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Full Image (54.44K) Adelaide_LIEF2009    (48.15K) Summary of LIEF funding outcomes for the University of Adelaide for 2009.

Tuesday, 18 November 2008

The University of Adelaide has today been awarded more than $1.5 million in funding for new facilities that will support breakthroughs in research in areas such as cancer, neurological disease, nanotechnology and pharmaceuticals.

The funding, announced today by the Federal Government, will support three new facilities in the State involving the University of Adelaide and research partners from 2009.

The new funding awarded to the University under the Australian Research Council's Linkage Infrastructure, Equipment and Facilities (LIEF) grant scheme is:

• $550,000 for the South Australian High Resolution and Ion Mobility Mass Spectrometry Facility
  Research supported by this facility includes nanotechnology, supramolecular chemistry, bioscience and health science, such as cancer research, neurodegenerative diseases, osteoarthritis, inflammation, cardiac diseases and synthetic approaches to anti-cancer and other drugs.

• $400,000 for the Ultrafast Dynamics Measurement Facility for the Physical, Biochemical, and Materials Sciences
  This new facility - utilising ultrafast laser technology - will draw together leading chemists, physicists, and engineers to research the physical, biochemical and material sciences. This work is of strategic importance to keep Australia at the global forefront of scientific research and to support new commercial opportunities.

• $560,000 for the South Australian Facility for Small and Large Molecule X Ray Diffraction Structure Determination
  This facility will determine the precise three-dimensional arrangement of atoms within molecular and macromolecular structures, assisting in the discovery, development and application of biological compounds, catalysts, nanodevices and pharmaceuticals. This will position the South Australian research community for scientific breakthroughs that benefit the nation.

Each of these three new facilities is led by the School of Chemistry & Physics at the University of Adelaide and involves local and national partner institutions. In addition to the ARC funding announced today, the three facilities will attract more than $2.5 million in cash and in-kind support.

"These three new facilities will help the State to remain at the forefront of research in a wide range of fields, and ensure that researchers are able to continue both fundamental and applied research that ultimately aims to benefit the community," says the University's Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Research), Professor Mike Brooks.

"Importantly, facilities such as these will be shared across the State and will be utilised to support national research efforts in areas such as health, the environment, communications and defence."

The University of Adelaide is also a contributing partner in six successful LIEF grants worth $3.8 million awarded to other Australian institutions.