Innovation Hub opens first stage of the Sydney Biomedical Accelerator
The first stage of the $650 million Sydney Biomedical Accelerator (SBA) has been officially launched with the opening of The Innovation Hub at Royal Prince Alfred Hospital.
The SBA is a partnership between the University of Sydney, Sydney Local Health District (SLHD) and the NSW Government to create an Australian- first precinct that tackles some of our most complex health challenges, including cancer and neurodegenerative diseases and position Sydney as a global leader in biomedical research.
It integrates fundamental research at the molecular and cellular level with clinical and patient-centred research and health outcomes at its core.
The Innovation Hub, which is in Royal Prince Alfred Hospital’s historic Gloucester House, is a collaborative space designed to bring together researchers, clinicians and academics with industry partners to generate ideas, form new partnerships and accelerate innovation development into the clinical environment.
Leveraging existing expertise across RPA and the University of Sydney, the Innovation Hub creates a platform for this expertise to connect with Industry.
This is the first step in creating a world-class research hub that will rival the world’s best, says Sydney Local Health District Chief Executive Dr Teresa Anderson AO.
“The opening of The Innovation Hub at Gloucester House is the start of something very special between two of Australia’s leading health institutions – SLHD and the University of Sydney,” Dr Anderson said.
“With patient-centred care at the heart of everything we do, the research undertaken at the SBA will be integral in solving critical health problems and providing better outcomes for our patients now and into the future.”
Professor Mark Scott, Vice-Chancellor and President of the University of Sydney said, “This launch is one of many exciting firsts as the SBA vision becomes a reality and the possibilities of this SLHD and University partnership, together with the NSW government, become tangible.”
“Critically, the Innovation Hub, by building on our startup successes and industry connections, will support our combined ambition to fast-track scientific discovery into health outcomes through innovative research and commercialisation.”
SBA background
The SBA will comprise of three buildings that will physically link RPA with the University of Sydney, for the first time in its 140 years of partnership. The Innovation Hub is the first physical space of the Sydney Biomedical Accelerator (SBA) to be launched, using 800 square metres in what will become a 36,000m2 health, education and research precinct.
Over 1200 biomedical researchers and clinician scientists will be located onsite at the SBA, including over 800 University of Sydney laboratory researchers and PhD students, over 300 clinical researchers from Sydney Local Health District, and 100 industry researchers when it is operational in 2027. The Centenary Institute is the SBA’s principal medical research institute.
SBA focuses its research on four themes:
- programming molecules and cells to cure disease
- preventing and reversing damage by discovering how to regenerate and repair cells and systems
- learning how molecules and their interactions support and sustain human life
- engineering devices to sense, monitor, and improve human health.