Biotechnology
Queensland boasts a critical mass of research centres involved in biotechnology and related sectors. They span the health and medical, agricultural, environmental and industrial sectors.
Biotechnology research in Queensland encompasses new industrial processes, new or improved crops or foods, and the development of antibiotics, vaccines, genomics and advanced imaging.
Key infrastructure and support
Queensland has nine universities including three of Australia’s largest. Most Queensland universities have biotechnology research programs with dedicated world-class research institutes and centres. Details of these universities and the 200 plus research centres in Queensland are available by searching the Queensland science capability directory.
Biotechnology is part of the much broader life sciences sector. The state’s industry-led organisation, Life Sciences Queensland, also represents the interests of many of the Queensland biotechnology research organisations.
Investment and collaboration opportunities

Discover more about Queensland's strengths and investment opportunities in biotechnology in the Queensland life sciences brochure .
Find out why top researchers and industry leaders are saying Queensland is one of the best places in the world for life science research.
Find out why top researchers and industry leaders are saying Queensland is one of the best places in the world for life science research.
View Queensland life sciences video with Chinese subtitles
昆士兰生命科学 – 全球领先”视频(附中文字幕)
There are plenty of exciting opportunities for collaboration with or investment in Queensland's biotechnology sector.
Queensland biotechnology research centres
Queensland has more than 100 large institutes, facilities, research hospitals, precincts, to smaller laboratories and other research organisations involved in the biotechnology sector including:
- Advanced Design and Prototyping Technologies Institute (ADAPT)
- Advanced Water Management Centre (AWMC)
- Agriculture and Food Business Unit (AF)
- Aus-China Centre for Tissue Engineering and Regenerative Medicine (ACCTERM)
- Australian Defence Force Malaria and Infectious Disease Institute (ADFMIDI)
- Australian Infectious Diseases Research Centre (AID)
- Australian Institute for Bioengineering and Nanotechnology (AIBN)
- Australian Institute of Marine Science (AIMS)
- Australian Institute of Tropical Health and Medicine - Cairns (AITHM)
- Australian Institute of Tropical Health and Medicine - Townsville (AITHM)
- Banyo Pilot Plant
- BioBank (BB)
- Bribie Island Research Centre (BIRC)
- Central Queensland University - Brisbane (CQUniversity)
- Central Queensland University - Bundaberg (CQUniversity)
- Central Queensland University - Cairns (CQUniversity)
- Central Queensland University - Gladstone (CQUniversity)
- Central Queensland University - Mackay (CQUniversity)
- Central Queensland University - Rockhampton (CQUniversity)
- Central Queensland University - Townsville (CQUniversity)
- Centre for Advanced Imaging (CAI)
- Centre for Agriculture and the Bioeconomy (CABEN)
- Centre for Animal Science (CAS)
- Centre for Biophotonics and Laser Science (CBLS)
- Centre for Clean Environment and Energy (CCEE)
- Centre for Comprehensive Biomedical Imaging (ACRF-CCBI)
- Centre for Crop Science (QAAFI CPS)
- Centre for Horticultural Science (CHS)
- Centre for Immunotherapy and Vaccine Development (QIMR-CIVD)
- Centre for Integrated Preclinical Drug Development (CIPDD)
- Centre for Integrative Legume Research (CILR)
- Centre for Kidney Disease Research (CHSR)
- Centre for Macroalgal Resources and Biotechnology (MACRO)
- Centre for Microscopy and Microanalysis (CMM)
- Centre for Molecular Therapeutics (CMT)
- Centre for Nutrition and Food Science (CNAFS)
