The Department of Biotechnology (DBT) and the Department of Innovation, Industry, Science & Research, Australian government, under the Indo-Australian Biotechnology Fund (IABF),will soon start joint research in the priority of areas of vaccines & medical diagnostics, stem cells, transgenic crops and marker assisted breeding and bioenergy.

Under this Round Six of the IABF, to be implemented by Indian scientists in collaboration with the Australian counterparts, both the countries will also begin workshops in the area of biomedical devices and implants; stem cells; transgenic crops and marker-assisted breeding; nutraceuticals and functional foods; bioremediation; bioenergy and biofuels; and vaccines/medical diagnostics.

The DBT has called for proposals for this project from the eligible scientists who could be scientists/faculty members working in regular capacity in universities, national research laboratories/institutes, not-for-profit organization and private R&D laboratory.

The Indo-Australian Biotechnology Fund (IABF) is a platform for bilateral collaboration in science jointly managed and funded by the governments of India and Australia. Since its establishment in 2006, the IABF has supported collaborative, leading-edge research between scientists in Australia and India across a range of agreed priority areas. It has also helped to build linkages between premier research and educational institutions in both countries.

The objectives of the IABF are to increase the uptake of leading edge science and technology by supporting collaboration between Indian and Australian researchers in strategically focussed, leading edge, scientific research and technology projects and strengthening strategic alliances between Indian and Australian researchers; and to facilitate India’s and Australia’s access to the global science and technology system.