Promising new research collaborations are expected to follow Macquarie University’s recent visit to strategic partners in Europe.

On 9 March, a delegation led by Vice-Chancellor Professor S Bruce Dowton visited the University of Groningen in The Netherlands to discuss opportunities for deepening established links between the two institutions.

The University of Groningen is ranked 66 in the world in the 2022 Academic Ranking of World Universities and is renowned for its research strength in numerous fields including automation and control, education, pharmacy and pharmaceutical sciences, business administration and public health.

Among the successful collaborations celebrated during the visit was the IDEALAB neurolinguistics PhD program, a joint curriculum and research training program that has seen close to 50 completions jointly attributed to the member universities over more than a decade.

Impactful research is also emerging from established connections in arts, law and science and engineering. This includes planned dual PhDs examining the legal frameworks surrounding the transport of liquified hydrogen.

Dr Louise Dwyer, Graduate Research Academy Operations Director, says both universities are now looking to amplify their research strengths through collaboration across all faculties and disciplines.

“In particular, the establishment of the forthcoming Strength at Scale and Consilience Research Centres at Macquarie presents exciting opportunities for cross-disciplinary research, especially on emerging and innovative technologies,” she says.

Support and funding are available to graduate researchers and academics who are interested in establishing collaborations or dual PhDs with the University of Groningen. Contact gr.international@mq.edu.au for information.

A $96 million RNA research and pilot manufacturing facility – the first of its kind in Australia – will be built at Macquarie University’s Wallumattagal Campus, the NSW Government has announced.

Vice-Chancellor Professor S Bruce Dowton joined NSW Minister for Science, Innovation and Technology Alister Henskens and project partners for the on-campus announcement on 20 February.

The groundbreaking facility will support the State’s capability to develop and manufacture RNA-based therapeutics locally. It is expected to conduct small-scale production of messenger RNA (mRNA), synthetic RNA (sRNA) and lipid nanoparticles (LNP) encapsulation at a scale which will enable clinical trials of new therapeutics.

“This facility has the potential to save lives by accelerating our biomedical research capabilities and boosting early-phase clinical trials to combat disease,” Mr Henskens said.

The facility will be operated by global therapeutics company Myeloid Therapeutics – co-founded by Australian researcher Dr Daniel Getts – following a competitive tender process.

In addition to leveraging Macquarie’s own world-class cell and gene therapy research expertise, the facility will also tap into the strong innovation ecosystem across NSW, including Macquarie Park, home to a host of medical- and health-related organisations and industrial and technology start-ups.

Professor Dowton, who represents the New South Wales Vice-Chancellors’ Committee in relation to the establishment of this facility, said the new facility will help create a thriving medical precinct in the Park.

“Macquarie’s researchers and clinicians are engaged in answering some of the most urgent medical questions of our time,” Professor Dowton said. “These are all areas where RNA research has tremendous potential, and we are proud to be the home of this important work going forward.”

The pilot facility will be built in the North Zone of the campus and is expected to be completed in 2025.

Watch 9News Sydney coverage of the RNA facility announcement

A new partnership will see the main oval at Macquarie University’s sports fields upgraded to elite AFL competition standard, following a $5 million grant from the NSW Government’s Multi-Sport Community Facility Fund.

Together with contributions from AFL NSW/ACT and Redlands School, which will both have non-exclusive access to the oval when not in use by the University, the joint funding will provide our community with a new $7.5 million facility suitable for a variety of sports. The funding will allow major upgrades to existing pavilions, a full upgrade of the playing surface and new lighting to allow for twilight and evening play, further enhancing the recreational facilities available to Macquarie University students and community users.

On 24 November, Macquarie University Vice-Chancellor Professor S Bruce Dowton was joined by New South Wales Minister for Sport, The Hon Alister Henskens SC MP, and Member for Ryde, The Hon Victor Dominello MP, together with City of Ryde Mayor Jordan Lane and representatives from the AFL and Redlands School to announce the partnership and view plans for the facility.

The Vice-Chancellor noted that Macquarie University has long played a role in the provision of sporting facilities in the region, with 750,000 visits by community members each year.

“I am delighted that we are converging around this partnership to support sport and recreation for the benefit of our young sportspeople – both at Macquarie University and the community at large,” Professor Dowton said.

Ms Tiffany Robertson, Head of AFL NSW/ACT, said the new facility would particularly benefit the increasing number of girls and women taking up the sport, with female-friendly facilities a key focus of the planning process.

