Don t worry, they always need scientists!

Transcription

1 Don t worry, they always need scientists! Dr Richard Furneaux Group Manager, IRL Carbohydrate Chemistry NZAS Prepared for: Date: 16 April 2012

2 Is there a future for emerging scientists in NZ? IRL and my R&D group Our relevant experience My conclusions These are my views, not necessarily those of my employer

3 Industrial Research Limited (IRL) NZ Government-owned Established 1992 under Crown Research Institute Act Limited liability company structure 50% Government R&D Funding, 50% Commercial R&D World-class science in three clusters Industrial Biotechnologies Measurement for Industry Advanced Manufacturing Technologies 225-strong science staff, 50% with PhDs Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch, New Zealand

4 High-value Manufacturing Sector Inexpensive raw materials from NZ or imported Transformation (Manufacturing) High value manufactured products for export This is where Government is investing In Biotech, transformation requires: Chemical or enzymatic synthesis Biotransformation, e.g. fermentation Extraction and separation Formulation and delivery technology Intellectual Property protection

5 IRL Industrial Biotechnologies Cluster The Cluster Leadership IRL Carbohydrate Chemistry IRL GlycoSyn IRL Integrated Bioactive Technologies Vikki Smithem GM Industrial Biotechnologies 80 chemists and chemical engineers Dr Richard Furneaux GM Carbohydrate Chemistry Tom Nicolle Sector Strategy Manager Dr Paul Benjes GM GlycoSyn Tony Davidson Account Manager Dr Owen Catchpole GM IBT David Kyle Account Manager

6 The GlycoSyn cgmp Manufacturing Facility Synthetic Chemistry Chemical Engineering QA/QC 560 m 2 (6000 ft 2 ) Processing Facility Hazardous Area Location (Flameproof), cgmp compliant

7 IRL Carbohydrate Chemistry 32 Scientists Dr Peter Tyler Glycotherapeutics Dr Gary Evans Glycotherapeutics Dr Phillip Rendle Big commercial projects Dr Gavin Painter CarboNanotech Dr Ian Sims Complex Carbohydrate Analysis

8 Quality measures IRL Carbohydrate Chemistry since 1995: 330 publications in peer reviewed journals 6 Journal covers J Biol Chem - 2 Classic & 2 papers of the week J Org Chem - 3 featured articles 35 reviews 29 published patent series 57 other reports 2 FRSNZ & 4 FNZIC Hector Medal, Nufarm Prize, MacDiarmid Medal 6 Independent reviews, always A + rated

9 HRC Cancer Vaccine Project Development new cancer vaccines Utilizing the potent adjuvant, AGC $ 5 M HRC-funded Project funded over 5 years, started 1 July 2011 University of Auckland GMP peptide antigen IRL Chemistry, GMP AGC and Toxicology programme MIMR Vaccine preparation and clinical melanoma trials IRL GlycoSyn has produced AGC under GMP Significant global interest in GMP grade AGC A new high value, low volume product? HO HO OH O HO O HN O OH HO α-galactosyl Ceramide (AGC)

10 Expanded collaboration with Einstein one of the largest US medical schools no Chemistry department NIH funds major research centers in diabetes, cancer, liver disease and AIDS plus >US$155M to faculty members in 2009 Biochemistry Steve Almo Peng Wu Bob Callender Structural biology Glycobiology Enzyme mechanism Microbiology Medicine The SCHRAMM Lab Embedded Dr Shivali Gulab in Schramm lab for 2 years Steve Porcelli David Goldman Chandan Guha Structural biology Oncology Oncology

11 The current Carbohydrate Chemistry group Five science team leaders Five teams of scientists At appointment NZ Graduates 22 of 34 (65%) NZ PhD + postdoc 17 of 34 (44%) Overseas recruits (12 of 34, 35%) China (2) Germany (2) Russia (1) South Africa (1) UK (6)

12 Quiet please NZ Science System Experiment in progress 1984 DSIR Chemistry Director Gordon Leary 1996 IRL CEO Geoff Page Simple mission Scientist management Freedom to implement Little discretionary $ External mission control Competetive annual funding Freedom to implement Discretionary $ Few scientists in SMT Mixed funding Evolving implementation Discretionary $ 2011 IRL CEO Shaun Coffey

13 Quiet please NZ Science System Experiment in progress Facilitating NZ graduates to return home after o/seas post-doctoral experience is just good business sense (or am I missing something?) Pre 1992 DSIR Bursars sent o/seas Post-doctoral fellowship scheme University PDFs that s how I got back 1992 PDF scheme killed 1994 FRST introduces NZ PDF Scheme - hugely successful 2010 NZ PDF scheme killed, introduces inappropriate alternative 2012 Come on, you know you want to.

14 My conclusions Until NZ has strong industry investment in R&D we will continue to seek the answer any bets? Emerging scientists are valued by all parts of the science system if you feel unloved, we don t mean it, we all want to get it right If you emerge too far, and try and help run the science system, If you are opinionated and smart - be a practicing scientist and be forgiven your sins