BioMelbourne Network
Progressing BioIndustry
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13th July BioBreakfast
What is Biotech's role in Greentech?
Event Description
| When: |
Tuesday 13th July 2010 Registration 7.15am Buffet Breakfast 7.20 - 7.55am Presentation 8am sharp Concludes at 9am |
|---|---|
| Where: |
The Supper Room Melbourne Town Hall |
| Speakers: |
Dr Brenton Hamdorf (IP & Commercialisation Manager) EBCRC Ms Janelle Borham (Partner, Griffith Hack) |
| Price: |
BioMelbourne Network members: $55.00 Non members: $95.00 Prices include GST |
| RSVP: | Friday 9th July, 10am |
About This Event
Environmental biotech is fast becoming the new leading edge of the biotechnology sector, fuelled by escalating public awareness of environmental challenges and a demand to address them. Governments around the world are responding to the call by offering increased funding for environmental research, particularly in areas in which a commercial outcome may be realized. Australia is well and truly on the band-wagon and our history of excellence in research and a maturing biotech sector positions us well to exploit the opportunity environmental biotechnology presents.
Australia has a strong research base in biotechnology, but it is reasonable to deduce that we are yet to realise the full potential for the development of new industries producing new products in the environment sector. An estimated 4.5% of Australia's biotech research is undertaken to address environmental applications, but this figure is rapidly changing.
The new technologies can be applied to many areas of industrial processes such as management of waste materials, recycling waste into useful products and cleaner manufacturing methods. Improvements in environmental management can be leveraged from advances in biotechnology that have benefited medical science and the pharmaceutical industry. Who is doing this now? What are the predictions of the potential market? Is there any evidence that this is a real commercial opportunity? Are they making any money?
The Environmental Biotechnology CRC (EBCRC) is one of very few organisations in Australia and globally who are not only researching but also commercialising environmental biotechnology innovations. The EBCRC has set for itself the challenge of generating at least seven novel technologies or innovations to be adopted by industry over the seven year life of EBCRC. Dr Brenton Hamdorf (IP & Commercialisation Manager of the EBCRC) will discuss the biotechnology that he has commercialized and what he sees as the potential for biotechnology in ‘greentech’. Ms Janelle Borham (Partner, Griffith Hack) will give an overview of the patent landscape in this area and what are the emerging trends.
About the Speakers
Dr. Hamdorf began his career as a research scientist, first completing a PhD (University of New England) examining protection of ruminants from naturally occurring plant poisons, and then joined in a medical research project - understanding and control of breast cancer metastasis – at the John Curtin School of Medical Research (ANU).
He completed an MBA specialising in New Venture Management in 2000, and in the process started a commercialisation consultancy business, then subsequently accepting a business development role at the University of Sydney. During this time he was directly responsible for the creation pharmaceutical, heavy engineering, diagnostic, and tissue engineering spin-out companies – some of which are still operating today.
For the past 5 years Dr Hamdorf has been engaged with the Environmental Biotechnology CRC - primarily in the commercialisation area. Application areas have included wastewater treatment, odour control, energy efficiency, remediation, and microbial detection & control. He is also the CEO of a spin-off company (Rapid Detection Pty Ltd) originating from research conducted by the Environmental Biotechnology CRC into field-based (“first responder”) microbial detection.
Dr Hamdorf is an assessor for the Australian Technology Showcase, NSW Committee Member for Ausbiotech and mentors individuals and companies in commercialising their inventions.
Janelle Borham is a Patent Attorney and Principal at Griffith Hack in the Life Sciences and Chemical Group. Janelle has been at Griffith Hack for 15 years with her background being in chemistry, which she studied at Monash University. She started at the firm in 1994, leaving in 1997 for 2 years in London at a European Patent Attorney firm and returning again in 1999.
Janelle's particular technical expertise lies in ionic liquids, polymers (including conductive polymers and organic photovoltaics) and energy storage solutions, organic chemistry with particular experience in patents in the field of fuel compositions which all fall under the clean technology umbrella.
Janelle also has a great interest in food technology and confectionery both from a personal and professional perspective which makes her work for food companies such as Cadbury particularly enjoyable.
She is a Councillor of the Institute of Patent and Trade Mark Attorneys of Australia (IPTA) and an active member of Griffith Hack's specialty Clean and Sustainable Technologies Group.
Event Location
The Supper Room
Melbourne Town Hall
Cnr Swanston and Collins Sts
Melbourne