“Participation in AFL has grown in record numbers in the past decade in NSW, with much of this growth attributed to women and girls,” said Ms Robertson. “The upgrades at Macquarie University achieve a level playing field for all users. This is an exciting project for footballers of all ages and abilities.”

The project is expected to commence in the first half of next year, with work likely to be complete in 2024.

And what did the young Redlands players – who eagerly took on the Minister for Sport in a friendly marking competition – think of the plans for the University’s new facility? A resounding “awesome!”.

Pictured right: Aiming high – Redlands players enjoyed a friendly game of AFL with the Minister for Sport at the funding announcement

Celosia Therapeutics is dedicated to delivering gene therapies for devastating neurodegenerative conditions such as motor neurone disease (MND) to patients within the next decade.

The company, launched with more than $2 million in seed funding from Macquarie University, has exclusive access to a portfolio of patents for advanced gene therapies developed by Professor Lars Ittner, Professor Roger Chung and their research teams.

Celosia Therapeutics Chief Executive Officer, Dr Brenton Hamdorf, said the company will begin by developing a gene therapy to treat MND that has shown great promise in laboratory testing.

“We aim to start clinical trials of this treatment within five years, but this is only the first of the exciting discoveries we have at our disposal, just waiting to be developed for use by patients,” Dr Hamdorf said.

“We will seek further funding in 2023 to develop gene therapy treatments with enormous potential to provide life-changing benefits for motor neurone and other neurodegenerative diseases, including Alzheimer’s Disease and Dravet Syndrome, a severe form of drug-resistant childhood epilepsy that can cause hundreds of seizures a day.

“Our partnership with Macquarie University is key to bringing these treatments from the lab to the bedside. It extends beyond that of an investor by providing us with vital access to critical research capabilities, infrastructure, clinical expertise and patients who are waiting for these new treatment options.”

Vice-Chancellor Professor S Bruce Dowton said this new endeavour showcases the unique role universities can play in facilitating the translation of groundbreaking academic research for the benefit of patients around the world.

“Macquarie is leading by example in its support of university commercialisation by proactively backing innovative opportunities such as this,” Professor Dowton said.

“We are proud to support Celosia Therapeutics, and we look forward to seeing what it will achieve in the future.”

Celosia Therapeutics is a member of the Macquarie University Incubator community, which supports more than 40 companies ranging from idea stage to scaleup.

The Macquarie Incubator is designed to drive the development of sustainable, scalable and investable companies from within our community of researchers, students and alumni—as well as from the wider community.

Last year, Macquarie Incubator companies attracted more than $44 million in external funding and created nearly 200 jobs.

Director of Incubation and Entrepreneurship, Melissa Ryan, said there is an emerging movement in Australia towards an innovation economy.

“The innovation economy values ideas as the new resource boom,” Ms Ryan said.

“We believe the key to unlocking innovation is via entrepreneurial pathways, so we’re thrilled to support Celosia Therapeutics’ transformation into a thriving commercial success.”

The Woolcock Insitute (the Woolcock), which brings together over 200 medical researchers, including scientists, engineers, epidemiologists and clinical professionals, will relocate to the Wallumattugal Campus in due course.

Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Medicine and Health) Professor Patrick McNeil said the partnership promises new collaborative opportunities in fields of research including respiratory and sleep medicine, the neurosciences and neurophysiology, dementia and neurodegenerative disorders, cancer and cardiology.

“Several of the Woolcock researchers already hold academic positions at Macquarie, and we are pleased to welcome new academic colleagues across Macquarie Medical School, the School of Psychological Sciences and the Department of Health Sciences,” said Professor McNeil.

“Both the Woolcock and MQ Health take an integrated, patient-centred approach to healthcare, starting from lab research to its translation into clinical practice, while providing research-enriched education for future leaders in healthcare.

“By partnering and co-locating with the Woolcock on campus, we are continuing to build on the strength of MQ Health’s transformative approach to healthcare. We anticipate building new cross-disciplinary research and treatments that will drive improvements for the community in all aspects of respiratory and sleep health.”

The centre will be located on a dedicated floor of Macquarie University Hospital, with four-state-of-the-art orthopaedic operating theatres and 29 beds supporting a short stay surgical model.

Macquarie University Hospital CEO, Associate Professor Walter Kmet, said the centre will champion the hospital’s philosophy of excellence in evidence-based medicine.

“This is an exciting partnership for our hospital as we continue to innovate in care, quality and safety for our patients,” Associate Professor Kmet said.

