The Victorian Government has announced $1.3 million in funding for a new initiative that will bring together research and development facilities in a single web-based portal for the State’s biotechnology industry and academic research.

 

State Minister for Technology Gordon Rich-Phillips said the Australian Research Infrastructure Network (ARIN) software system would link research facilities across institutions in a virtual network and enable access by both research and industrial scientists through a single website.

 

Mr Rich-Phillips said ARIN was a collaboration between government and researchers that would deliver widespread benefits for industry through the convergence of information and communication technology and biotechnology.

 

Monash University Pro Vice-Chancellor (Research and Research Infrastructure) Professor Ian Smith said the ARIN initiative would boost the utilisation of Victorian research infrastructure by academic and industry researchers.

 

“By making our world-class infrastructure more visible and easier to access, we’ll boost usage, particularly by industry. That means more quality research being undertaken in Victoria,” Professor Smith said.