The Bio21 Cluster was established in 2001, as an initiative of the University of Melbourne, Melbourne Health, The Walter and Eliza Hall Institute (WEHI) and the State Government of Victoria, to support the development of Victoria’s fledgling biotechnology industry. Initial collaborative investment was via the Victorian Government under the STI (Science Technology Infrastructure) Initiative Round 1, which provided funding to priority industry sectors working on new activities aimed at building Victoria’s science, technology and innovation base, encouraging collaboration, and attracting investment from other sources. Over the period 2002-2006 the State Government co-invested in what was known as “The Bio21 Project” providing support for two major developments: the Bio21 Institute and the refitted Joint Proteomics Facility; and six collaborative infrastructure projects. As a requirement of the Bio21 Project Funding Agreement, a not-for-profit company, Bio21 Australia Ltd, was formed to oversee key aspects of the project. Although it was initially thought the company might play a direct role in commercialisation of research discoveries, it has subsequently taken on coordination and facilitation of collaborative activities of the Cluster.
In 2002 a turning point was reached when, despite good progress in building the two “Bio21 developments” - the Bio21 Institute and a Joint Proteomics Facility - the goals around better collaboration were not being fully realised. The independent research organisations in the precinct collaborated at the scientist to scientist level but only occasionally at an institutional level. It was thought that if the organisations could work more productively together it would further strengthen Victoria’s pre-eminence in medical research and help deliver on the State Government’s Biotechnology Strategic Plan. A restructure of the Board and management in late 2002 saw the shift in focus to development of collaboration on a variety of levels and the formation of a genuine research cluster through the recruitment of more Members, which now number twenty-one.
Since the end of the “Bio21 Project” Funding Agreement, the Bio21 Cluster has developed various other collaborative projects, for instance: in education, the Undergraduate Research Opportunities Program (UROP); in facilities, access via the Platform Technology Network; and in stimulating discussion and planning for new areas, such as clinical research and informatics, via symposia and workshops. The Bio21 Institute is a completely separate entity wholly owned, funded and managed by the University of Melbourne. The confusion with similar names is an issue that remains to be addressed.
The Company, now trading as the Bio21 Cluster, has tax exempt and DGR status and is managed by a small staff and CEO. There are currently six staff members, three (2.6 EFT in total) funded from the core budget and three (1.9EFT in total) funded by external grants. The Board has an independent Chair and up to 10 additional directors. These are the Chair of the Scientific Advisory Council, a Director appointed by each of the three founding Members, up to three Directors elected by the General Members and up to three Directors appointed by the Board. At the current time there are five subcommittees of the Board - Scientific Advisory Council, Audit, Business Development Managers, Hospital Research Directors and Undergraduate Research Opportunities Program. The revenue of the Company is derived from Bio21 Cluster Member subscriptions and project specific grants.