Vaccine boffins make beeline to Brisbane for big conference

Brisbane is set to become the first city in the southern hemisphere to host over 400 top immunologists, vaccine researchers, engineers, healthcare professionals, and scientists at a major conference.

Vaxxas chief executive David Hoey at the company’s new factory producing needle free vaccines patches. Picture, John Gass

Brisbane is set to become the first city in the southern hemisphere to host over 400 top immunologists, vaccine researchers, engineers, healthcare professionals, and scientists at a major vaccine technology conference.

The International Healthcare Conference on Microneedles will be held at the Brisbane Convention & Exhibition Centre between May 11 and 14 next year focused on microarray patch technology and its ground breaking applications in transdermal delivery, diagnostics, and healthcare. The biomedical industry in Queensland is currently adding more than $2bn to Queensland’s economy each year, employing more than 13,000 people and has estimated more than $500 million in export value.

Vaxxas chief executive David Hoey.

The successful bid for the conference was led by University of Queensland associate professor David Muller and professor Paul Young in partnership with BCEC and supported by Tourism and Events Queensland (TEQ) and Brisbane Economic Development Authority (BEDA). Brisbane-based biotech company Vaxxas, headed by veteran biotech executive David Hoey, will join as a presenting partner at the conference.

Hoey envisages the next serious global health crisis will not be fought with traditional needles and liquid vaccines. Rather the battle will use computer-printed patches applied to the skin and manufactured in the tens of thousands at Vaxxas’ new state-of-the-art production hub near Brisbane Airport.

Christmas cheer

North Brisbane charity Aspleycare is poised to hand out some 180 Christmas hampers to impoverished families in the local community. The charity has thanked contributors including St Joseph’s Nudgee College, Ray White Nundah, DLA Partners, Aspley Rotary, Bunnings, Aspley Hornets, Arnotts, the Lions club, Apostolic Church Buranda, Journey Early Learning Banyo, Uniting Church Sandgate, Mary MacKillop school, St Dymphna School, Holy Spirit College Carseldine, Sisters of St Joseph Congregation and The Ray White Group Aspley. It also has praised the work of its loyal volunteers led by academic and Catholic community administrator Julie Ann Mee.

Tough times

Queensland businesses are expecting a boost in sales revenue and profits before the end of the year, but conditions overall have a long way to lift from sustained weak levels and historically low profitability, new data shows.

Business Chamber Queensland’s Pulse Report for the September 2024 quarter released this week shows businesses reported an increase in forward economic confidence immediately after the state election, but actual conditions for the quarter were persistently challenging.

Business confidence in the future of the Queensland economy improved for the second consecutive quarter, and again immediately following the October election.

Business Chamber Qld chief executive Heidi Cooper.

“But there is still a long way to go – despite improving, confidence is still weak and business conditions will need to significantly change to lift confidence further, and for that confidence to be realised,” says Business Chamber Queensland chief executive Heidi Cooper.

Cooper warns relentless, compounding and significant business pressures have pushed profitability to near historical lows. “Profitability over the last 18 years has only been lower during the depths of the Covid economic crisis,” she says. This was driven by near-record high operating costs, with four in five businesses recording yet another increase in the September quarter and another 72 per cent seeing an increase in labour costs.

Merry Christmas

City Beat wishes all its readers a happy and safe Christmas, Your diarist will return in late January to report on another action packed year.