Gold Coast Health & Knowledge Precinct

Transform with us

Research underway at National Centre for Neuroimmunology and Emerging Diseases

GCHKP's pipeline for partnership

The Gold Coast Health and Knowledge Precinct (GCHKP), Asia-Pacific’s emerging health and innovation hub, has rapidly established itself as a destination for biotechnology development, clinical trials and startup entrepreneurship.

Across Griffith University‘s research institutes within GCHKP—including the world-renowned Institute for Biomedicine and Glycomics—development of a range of drug, vaccine, diagnostic and other technologies are available for partnership opportunities, with our medtech R&D capability enhanced by:

Gold Coast Biomedical Industry Capability Guide

The assets and experts of GCHKP are focal to a new Biomedical Industry Capability Guide, highlighting the Gold Coast’s key biomedical infrastructure and facilities. Download the guide here.

 

Global brands and partnerships

The BiVACOR Total Artificial Heart

Global health and biomedical brands doing business in the GCHKP include pharmaceutical giant Sanofi, healthcare technology leader Philips and US-based medtech company BiVACOR, which has developed a world-first rotary total artificial heart set for human clinical trials by 2025. BiVACOR bases a key team within GCHKP to work alongside specialist mechanobiology researchers.

Several technology applications are already partnered (including in-human clinical trials), with exciting advancements in the development of a number of platform technologies emerging.

specialised infrastructure and equipment

Philips and global partners combine in world-first centre

The NeuTex Image-Guided Surgery and Robotics Training Centre, the world’s only facility of its kind located outside a hospital, is dedicated to training and R&D in image-guided interventional and surgical procedures.

Opened in May 2023 by world-leading Interventional neuroradiologists Dr Hal Rice and Dr Laetitia de Villiers, in partnership with global healthcare company Philips, NeuTex attracts international specialists to learn the latest neurovascular procedures and trial new devices, with expansion into other specialties including cardiovascular, spinal and orthpaedics set for 2024.

The NeuTex Image-Guided Therapy Surgical and Robotics Training Centre, in partnership with Philips
(L to R) Dr Hal Rice, a Stryker representative and Dr Laetitia de Villiers

Built around Philips’ multi-million dollar Azurion image-guided therapy platform, NeuTex innovates using personalised anatomical models 3D-printed at GCHKP’s Advanced Design and Prototyping Technology Institute (ADaPT) at Griffith University.

“We’re expanding R&D in the neurovascular field while broadening training in other surgical specialties such as cardiovascular,” says NeuTex co-founder Dr Hal Rice.

“We’re looking to a future of AI and robotics enabling remote procedures, virtually anywhere in the world.”

Together, Dr Rice and colleague Dr Laetitia de Villiers have conducted the largest caseload of robotic aneurysm repairs globally.

Glycomics, natural drug discovery, immunology and regenerative medicine

GCHKP’s biotech capability is anchored by the newly established Griffith Institute for Biomedicine and Glycomics—a world-leading research centre that brings together expertise in glycobiology, drug discovery, immunology, infectious diseases, nanomedicine and regenerative medicine. Unique in Australia, the Institute pioneers the study of glycans (sugar molecules that coat cells) in the development of cancer and infectious diseases, while also leading major advances in nerve-bridge therapy for spinal cord injury, nanomedicine biofoundry, and treatments for Chronic Fatigue Syndrome/Myalgic Encephalomyelitis (CFS/ME), including global leadership on Long COVID research.

With more than 200 researchers and an impressive commercialisation track record, the Institute supports the full pipeline from discovery to pre-clinical and clinical development. Current programs include a strep A vaccine candidate (Phase 1 trials in Canada), a sepsis drug candidate (Phase 1b), and therapies for gonorrhoea and CFS/ME. Global industry partnerships and licensing agreements with companies in Australia, Switzerland and China further highlight the Institute’s impact and commercial reach.

The Institute for Glycomics: prominent HIV researcher Professor Johnson Mak

Smart biomaterials to tackle global challenges

Operating at the forefront of biochemistry and drug discovery, the Griffith Institute for Biomedicine and Glycomics is home to two nationally significant resources:  NatureBank a unique natural product extract library, and Compounds Australia, the nation’s compound management and logistics facility. Together, they support discovery programs targeting a wide range of diseases in collaboration with global partners.

The Institute’s work is further complemented by the Centre for Cell Factories and Biopolymers) which is leading a national consortium to build sovereign manufacturing capability in Australia. This initiative aims to enable rapid development and large-scale production of vaccines in response to biothreats and emerging infectious diseases.

