Since its formation the Bio21 Cluster has made contributions in diverse areas, across multiple disciplines and via various mechanisms. The key ones are listed below. In a number of these, the Bio21 Cluster name is not mentioned, but at the earliest stage, usually at the Scientific Advisory Council, the seeds were sown for what have subsequently become major projects. These are referred to as indirect or 'invisible hand' achievements.
Platforms and Capabilities
BioGrid - provides a flexible and secure method for interrogating multiple data sources where thousands of records of patient data are re-linked across different databases and institutions.
Bio21 Collaborative Crystallisation Centre (Bio21:C3) - provides the infrastructure to advance the process of protein crystallisation and the production of the crystals required to obtain atomic-level protein structures.
Bioresources Platform - A virtual rodent facility with common high health standards allowing transfer of animals across facilities
Molecular Science and Biotechnology Institute (Bio21 Institute University of Melbourne) - a multidisciplinary research centre, specialising in medical, agricultural and environmental biotechnology.
Undergraduate Research Opportunities Program (UROP) - gives undergraduate students an early opportunity to experience life in a research laboratory and gain insight into careers in biomedical research.
Victorian Platform Technologies Network - provides awareness of, and access to, the varied platform technologies and expertise across Victoria and facilitates effective research-industry sector linkages.
Enhanced technological capability in high throughput screening and medicinal chemistry - a state of the art automated system and unique collection of 100,000 diverse chemicals for lead compound discovery
Victorian Clinician Researcher Network - provides a forum for clinician researchers to network and explore issues of common interest
Invisible Hand
Victorian Cancer Biobank - a consortium of tissue banks to provide researchers with high quality tissue samples and data in order to facilitate cancer research discoveries
Parkville Comprehensive Cancer Centre - a world class cancer centre that will bring together six Bio21 Cluster Member organisations
CRC for Cancer Therapeutics - aims to discover and develop new small molecule drugs for the treatment of cancer. The WEHI/Bio21 High Throughput Chemical Screening facility is a major platform for this CRC
NMR Cave in Bio21 Institute - driven by Bio21 Cluster STI-funded 800MHz NMR as the key high end instrument, the cave now houses nine NMR instruments
Life Science Computational Centre of the VLSCI - an e-research centre focussing on computational solutions for life science research (operational model developed following discussions at SAC)