African Centre for Gene Technologies

TIA meeting31 May 2011

Background

• SERA: Biotechnology identified as strategic area where collaboration could – enhance competitiveness– address lack of critical mass

• 2002: MoU between CSIR and UP– ACGT formed– Jane Morris as director

Background

• 2005: MoA, to include Wits

• 2011: New MoA- 5 partners:

• ARC, CSIR, Universities of Johannesburg, Pretoria and Witwatersrand

ACGT Vision

• To position the partner organizations, through collaboration, to be globally competitive in advanced biotechnology

ACGT Mission

• To support collaborative development of advanced biotechnology research for the benefit of all South Africans in key selected areas including agriculture, health, environment and new technology development

Priorities

• Establish network of excellence in advanced biotechnology

• Establish effective linkages with relevant role-players

Priorities

• Facilitate research and development of the highest possible caliber

• Identify + build a limited number of flagship programs/projects that build on partner institution capacity in advanced biotech

• Raise funds for collaborative research

ACGT achievements

• Established microarray, proteomics, bioinformatics facilities

• Established SAMI• Several funded FP6, FP7 projects• SABINA, POL-SABINA

ACGT achievements

• Created Bioscience researcher database• Regional Plant Biotech Forum• Several linkages established• Several workshops hosted

Next period

• Audit new partners: finalize • Audit bioinformatics capacity in the region– scarce skill– collaborative workshops/training events

• Expand/enlarge forums to include partner interests– human health (comm + non-comm)– synthetic biology– bioinformatics– animal biotechnology

Next period • Source and initiate collaborative projects– plant biotechnology/agriculture– human health

• Explore possibilities for qualifications (Hons?) that utilize multi-partner expertise

• Hons-MSc: collaborative projects!• Funding: core, capacity building, workshops• Equipment Sharing Agreement

Equipment Sharing

• Establish principles for sharing equipment and facilities– applicable to all institutions– accommodate existing agreements

• Facilities/scarce equipment lists drawn up• Fine-tune agreements

ACGT+TIA=

• Co-hosted biotechnology forums?– plant biotechnology – comm + non-comm disease– synthetic biology– bioinformatics– animal biotechnology

• ACGT and advancing projects/products in the value chain?

• ACGT researcher database utility

ACGT+TIA=

• ACGT as model for collaborative initiatives elsewhere/nationally?

• Technology platform review?• Linkages to partners?

Contact

• John: jbecker@csir.co.za• Jess: jessika.samuels@up.ac.za• Nthabiseng: nramosoeu@csir.co.za• Ella: ella.nyakunu@up.ac.za