Learn More

The Centre for Cell Factories and Biopolymers leads in synthetic vaccine design

THREE GCHKP CENTRES FOR CLINICAL TRIALS

Inside the Griffith University Clinical Trial Unit

Phase 1b to IV trials and a global reputation

Griffith University’s Clinical Trial Unit (CTU) has expanded to double its capacity in the past 18 months, with Gold Coast University Hospital (GCUH) and Gold Coast Private Hospital also conducting trials, including world firsts.

“Over the past 18 months our unit has doubled its business turnover and staffing, significantly increasing our capacity and capabilities,” says Professor Evelin Tiralongo, Director of the Griffith CTU. “We achieved the top recruiting site in Australia for a cardiology trial and were the first site globally to recruit for a rheumatology trial, highlighting our expertise on both the national and international scene.”

GCUH’s Dr Arman Sabet conducts Australian-first, multinational neurology trials

The Griffith University CTU boasts a track record of more than 50 successfully conducted clinical trials—largely for global pharma clients—and runs pharmacokinetic and medical device studies, as well as healthy volunteer trials.

GCUH is currently managing 47 trials, involving 562 patients across 24 clinical departments, and has recently recruited the first patient in Australia to participate in a multinational Phase III trial of a new treatment for myasthenia gravis.

Gold Coast Private Hospital has 11 trials underway in oncology, neurology, orthopedic surgery, nephrology and endocrinology. 

A Multi-institute approach to next-gen mRNA vaccines

Griffith University’s Institute for Biomedicine and Glycomics and Clinical Trial Unit are central to the university’s partnership in the $280 million Translational Science Hub established with leading global pharma Sanofi, along with partners the University of Queensland and the Queensland Government.

The hub is a first-of-its-kind, global scientific community focused on mRNA technology and translational science to deliver the next generation of vaccines and sees Sanofi staff working alongside researchers and initiating future clinical trials at GCHKP.

Case Studies

Long-Haul Covid

Griffith's internationally renowned National Centre for Neuroimmunology and Emerging Diseases (NCNED) is probing links between Long-Haul Covid and myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS) with the largest grant for this research in the world.

Find out more >

Spinal Cord Injury Nerve Bridge Therapy

MHIQ's Spinal Injury Project has developed a novel regenerative medicine therapy involving the transplantation of patented nerve bridges created with the patient’s olfactory nerve cells to promote neural repair at the injury site, paired with intensive exercise therapy.

Watch video >

BioSpine

BioSpine is developing an advanced rehab exercise therapy to promote neuro-recovery in spinal cord injuries. BioSpine uses AI to link a digital twin of the patient with a brain computer interface that captures their intention to cycle on a motorised exercise bike, activating muscles using functional electronic stimulation and providing sensory feedback through VR.

Watch video >

GCHKP spotlight: Institute for Glycomics, Griffith University

A flagship biomedical research institute for the Gold Coast Health and Knowledge Precinct, the Institute for Biomedicine and Glycomics is regarded globally as key infrastructure in the commercial pipeline for drug and vaccine development.

With more than 200 researchers, the institute is a world leader in the discovery of next-generation drugs, vaccines and diagnostics for diseases of global impact such as cancer, infectious diseases and neuro-degenerative disorders.

The institute commercialises its technologies through partnerships with a range of domestic and international biotechnology companies (including LimmaTech Biologics, INOVIQ, Olymvax, Lilly and Sirtex) and has a number of technologies in the commercial pipeline or available for investment.

Case Study: Glycomics

Developed by internationally recognised research lead Professor Michael Good AO (above), with Dr Manisha Pandey, the technology is based on an immunotherapeutic approach to treating Strep A and subsequent invasive disease.

Novel therapeutics for invasive group A streptococcus and streptococcal toxic shock

Strep A infections—streptococcal pharyngitis (tonsillitis) and streptococcal pyoderma (school sores)—are highly prevalent and seemingly mild infections that can rapidly escalate to invasive Strep A disease (iSAD), which has a significant mortality rate. In about 20% of cases, iSAD is accompanied by a streptococcal toxic shock syndrome (STSS), which causes necrotising fasciitis, myositis or deep bruising and multi-organ failure.

Researchers have developed a double-pronged immunotherapeutic that neutralises both the STSS-causing bacterial exotoxins, as well as bacteria responsible for the primary invasive Strep A infection.

Learn more