8 February 2017

$2.43 million funding boost for South Australian research project

Australian Government funding will benefit South Australian innovation, by helping local industry and research institutions work collaboratively to develop a technological solution for the industrialisation of a novel diagnostic biosensor for bladder cancer.

SMR Automotive Australia, based in Lonsdale, South Australia, will lead the collaborative project awarded $2,430,356 in funding this week. Other local participants include researchers from the University of South Australia and Flinders University.

The funding comes under the government’s Cooperative Research Centre Projects (CRC-P) initiative, which supports short-term industry-led collaborations to solve industry problems and deliver tangible outcomes.

Seventeen projects Australia-wide, selected from 57 compliant applications, will share in $34.5 million in funding.

With $79.9 million in cash and in-kind inputs from more than 70 participating businesses, partnerships and research institutions, this represents $114.4 million invested in outcomes-focused research.

The projects will apply high quality research to solving an industry-specific issue, or develop new products, technologies or services.

“This work supports the National Innovation and Science Agenda pillar to foster industry-research collaboration,” Senator Fawcett said.

The Minister for Industry, Innovation and Science, Arthur Sinodinos, also announced a third CRC-P round.

Applications for round three are open until 22 March 2017, with funding outcomes expected to be announced in mid-2017.

Information on the second round recipients, and how to apply for the third round, is available from: https://www.business.gov.au/crc-p

About the project

SMR has identified a global opportunity in point of care (POC) biosensors, underpinned by the platform technologies of nano-structured coatings, biology, and micro-optics. UniSA has developed a low cost, revolutionary POC diagnostic device for non-invasive early detection of urothelial cancers, at a technology readiness level to begin industrialisation. The project will create manufacturing capability for this biosensor platform, conduct clinical trials and prepare this POC device for market.

The collaborative project will involve the following participants:

• SMR Automotive Australia Pty Ltd
• University of South Australia
• Flinders University
• Maddern & Catt Unit Trust
• The Trustee for the Pro Health Care Hope Valley Unit Trust.

The total project value is $9,246,468.

About the CRC funding programme

The Cooperative Research Centres (CRC) Programme is a competitive, merit based grant programme that supports industry-led and outcome-focused collaborative research partnerships between industry, researchers and the community.

Ends.