: University of Queensland
• COVID-19 Life Science Sector Innovation Award: Ellume
• Dual COVID-19 Life Science Sector Collaboration Award: University of Queensland; the Medicines Manufacturing Innovation Centre.
• Dual COVID-19 Communication Leaders Award: Dr Rob Grenfell, Health and Biosecurity Director, CSIRO; Professor Sharon Lewin AO, Director, Doherty Institute

University of Queensland
The University of Queensland (UQ) sits at the centre of dozens of global collaborations and enabling agreements, mobilising quickly in their fight against COVID-19. Its partnering response across academic and industry partners – aided by Uniquest – includes CEPI, CSL, Doherty Institute, WHO Collaborating Centre, ANU, CSIRO, Hong Kong University, TetraQ, Patheon, Cytiva, Sypharma, Nucleus Network, GSK, Dynavax, Lonza, Life Technologies, Viroclinics Xplore, Syneos and Berkeley Lights. It has also been working closely with Federal and Queensland governments, philanthropists and donors. These partnerships aim to rapidly translate and develop the COVID-19 vaccine candidate.

Researchers have worked tirelessly to take the vaccine successfully through Phase 1 trials and into CSL’s preparation for Phase 2B/3 trials planned for December 2020. Research, clinical, and product development work that would normally take years has been accelerated into weeks and months, and planning that would typically take place sequentially is occurring simultaneously. This Australian and international research collaboration has already been extraordinary, and has the potential to be world changing.

An additional collaboration involving QUT, WEHI and UQ used a first-in-Australia approach to identify a genetic signature specific to patients with severe COVID-19, where excessive inflammation in the lungs can be deadly. While validation is required, this is likely to represent a prognostic signature to identify those most at risk among seriously ill patients – potentially saving lives.

Details of the other award winners are listed here.

Health Industry Hub is a proud media partner of AusBiotech + Invest 2020 national conference.