New US deal propels University of Queensland as global vaccine research leader

A new research partnership between a Queensland and a US university aims to shorten the time it takes to have vaccines for Asia-Pacific region viruses approved.

The success of the COVID-19 mRNA vaccine has focused attention on the development of further therapies at the University of Queensland in Brisbane. Picture: UQ

A new agreement between the University of Queensland and a United States university further sets Queensland up as a major player on the global stage in vaccine development.

The deal with Emory University in Atlanta, Georgia, will see UQ researchers spend time at the US university, and Emory researchers based at the Brisbane campus.

It has been described by those involved as “highly significant”.

The partnership was announced at an international biotechnology conference in Boston on Tuesday night local time or Wednesday afternoon Queensland time.

UQ Vice-Chancellor Professor Deborah Terry said the agreement will see greater focus on pandemic preparedness and disease prevention.

“The focus will be on rapid progression to clinical trials of a scaled-up number of vaccine candidates for the treatment of Asia-Pacific region viruses and infectious diseases, along with pandemic preparedness,” she said.

“This is a crucial step in getting new vaccine candidates from the lab to the community in the shortest possible time.

Dr Noushin Jaberolansar and Dr Andrew Young at the University of Queensland in Brisbane. A new agreement between UQ and Atlanta-based Emory University in the US will see greater focus on vaccine research. Picture: UQ

“This partnership will make Brisbane a centre for the Asia Pacific region and a significant player of the burgeoning global biomedical industry.

“Biotech companies from around the world will be able to come to Brisbane to take advantage of the facilities already established and work with the 300-plus researchers associated with the Emory and UQ partnership.”

UQ Virology and Research Development Professor Paul Young said researchers would target the likes of Dengue fever and Zika virus, as well as coronavirus.

“There is still a need for further development of Covid vaccines for new variants or against potential new emerging coronaviruses. A number of them have emerged already and there is nothing to say it won’t happen again,” he said.

“Part of the expertise here is understanding the immunological responses to vaccines, understanding how effective they are, and leading to redesign of vaccines to improve them.

“The Emory vaccine centre is internationally recognised for the excellence of its work, and at UQ we have long history of developing of vaccines that lead to clinical outcomes.

Researchers at the University of Queensland in Brisbane are working on mRNA therapies and treatments that target a wide range of diseases. Picture: UQ

“The excitement here is that we’re building further on the biomedical sector in Queensland and on the foundation created during the past 20-30 years through the combination of government funding, philanthropy and industry … this shows the power of partnerships.”

The new deal builds on more than a decade of drug discovery collaboration between Emory, UQ, and QIMR Berghofer through the Queensland Emory Development Alliance – which was also renewed in Boston today for a further 10 years.

It also comes after global vaccine manufacturer Sanofi and the Queensland Government agreed last year to establish a $280 million Translational Science Hub in Brisbane, with UQ and Griffith University as foundational partners.

Deputy Premier Steven Miles said the UQ-Emory partnership would allow Queensland to have a greater slice of the multibillion-dollar global biomedical sector.

“Partnerships like this one are why Queensland is fast becoming a global research and innovation hub,” he said.

“Importantly, it creates more training and knowledge sharing opportunities, and highly-skilled jobs for Queenslanders – helping put this state on the map as the place to work and invest in science.”