“The short stay model combines pre-assessment and prehabilitation to support a patient’s rapid recovery and help them return home sooner. Both the hospital and treating specialist decide if the model is appropriate for each patient, with decisions around their care, monitoring and rehabilitation to be made by our clinical team.

“As the number of joint replacements continues to increase in line with the ageing population, increasing access to short stay is a great development for our treating specialists and their patients,” he said.

A group of orthopaedic surgeons and Medibank will invest $29.6 million to support the establishment of the centre through a joint venture, with the surgeons and Medibank each contributing $14.8 million to fund the fit-out and equipment. MQ Health is contributing the floor space, with the centre to operate as an integrated part of the hospital.

The surgical centre will be accessible to all patients regardless of their health fund or if they are self-funded.

Medibank Group Executive, CEO Health Services, Dr Andrew Wilson, said the centre will expand Medibank’s no gap program, which provides customers with choice and value around their healthcare.

“Our no gap program gives our customers choice in how their treatment is delivered and can halve the number of days they need to spend in hospital. Instead, they have the option to rehabilitate in the comfort of their own home with full support from nurses, allied health practitioners and personal carers as required,” Dr Wilson said.

“It’s also designed to eliminate out-of-pocket medical costs commonly associated with a hip or knee replacement. For minor complexity procedures, these savings have averaged $1,200, although they can be as high as $4,700. This can make a real difference to household budgets at a time when the cost of living is increasing,” he said.

MQ Health Discipline Head of Orthopaedics, Professor Munjed Al Muderis, said the centre will provide a range of benefits.

“This world-class centre will help us meet growing demand for this model of care and provide opportunities to partner with the university on research and teaching,” Professor Al Muderis said.

The centre is expected to open in late 2023.

Since their establishment they have assisted 20 clients in a range of family law matters, and hope that Wallumatta Legal becomes a reference point for similar initiatives around the country.

Interim Dean of Macquarie Law School Associate Professor Lise Barry, and Associate Professor Daniel Ghezelbash tell us about this impressive partnership below.

Pictured above: Interim Dean of Macquarie Law School Associate Professor Lise Barry, and Associate Professor Daniel Ghezelbash at the Wallumatta Legal launch event on Monday 2 May.

About the project

What is the aim?
Wallumatta Legal leverages cutting edge technology and automation to provide accessible advice at a low cost to the ‘missing middle’ – those who are not eligible for legal aid or other free services, but who cannot afford the fees charged by most private lawyers. It also provides valuable practical hands-on experience in family law and legal technology for Macquarie Law students.

Partnership origins

Who are the key people involved?
The Wallumatta Legal team includes CEO Cameron Thomson, Principal Solicitor Vivian Galanis and solicitor Angelique Thomas as well as six law students volunteering as part of their practical learning activity. On the Macquarie side, the main people involved are Interim Dean Associate Professor Lise Barry, Associate Professor Daniel Ghezelbash, Dr Henry Kha, Dr Francesco Dominello, and Project Manager Alex McCrostie. The DLA Piper team includes Head of Responsible Business Nicolas Patrick, Pro Bono Senior Consultant Annette Bain, Partner Gerry Bean and Senior Legal Assistant Ciara Kenny.

How did this partnership come about?
The lack of access of justice for a large part of the community has long been a concern within the legal assistance ecosystem, without any easy or clear solutions being available. The Wallumatta Legal model was inspired by the Affordable Law Firm created in 2015 by DLA Piper Partner Sheldon Krantz with Georgetown University in Washington DC. Nicolas Patrick asked Annette Bain, a specialist in access to justice, to develop the model in Australia with Cameron Thomson, who previously led operations at DLA Piper. Daniel Ghezelbash supported the development of the model as the Macquarie-lead.

The collaboration was seeded about three years ago. Macquarie Law School’s existing strengths in innovative clinical education and legal technology allowed Macquarie to make a strong pitch to attract DLA Piper to Macquarie University. Both Nicolas Patrick and Annette Bain are Macquarie Law School alumni.

The key ingredients to building this partnership are establishing a strong track record in the space, speaking with industry and building connections, as well as being patient and understanding partnerships take many years to nurture and come to fruition.

Who else at Macquarie made this happen?
We received tremendous support from across the Faculty of Arts and the University. In particular, Executive Dean Professor Martina Möllering, Faculty Executive Director, Dr Neil Durrant, and project management support from Felicity Hopkinson and Alex McCrostie. The Office of General Council was also deeply involved, and Janna Zeglig who played a key role in assisting us to navigate the legal aspects of the collaboration.

