In August 2025, the delegation of SJTU Australia BioPharma Exchange embarked on an insightful tour across Australia, engaging with premier research institutions, universities, and biotechnology companies to explore cutting-edge advancements and collaborative opportunities in the biomedical sector.
Visit to WEHI (Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research) - 4th August 2025.
On the afternoon of August 4, the delegation visited WEHI. Dr. Victoria Jameson, Business Development Lead, presented WEHI's commercialisation strategy and openness to global partnerships.
The delegation also met with key researchers including:
Prof. Guillaume Lessene - Division Head, Chemical Biology and Drug - Discovery of Cell Death
Dr. Shane Devine - Senior Research Officer, Komander Lab
Prof. Ivo Mueller - Division Head, Mueller Lab and Adjunct Professor at Shanghai Jiaotong University
Associate Prof. David Anderson - Senior Entrepreneur Scientist, Mueller Lab
Prof. Grant Dewson - Lab Head and Head of WEHI Asia
The discussions focused on high-throughput screening (HTS), robotic automation for end-to-end small molecule drug discovery, and innovative in-vitro diagnostics integrating digital pathology and spatial omics. The delegation acknowledged Dr. Anne-Laure Puaux (Head of Business Development and CEO of WEHI Ventures), Dr. Natalie Wee (Operations Manager, Business Development), and Dr. Zhang Jianguo (WEHI Asia Program Manager) for their efforts in organizing a productive visit.
University of Melbourne - 4th August 2025
That same afternoon, the delegation visited the University of Melbourne, meeting with leaders in engineering, medicine, and digital health. Kiara Bechta-Metti (Director of Business Development at MDHS & Life Sciences Cluster Lead) and Miriam Cahir (Manager, International Strategic Relationships) highlighted the capabilities of the Melbourne Biomedical Precinct.
Prof. David Nisbet (Director, Graeme Clark Institute for Biomedical Engineering) outlined the institute’s vision to transform healthcare through biomedical engineering solutions. Dr. Omar Dabash (Digital Health Knowledge Broker & Commercial Lead) discussed digital health applications in pre-clinical research. Minh Nguyen (Centre Manager, Graeme Clark Institute) and Riya Palchaudhuri (Business Development Manager) further exchanged views on technology commercialization.
CSL and Jumar Bioincubator - 5th August 2025
On the morning of August 5, the delegation visited CSL, Australia’s leading biotech company, and its partner incubator, Jumar Bioincubator. Dr. Marthe D'Ombrain (Executive Director & Head of Global Research Innovation, CSL) introduced CSL’s innovation strategy and R&D pipeline.
At Jumar, Camille Shanahan (General Manager) facilitated a tour of the facilities and hosted presentations from pioneering companies:
· Dr. Christos Papadimitriou - CEO & Managing Director, Tessara Therapeutics
· Dr. Michael Baker - CEO & Managing Director, Arovella Therapeutics
· Dr. Anushi Rajapaksa - Founder & CEO, Misti
· Dr. Majid Ghoddusi - Founder & CEO, Turquoise Biotechnology
· Nigel Blair - SkyDD
Conversations covered 3D neural models for drug development, iNKT cell therapy, pulmonary drug delivery platforms, and engineered extracellular vesicles for targeted therapies.
Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre - 5th August 2025
In the afternoon, the delegation visited Peter Mac, one of the world’s leading cancer centers. Dr. Dishan Herath (Chief Medical Officer) and Associate Professor Dominic Wall (Executive Director, Business Ventures) provided an overview of Peter Mac’s research infrastructure and clinical trial capabilities.
Ashlea Gilmore (Director of Partnerships and Enterprise), Lucy Pearce (Director of Commercialisation and Innovation), and Dr. Natalie Shepherd (Senior Manager, Business Ventures) elaborated on translation strategies and industry partnership pathways.
Meeting with South Australia Department of State Development - 6th August 2025
Chaired by Dr. Sandra Hack (Business Development Manager, InvestSA) and facilitated by Gillane Tai (Market Development Adviser), the meeting included welcomes from Mark Wheeler (Director, Health and Medical, Critical Technologies, Creative Industries) and an introduction to biomedical investment opportunities by Taliessin Raeburne (Business Development Manager for Health).
CMAX Clinical Research - 6th August 2025
The delegation toured CMAX, Australia’s longest-operating early-phase clinical trial unit. Shu Lam (Chief Business Development Officer), Christopher Saracini (Business Development Manager), and Jasmine Carreno (Business Development Associate) shared their experience in conducting first-in-human studies. Special thanks were extended to Jane Kelly (CEO) for hosting the visit.
Flinders University - 7th August 2025
On August 7, the delegation visited Flinders University. The international partnerships team, including Allisa Zhao (Manager, International Engagement), Sharon Matthews (Client Service Officer, International Partnerships), and Julie Inglis (Manager, International Recruitment and Engagement), facilitated the meetings.
Professor Wei Zhang (Matthew Flinders Distinguished Professor) discussed his work in marine biotechnology. Professor Mark Shephard (Director, International Centre for Point-of-Care Testing) presented translational research and global point-of-care testing networks.
University of Adelaide and SAHMRI - 8th August 2025
On the final day, the delegation explored South Australia’s life sciences ecosystem. At SAHMRI, Carly Hocking (Philanthropy and Engagement Manager) hosted presentations from Dr. Ben Lewis (Science Editor), Dr. Randall Grose (Manager, Flow Cytometry Facility), and Prof Martin Snel (Head, Proteomics, Metabolomics & MS-Imaging).
At the University of Adelaide, Prof. Lan Nguyen (Head, Computational Systems Oncology Program) introduced SAIGenCI’s capabilities. Dr. Santhni Subramaniam (Industry Development Officer, MTPConnect) provided an overview of the South Australian life sciences sector. The commercialization team, including Dr. Natalya Plakhova (Business Development Manager) and Dr. Toby Branson (Partnership Development Manager), discussed collaboration opportunities.
Support from South Australian Leaders
The delegation enjoyed a guided tour of the South Australian Parliament with Zoe Bettison MP (Minister for Multicultural Affairs), who also hosted an afternoon tea. The closing ceremony was attended by:
· Hon. Joe Szakacs - State Minister for Trade and Investment, Minister for Local Government, Minister for Veterans Affairs
· Louise Miller-Frost - Federal Member for Boothby
· Steve Georganas - Federal Member for Adelaide
· Mr. Aemon Bourke - State Secretary for South Australian Labor
· Francis Wong - Former Mayor of Adelaide, Chairman, Australia ASEAN Business Forum
· Lisa Clare - Director, SA Progressive Business
· Andy Xing - Councillor for City of Burnside, Kensington Park Ward
The visit reinforced strong ties and unveiled numerous opportunities for future collaboration between Boson Ventures and Australia’s dynamic biomedical innovation community.
For more information about future collaborations or to discuss partnership opportunities, please contact our team.
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