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Commercialisation Office

Investor and Collaboration Opportunities

Murdoch University has a range of technologies that would benefit from input from investors and interested industry partners. Companies seeking Contract R&D services should contact Murdoch University’s Commercial arm Murdoch Link (link to http://www.murdochlink.com/)

Investment Opportunities

Spirogene Pty Ltd

Spirogene Pty Ltd. has embarked on an intensive R&D program to ensure complete proprietorship over Brachyspira antigens for use as vaccines and diagnostic candidates. Spirogene envisage that a global animal pharmaceutical partner with experience in poultry vaccines will be essential to further develop, register and market its products on a global basis. Spirogene currently has investment funds of A$500,000 from Stone Ridge Ventures in milestone-gated tranches. The company is seeking to raise a further A$1 million for large-scale pre-clinical development of its vaccine and diagnostic candidates.

Investment Profile

Please contact Dr Alistair Murdoch, CEO Spirogene, for additional information at A.murdoch@murdoch.edu.au.

Cellumina Pty Ltd

Cellumina Pty Ltd. is currently conducting proof-of-principle R&D for its flagship KeraPore scaffold and associated product-lines. The scaffold has been shown to be effective in vitro for skin cell attachment and cellular growth without the need of animal derived feeder layers and growth factors. The next developmental phase will focus on the optimisation of the scaffold for enhanced skin regrowth in an in vivo model. Cellumina is supported by funding from Stone Ridge Ventures, Murdoch Westscheme Enterprise Partnership Fund and the Curtin University Pre-seed Commercialisation Fund. Cellumina is currently seeking additional funding to expand its technology portfolio.

Investment Profile

Please contact Mr Cain Murphy, Project Manager Cellumina, for additional information at C.murphy@murdoch.edu.au

Nemgenix Pty Ltd

Nemgenix Pty Ltd. is the recipient of a $320,000 grant from the Commonwealth government to develop new varieties of nematode resistant wheat. Recently, Nemgenix secured an additional $500,000 from Perth-based Stone Ridge Ventures. The company is currently in discussions with a major multinational company to further develop its sugarcane research programme. Nemgenix is seeking an investment of A$1m for further R&D.

Investment Profile

Please contact Dr Sean Hird, CEO Nemgenix, for additional information at Sean.Hird@Nemgenix.com

Licensing Opportunities

BioCement

BioCement (or MICP – Microbial initiated Carbonate Precipitation) is a new technology that uses bacteria to initiate crystallisation of carbonates to form a high strength cemented product. The process essentially replicates natural formation of sandstone on a much shorter timescale. While it is particularly suited to in-situ application as it can stabilise soil and other particulate matter without disrupting its original structure, it can also be used as a manufacturing process for moulded cemented products. Multiple applications include earth stabilisation for tunnelling, mining and earthquake repair, repair of deteriorating masonry and built structures, “instant pavement” and ornamental and structural blocks. In comparison to Portland Cement, BioCement reagents are produced at ambient temperatures and consequently BioCement holds the potential to be developed as an eco-friendly product with much reduced energy costs and potentially reduced greenhouse gas production. This technology has also been recognised as world leading; with research on this topic being numbered amongst Time Magazine’s Best Inventions of the Year – 2007. Murdoch is seeking parties interested in licensing in fields other than in situ soil consolidation and civil engineering.

Licensing Opportunity

Please contact Sam Dymond, Commercialisation Manager for additional information at s.dymond@murdoch.edu.au

Oil & Water Dispersion Technology

Professor Richard Pashley has discovered that the formation of stable emulsions of hydrophobic substances in aqueous medium can be achieved by the process of degassing. The removal of dissolved gas, for example in oil and water, results in a reduction of hydrophobic interactions and subsequently, stabilizes oil droplet dispersions. Professor Pashley has also developed a membrane method for degassing hydrophobic liquids and emulsions that can be utilized at a commercial scale. The technology can be applied to numerous industrial applications where the use of surfactants was shown to be hazardous and cost-prohibitive, eg.Teflon, polymer synthesis, emulsion paint, adhesives, synthetic rubbers and thermoplastics.  The technology also has widespread applications for the pharmaceutical, cosmetic and food manufacturing industries.

Licensing Opportunity

Please contact Patty Washer, Director of Commercialisation for additional information at p.washer@murdoch.edu.au

Novel anti-parasitics

Professor Andy Thompson, in collaboration with Dr Wayne Best of Epichem Pty Ltd., has developed novel anti-parasitic compounds with efficacy against Trypanosoma, Leishmania donovani, Echinococcus, Cryptosporidium, Giardia and Plasmodium. The research is supported by a grant from the Drugs for Neglected Disease Initiative, and is currently in pre-clinical development. Murdoch University is seeking partners to develop the compounds for application in the human and animal health pharmaceutical sector.

Licensing Opportunity

Please contact Patty Washer, Director of Commercialisation for additional information at p.washer@murdoch.edu.au

Collaborative Research Opportunities

Microbial Fuel Cell

In an era of climate change, alternate energy sources are desired to reduce global CO2 emissions and to replace a dwindling oil resource. Subsequently, climate change and the increasing production of biofuels are also putting pressure on available water resources. Microbial Fuel Cells have the potential to simultaneously treat wastewater for reuse and to generate electricity; thereby producing two increasingly scarce resources. While the Microbial Fuel Cell has generated interest in the wastewater treatment field, knowledge is still limited and many fundamental and technical problems remain to be solved.
Further studies are aimed at elucidating and optimising the electron-transferring mechanisms of this novel fuel cell.

Please contact Sam Dymond, Commercialisation Manager for additional information at s.dymond@murdoch.edu.au

Advanced Nitrogen Removal

Biological Nitrogen Removal (BNR) is an important part of wastewater treatment and consists of two separate biological processes, nitrification and denitrification. The mutually exclusive environments conducive to the bacteria that drive these respective processes have resulted in existing wastewater treatment processes with detrimental performance issues. The Advanced Nitrogen Removal technology developed at Murdoch University addresses the issues of pH drift, ammonia retention and greatly improves nitrogen removal and organic carbon utilisation. Experiments have demonstrated up to 94% removal of N (not merely NH3 or NO3-) and up to 96% COD (Chemical Oxygen Demand) removal in a lab-scale batch process on synthetic wastewater. Murdoch is seeking industry partners to trial pilot plants on “live” wastewater streams.

Research Collaboration Opportunity

Please contact Sam Dymond, Commercialisation Manager for additional information at s.dymond@murdoch.edu.au