NewSouth Innovations is teaming with UNSW's science and medical faculties to profile the university's smartest inventions at Australia's biggest biotechnology event. From 26 to 29 October, AusBiotech 2008 will draw 1400 delegates to Melbourne to reveal the latest biotech inventions at the nation's premier biotechnology gathering.

Among the smartest UNSW technologies to be revealed in Melbourne are a biodegradable polymer that seals surgical wounds without the need for sutures, a "green" technology that turns an industrial pollutant into strong, lightweight building products, and a low-cost technology that boosts the speed and accuracy of tissue-matching required for tissue and organ transplantation.

"We see AusBiotech as an opportunity to showcase our best technologies and better understand the interests and preferences of investors," says Jim Henderson, NSi's General Manager Commercialisation, Life Sciences. Dr Henderson is responsible for the commercialisation of life science inventions from UNSW's Science, Engineering and Medical Faculties.

"As a brand, UNSW has a terrific reputation in research and innovation. NSi's job is to capitalise on that branding when we discuss licensing and partnering opportunities with investors and business people. This year we're leveraging our brand at AusBiotech by joining forces with senior executives from the university's Science and Medical Faculties," says Dr Henderson. "Several world-class technologies have come out of the UNSW and having senior medical and science executives on hand sends a strong message that we're in town to do business."

Denis Wakefield, Associate Dean Research in the Faculty of Medicine will join NSi business development managers to brief potential investors about biomedical technologies developed by UNSW inventors. "We are keen to increase the commercialisation of our medical research, that's a big driver for us," Professor Wakefield says. "The Medical Faculty views conferences such as AusBiotech as an opportunity to increase our commercialisation performance and increase the profile of our research products."

"The Faculty of Science has an outstanding record of achievement in fundamental and translational research," says A/Professor Roger Read, Associate Dean Research in Science. "Our interest in participating in national and international events, such as AusBiotech, is to raise investor awareness of opportunities arising through our emerging UNSW platform technologies, like microbial control."

Attending Biotech will be delegates from local and global biotechnology and pharmaceutical companies, venture capitalists, researchers, manufacturers, legal and financial professionals, government and the media. AusBiotech 2008 includes a three day conference program, a bio-industry exhibition for participants to showcase their businesses and products, and a business matching program, where delegates with similar interests will run briefings with other delegates and company representatives.

Last year AusBiotech drew nearly 1400 participants from 29 countries, including 512 Presidents, VPs, CEOs, CFOs and MDs from national and international companies, and over 500 international participants including 142 from North America, 114 from Asia and 72 from Europe.

AusBiotech 2008 - Melbourne Convention Centre 26 - 29 October 2008.

NSi media contact, Dan Gaffney, 0411 156 015.