The initiative has also received research support from the Interdisciplinary Research Steering Group. It leverages the strong research track record we have in Family Law and impact measurement and evaluation.

The result

What have you been able to achieve together since launch?
Wallumatta Legal has already assisted 20 clients in a variety family law matters and received over 50 inquiries for assistance. We have also had 17 Macquarie Law students undertake a placement with the firm.  We have also had offers of support from alumni who are practicing family lawyers and strong support for the initiative from the legal sector in general.

How is the work split between DLA Piper and Macquarie University?
Both organisations have provided logistical, technical and other support to establishing the firm and supporting it during its pilot phase. In addition to providing the physical space and equipment for the firm, one of the key contributions from Macquarie University has been providing students to assist with the firm’s work. Our students benefit enormously from the opportunity to have hands-on experience working in the legal sector under the supervision of Wallumatta Legal lawyers.

How does this partnership enhance student experience/employability?
This project is the one of the first of its kind in Australia. It stands at the forefront of academic innovation, providing our students with work experience in legal services right on campus. The new clinic fast-tracks students’ ability to make real-world, positive changes to their communities with valuable insights into the practical application of family law.

The practical skills they gain boost their employability. There is a national shortage of family lawyers, and we provide students with the skills and experience to fill that gap. Skills in using legal technology are in extremely high demand, and the hands-on experience students get with such technology significantly boosts their employability.

What’s next?
Our hope is that Wallumatta Legal will be a model that can be emulated, not just for family law practice, but in all areas of law across the country. This not-for-profit, fixed cost, low-bono model, where you can create a self-sustaining business with modest fees, has potential to add significant capacity in terms of available legal services, and particularly for the ‘missing middle’ we target. The goal is for Wallumatta Legal to become a national point of reference for facilitating and setting up similar initiatives around the country.

Working with industry

Do you have any advice for staff who are thinking about partnering with industry?
Be patient and understand developing strong partnerships takes time and requires trust. Partnerships may develop organically as you develop expertise in a particular area, but they will only happen if you invite stakeholders to engage with you. You need to actively explore the interests of your potential partners and identify how you can add value to what they are doing.  “What can we do for you?”, rather than “What can you do for us?”

They do things a little differently in Applied BioSciences. For one thing, they’re a research-only department, with a structure that allows for joint enterprise with external research partners to tackle big national and global biological challenges in agriculture, industry, the environment and disease.

Now, newly signed agreements with the NSW Department of Primary Industries (NSW DPI) have paved the way for Applied BioSciences to hire co-funded research staff that span the divide between the university and industrial worlds in a new way – giving them flexibility that traditional research positions usually can’t provide.

Applied BioSciences is headed up by Distinguished Professor Phil Taylor – internationally renowned for his work in invasive pest insects and Director of the ARC Centre for Fruit Fly Biosecurity Innovation.

“Unlike grant-funded positions or traditional research fellowships, which are constrained to a specific funded project, our new research appointments have the freedom to build a team of HDRs and post-docs, and to secure funding for projects they develop themselves,” Phil says.

The new positions will be broadly focused on themed challenges to commercial plants and livestock, including biological control (the use of natural enemies to control pest populations) and vector biology (the study and management of insects that transmit disease to plants or animals).

“Their potential activity is quite open and is intentionally flexible to promote an entrepreneurial mindset that will enable them to identify industry needs and develop solutions together with colleagues at both Macquarie and NSW DPI,” says Phil.

Noting that universities have tended to be good at innovation but weak in connectivity to end users, Phil says Applied BioSciences is endeavouring to flip the traditional academic research model.

“Instead of structuring ourselves around the interests of our individual academics, Applied BioSciences first works with end users and stakeholders to identify their needs before developing teams and securing funding to address those needs.”

Macquarie University’s Applied BioSciences facility.

This strong focus on translational research – that is, converting research findings into evidence-based practice – is one of the key elements of the University’s research strategy, says Professor Sakkie Pretorius, Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Research).

“Applied BioSciences embodies our mission to deliver world-leading research at scale to offer maximum benefit to Australia and beyond,” he says. “By sharing these advanced scientific discoveries with our industry and community partners, we are helping to create a healthier, more prosperous and sustainable future.”

