From life-saving stroke procedures to international research partnerships, AusBiotech 2026 showcased the Gold Coast’s growing influence in health innovation and the power of bringing research, healthcare and industry together.
One moment, Gold Coast interventional neuroradiologist Dr Hal Rice was discussing the future of stroke care with Philips’ Global Chief Medical Officer Diagnosis and Treatment, Dr Atul Gupta, during a fireside chat following the keynote Scaling care to billions: AI, access, and the race against time.
The next, duty called.
Dr Rice returned to the operating theatre to perform three stroke procedures.
By the afternoon, he was back on the conference stage, chairing Reinventing surgery: The next generation of intelligent interventions, a discussion exploring how AI, robotics and advanced imaging are transforming surgical practice, including with precinct head and neck surgical specialist Professor Jason Fleming.
It’s an extraordinary example of what makes the Gold Coast Health and Knowledge Precinct (GCHKP) different: the connection between clinicians delivering healthcare today and the researchers and innovators developing the technologies of tomorrow.
And it was just one of the stories to emerge from Australia’s Biggest Week in Biotech.
As the centrepiece of Australia’s Biggest Week in Biotech (19–23 October), AusBiotech International Conference 2026 welcomed more than 2,500 delegates from around the world to the Gold Coast for the best-attended conference in its 40-year history.
For our precinct, it was an opportunity to showcase our capabilities and strengthen international relationships.
A global stage for Gold Coast innovation
AusBiotech 2026 brought together the International Conference, AusMedtech and AusBiotech Invest under the theme Global Impact Together.
As part of Team Queensland, we joined Griffith University and organisations from across the state to showcase Queensland’s biomedical capabilities and connect with researchers, investors and industry leaders.
Our 200-hectare precinct brings together hospitals, research institutes, a comprehensive university, specialist facilities and innovative businesses, supported by more than $5 billion in infrastructure.
Craig Rowsell, Director, Gold Coast Health and Knowledge Precinct, said:
“The energy and interest throughout AusBiotech was tremendous. Having Australia’s life sciences community here on the Gold Coast gave us an opportunity to showcase our capabilities and, more importantly, connect people who can make things happen.”
Showcasing Queensland’s health innovation ecosystem
Produced by Queensland Health, this video brings together perspectives from Queensland’s Minister for Health, precinct leaders and biotech experts to showcase the opportunities driving health innovation across the state.
Opening our doors to discovery
On 20 October, AusBiotech delegates explored our precinct’s research, technologies and businesses firsthand.
At Griffith University’s Institute for Biomedicine and Glycomics, delegates explored advances in drug, vaccine and diagnostic development, while the BioSpine Lab and Griffith Clinical Trial Unit demonstrated how research is being translated into potential treatments and clinical applications.
At Cohort Innovation Space, Southern RNA and BiVACOR shared their journeys in biotechnology and medical technology, from mRNA development and manufacturing to pioneering artificial heart technology.
Dr Jenny Ng of Gold Coast Health and Luke Fletcher of scale-up company Foxo, also shared insights into co-developing digital health technologies with the clinicians and healthcare professionals who will ultimately use them, highlighting how critical this is to successful innovation.
At the NeuTex Image-Guided Surgery and Robotics Training Centre, delegates explored the facilities where Dr Rice and his colleagues train clinicians from around the world in advanced neurovascular, image-guided procedures.
The tour concluded at RDX Lumina, where Vital Healthcare Property Trust hosted a rooftop networking lunch overlooking the precinct.
International expertise, local impact
In his keynote, Dr Gupta explored how artificial intelligence and connected technologies could help healthcare systems reach more patients regardless of where they live, to improve outcomes, especially in stroke care.
Irene Wang, President of Taiwan-based Lin BioSciences and Chief Scientific Officer of US subsidiary company Belite Bio (Nasdaq: BLTE) discussed the rapid development of Belite Bio’s key pipeline treatments, including a drug to treat a previously untreatable eye disease.
She spoke of a vision for a ‘Biotech by the Beach’ cluster on the Gold Coast, which could build on existing business and research links, including through related biotech company Intelligene, now operating out of the precinct.
One of the week’s most moving presentations came from Brad Sorenson, Founder and CEO of Canadian biotechnology company Providence Therapeutics.
When his son Adam was diagnosed with brain cancer at just 13 years old, Sorenson began a deeply personal journey to improve outcomes for children facing the disease.
In A journey of desperation and elation: Trying to change outcomes in childhood brain cancer, he shared the challenges and breakthroughs of that journey, including the PaedNeoVax clinical trial.
Through its collaboration with Providence Therapeutics, precinct-based Southern RNA is helping develop the mRNA vaccine technology underpinning efforts to improve treatment options for children with brain cancer, right here on the Gold Coast.
Partnerships that create possibilities
One of the week’s significant outcomes was the announcement of a strategic partnership between Griffith University’s Institute for Biomedicine and Glycomics and the Burnet Institute.
The collaboration will bring together complementary research expertise to advance biomedical innovation, with an early focus on developing a diagnostic platform with potential applications in cancer and infectious diseases.
Aaron Isted, Industry Growth, Gold Coast Health and Knowledge Precinct, said:
“The Burnet partnership shows what’s possible when we bring complementary expertise together. It’s about creating opportunities to accelerate research, attract investment and turn discoveries into technologies that improve lives.”
With RDX Lumina complete and Griffith University’s Health and Advanced Technologies Research and Innovation Centre (HATRIC) under construction, our precinct continues to expand its capacity for research translation and industry collaboration.
A collective effort
Our involvement in AusBiotech was made possible through the collective efforts of our foundational partners, Queensland Government agencies, industry collaborators, researchers, clinicians and businesses across the precinct.
Kathy Kruger, Strategic Projects and Engagement, Gold Coast Health and Knowledge Precinct, said:
“What stood out was the generosity of everyone involved, from researchers and clinicians opening their doors to partners bringing the program together. It was an incredible team effort and a real demonstration of the pride we share in our precinct.”
A special vote of thanks to Perry Cross AM and Dr Dinesh Palipana OAM, who joined Kathy on stage on the final morning to discuss leading spinal cord injury (SCI) research. Their morning routines just to get up and prepared for the day run to up to three hours, highlighting the urgency of treatments that can make a huge difference in daily lives and independence of people living with SCI.
The conversations continue
As we mark 25 years of the Gold Coast Health and Knowledge Precinct, AusBiotech offered a timely reminder of how far our health innovation ecosystem has come.
AusBiotech may have brought the world to the Gold Coast for a week, but the connections made and opportunities created will continue well beyond it.