- Centre for Organic Photonics and Electronics (COPE)
- Centre for Sustainable Agricultural Systems (CSAS)
- Centre for Sustainable Tropical Fisheries and Aquaculture (CSTFA)
- Clem Jones Research Centre for Regenerative Medicine (CJRCRM)
- Clinical Trials Centre (CTC)
- Coastal Marine Ecosystems Research Centre (CMERC)
- Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO)
- Community for Open Antimicrobial Drug Discovery (CO-ADD)
- Compounds Australia
- Department of Agriculture and Fisheries (DAF)
- Diamantina Institute (UQDI)
- Dow Centre for Sustainable Engineering Innovation (Dow Centre)
- Ecology Centre
- Ecosciences Precinct (ESP)
- Forest Industries Research Centre
- GeneCology Research Centre (GeneCology)
- Genomics Clinical Trials Centre (GCT)
- Genomics Research Centre (GRC)
- Gold Coast Health and Knowledge Precinct
- Griffith Institute for Drug Discovery (GRIDD)
- Griffith University - Gold Coast (GU)
- Griffith University - Nathan (GU)
- Health and Food Sciences Precinct
- Herston Imaging Research Facility (HIRF)
- Inflammation and Healing Research Cluster (INFLAME)
- Institute for Future Environments (IFE)
- Institute for Future Farming Systems - Bundaberg (IFFS)
- Institute for Future Farming Systems - Rockhampton (IFFS)
- Institute for Glycomics
- Institute of Health and Biomedical Innovation (IHBI)
- Institute for Integrated and Intelligent Systems (IIIS)
- Institute for Molecular Bioscience (IMB)
- James Cook University - Cairns (JCU)
- James Cook University - Townsville (JCU)
- Jamieson Trauma Institute (JTI)
- Life Sciences Queensland Ltd (LSQ)
- Mackay Renewable Biocommodities Pilot Plant (MRBPP)
- Maroochy Research Facility
- Menzies Health Institute Queensland (MHIQ)
- National Biologics Facility - Queensland Node (NBF)
- National Centre for Timber Durability and Design Life
- Pharmacy Australia Centre of Excellence (PACE)
- Princess Alexandra Hospital (PAH)
- Protein Expression Facility (PEF)
- QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute (QIMR)
- Queensland Alliance for Agriculture and Food Innovation (QAAFI)
- Queensland Animal Science Precinct (QASP)
- Queensland Bioscience Precinct (QBP)
- Queensland Centre for Advanced Technologies (QCAT)
- Queensland Cyber Infrastructure Foundation - CQU (QCIF)
- Queensland Cyber Infrastructure Foundation - GU (QCIF)
- Queensland Cyber Infrastructure Foundation - JCU (QCIF)
- Queensland Cyber Infrastructure Foundation - QUT (QCIF)
- Queensland Cyber Infrastructure Foundation - UQ (QCIF)
- Queensland Cyber Infrastructure Foundation - USQ (QCIF)
- Queensland Eye Institute (QEI)
- Queensland Herbarium
- Queensland University of Technology - Gardens Point (QUT)
- Queensland University of Technology - Kelvin Grove (QUT)
- Redlands and Queensland Crop Development Facility
- Research Computing Centre (RCC)
- Sustainable Minerals Institute (SMI)
- Translational Polymer Research Group (TPRG)
- Translational Research Institute (TRI)
- Tropical Weeds Research Centre
- The University of Queensland - Gatton (UQ)
- The University of Queensland - Herston (UQ)
- The University of Queensland - St Lucia (UQ)
- University of Southern Queensland - Ipswich (USQ)
- University of Southern Queensland - Springfield (USQ)
- University of Southern Queensland - Toowoomba (USQ)
- University of the Sunshine Coast - Fraser Coast (USC)
- University of the Sunshine Coast - Gympie (USC)
- University of the Sunshine Coast - Sunshine Coast (USC)
- School of Chemistry and Molecular Biosciences (SCMB)
- Wesley Medical Research - Buderim Private Hospital (WMR)
- Wesley Medical Research - St Andrew's War Memorial Hospital (WMR)
- Wesley Medical Research - St Stephen's Hospital (WMR)
- Wesley Medical Research - Wesley Hospital (WMR)