Watch: How Macquarie’s ‘designer fruit flies’ are putting Dengue-spreading mozzies on notice >>

For the Department of Primary Industries – whose work in protecting and enhancing the State’s biosecurity represents a value of more than $100 billion to NSW each year – partnerships with respected research institutions like Macquarie are key to the State’s protection of its natural resources.

“It’s a very valuable relationship, with mutual benefits” says Professor Jim Rothwell, Director of one of the Department’s key biosecurity facilities. “It helps keep our experts abreast of emerging trends at the cutting edge of biosecurity science and at the same time we can guide the work of Applied BioSciences to help them deliver real-world outcomes for NSW primary producers.”

Phil says the University’s latest  agreements with the NSW DPI offer a great model for other departments looking to nurture and formalise meaningful partnerships.

“Most academics have collaboration as an element of their activity, but collaboration is quite distinct from partnership,” he says. “What we’re aiming for here is a deeper form of engagement, where collaboration becomes a routine activity.

“Collaborators are like ‘acquaintances’ that come and go as projects are developed and completed. But partners are like family who stand together to address all manner of challenges together.”

Learn more about the work of Applied BioSciences.

A proposal to relocate the former Royal Institute of Deaf and Blind Children to a new state-of-the-art facility on the Macquarie University campus has been approved by New South Wales Planning and Public Spaces Minister Rob Stokes MP.

The Minister gave the major research, audiology and learning hub the seal of approval last week, with the new facility scheduled to open in 2023 at the intersection of Culloden Rd and Gymnasium Rd.

“The NextSense Centre of Excellence will boost Macquarie University’s position as a leading hearing hub and strengthen its research, audiology and healthcare assets,” says Minister Stokes.

“This move will bolster the strong partnership and collaborative relationship that exists between NextSense and Macquarie University and locating the new headquarters on campus will mean better research and collaboration, more resources and world-leading care and community services for those living with hearing and vision loss.”

State Member for Ryde Victor Dominello says that the new centre is an exciting development for the Macquarie Park Innovation District.

“This $74.5 million project locks in continued job security for nearly 300 employees and the creation of 250 new construction jobs,” he says.

“The sharing of resources and the opening of a new specialist preschool and primary school, and clinical services for children and adults will ensure families can reap the benefits of strong support and early intervention.”

The $74 million development is expected to open for the 2023 academic year and will include a clinical services centre, library and resource centre. The shared purpose and location will enable better research on sensory disability, support development of an effective and coordinated health and services model, promote best-practice inclusive and accessible education and world-class clinical evaluation, testing and diagnosis from industry-leading clinicians.

Vice-Chancellor Professor S. Bruce Dowton says the long-term partnership and co-location of Macquarie and NextSense is centred on a shared mission of impact.

“Together, we will better understand the causes of hearing and vision loss while developing therapies, technology, and research-informed educational and assistive platforms,” he says.

“The new NextSense Centre of Excellence on campus supports our further growth as the world’s preeminent hearing precinct, where academia, practitioners, and industry partners, such as Cochlear, can collaborate and provide leadership in hearing healthcare globally. It also brings unique opportunities for collaboration across research, education and service delivery to address broader questions in sensory loss.”

NextSense brings together RIDBC and its groups and services, including Sydney Cochlear Implant Centre (SCIC), Renwick Centre, Tarayle and RIDBC schools and preschools.

The facility is part of a collaboration between Macquarie, the Federal Government and Sonic Healthcare – a renowned healthcare provider with specialist operations in general practice medicine, pathology, and radiology.

Scheduled to begin in mid-May, a vaccination centre will be established in the Marquee at 18 Eastern Road to administer the Pfizer/BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine to aged care and disability care workers under the age of 50.

“Macquarie University is delighted to partner with Sonic Healthcare, with the support of Federal Government funding, to provide a facility on our campus, that will contribute to the vital national effort to vaccinate against COVID-19,” says Professor David Wilkinson, Deputy Vice Chancellor, Engagement.

“This is just one more example of how Macquarie partners with local companies and organisations, to support our local community.”

The Marquee will operate from noon until 10pm on weekdays and 8am to 6pm on weekends. Eligible aged care and disability care workers must make an appointment via an invitation-only platform prior to presenting for the vaccine. All recipients will be required to provide proof of employment at an aged care facility or as a disability care worker as well as photo ID before they can receive the vaccine.

Sonic Healthcare has been contracted by the Federal Government to provide the vaccination service on the Macquarie University campus, in addition to other similar hubs in the wider Sydney area.