Australian Synchrotron breaks new ground
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12 February 2008
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A new era in Australian research into chronic diseases started today at the Australian Synchrotron, with construction beginning on a new $10 million facility for advanced medical research.
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The new beamline will be the first at the centre to be used for research into new techniques for medical diagnosis and therapy.
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“This new beamline, one of the first in the world, will be the centrepiece of the Imaging and Medical Therapy centre,” Victorian Minister for Innovation, Gavin Jennings, said.
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“Opening in late 2008, the new Imaging and Medical Therapy Centre will use synchrotron x-rays to advance studies in biological, medical and industrial sciences.
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“It will lead to major advances in medical, biomedical and industrial imaging and importantly assist with the development and delivery of new cancer treatments.”
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Mr Jennings said that in addition to pioneering new treatments for cancer, the Imaging and Medical Therapy Centre would further medical research that could help premature babies.
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“Synchrotron x-rays allow our leading scientists to see for the first time what happens when mammals take their first breath,” Mr Jennings said.
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“It’s not well understood how our lungs go from a fluid to an aerated state when we are born and for premature babies, this process can be problematic due to the immaturity of their lungs.
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“Through the examination of lungs in animals, the Synchrotron will enable us to build a model that will help take the guesswork out of ventilation in humans in to the future.”
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Professor Tony Burgess from the Ludwig Institute for Cancer Research said the new facility will lead to major breakthroughs for Australian biomedical science.
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“Having this facility on our own soil will not only speed up existing research, it will allow many more medical researchers to access these tools for the first time,” he said.
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Mr Jennings said the $220 million Australian Synchrotron’s wide-ranging applicability to medial research, aeronautics, materials engineering, agriculture and general biology made it a key part of Australia’s innovation future.
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“Since the Australian Synchrotron officially opened in July 2007, Australian and international scientists have used the facility’s unique research capabilities to examine a wide range of biological, geological and engineering samples,” Mr Jennings said.
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“Many have already made significant advances in important fields such as climate change, in-vitro fertilisation, mineral processing and the development of new medical drugs.
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Catherine Walter, Chair of the Australian Synchrotron Company, said today’s announcement was an important milestone in the development of the facility.
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“We already have a world-class synchrotron. This new development has the potential to take us to the forefront of biomedical research and position us within the top three synchrotron facilities world-wide in this field,” Ms Walter said.
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