Australian High Commission
India
High Commission address: 1/50 G Shantipath, Chanakyapuri - Telephone: 4139 9900 - Fax: 4149 4490

Research and Innovation

Today we are entering the era of a knowledge economy, rapid change and globalisation. The lifecycle of technologies, products and services is reducing faster than ever before. For Australia to be a globally competitive world-class science and innovation based economy, it must be equipped to offer even more new ideas and new technologies, and to build on its capacity to attract high calibre students and researchers from the world over. Australia is keen to collaborate with international partners on leading edge science and technology in order to contribute to Australia’s economic, social and environmental wellbeing.

The research relationship between Australia and India is growing strongly. It has been on a rise for some time and is now poised to reach new heights. The establishment of the Australia India Strategic Research Fund (AISRF) of A$20 million with matching funds from the Indian Government is a welcome step to enhance existing relationships and develop new ones between researchers and academicians. The focus of these collaborations will be in the areas of - agriculture research, astronomy and astrophysics, environment sciences, renewal energy, microelectronic devices and materials, marine sciences, biomedical devices and implants, vaccines / medical diagnostics, nutraceuticals and functional foods and transgenic crops. Details are available at https://sciencegrants.dest.gov.au/aisrf

As a part of our strategy to reinforce these ties so that common niches are filled by both countries and we benefit from mutual experiences, we have been supporting a series of thematic workshops in the areas of bioremediation, pharmacogenomics, medical biotechnology, stem cell science, biomaterial implants, tissue engineering and regenerative medicine, IT security, nanotechnology.

A highlight was the visit by Nobel Laureate, Prof Peter Doherty to deliver the 3rd Burnet lecture in Hyderabad on plagues, pestilence and influenza and open the Medical Biotechnology conference in Manipal. The signing of an MoU between Biocon, India’s largest biotechnology company and Deakin University for joint multi-disciplinary research focused on biotechnology and bioscience research is another step ahead to strengthen the understanding and contact between the two countries.

Australian Medical innovations

1915 two Australians scientist produced Aspro, a high grade aspirin product that dominated the international market for many years.
1926 a Sydney doctor invented the original heart pacemaker.
1941 penicillin was extracted and refined by a team led by Australian Howard Florey. It was successfully trialled on humans and went into production in time to aid the recovery of casualties in the Second World War
1961 two Australians built the first ultrasound scanner.
1979 Professor Graeme Clark invented the cochlear implant, designed to help the hearing impaired and profoundly deaf.
1996, Relenza, the world’s first anti-influenza drug, was developed and approved in 2000 for release in Australia; it is now sold in more than 51 countries.
In 1998 a team of scientists developed the Solarscan, which can quickly detect cancerous sunspots.

AUSTRALIA’S NOBEL PRIZE WINNERS FOR SCIENCE AND MEDICAL RESEARCH

Professor Barry Marshall, Noble prize in Medicine - 2005

2005 Professor Barry J Marshall and   Professor J Robin Warren: Awarded the prize for their discovery of the bacterium Helicobacter pylori and its role in gastritis and peptic ulcer disease 1996 Professor Peter Doherty: Awarded the prize in medicine for work on immunology.

1975 Sir John Warcup Cornforth: Awarded the prize in chemistry for work on the structure of living matter.

1963 Sir John Carew Eccles: Awarded the prize in medicine for work on how nerves and the brain work.

1960 Sir Frank Macfarlane Burnet Awarded the prize in medicine for work on immunology, the basis for organ transplants

1945 Sir Howard Florey : Awarded the prize in medicine for work on the development of Penicillin.

1915 Sir William Lawrence Bragg (with father Sir William Henry Bragg): Awarded the prize in physics for their work analysing crystals using x-rays.