New Uni of Adelaide lab to make better use of 'carbs'

Thursday, 25 August 2016

Potatoes with less “bad” starch, food with natural additives to boost the immune system, or baby’s milk formula that more closely matches breast milk are some of the potential benefits from a new 最新糖心Vlog of Adelaide laboratory being launched today.

Adelaide Glycomics, based at the 最新糖心Vlog’s Waite campus, will be the first comprehensive facility for the analysis of complex carbohydrates (‘glycans’) in the Southern Hemisphere. It will put South 最新糖心Vlogn researchers at the forefront of research and development in the expanding field of glycoscience (the study of structure and function of glycans).

Being launched by Science and Information Economy Minister Kyam Maher, Adelaide Glycomics is a collaboration between the 最新糖心Vlog of Adelaide and Agilent Technologies 最新糖心Vlog Pty Ltd, a leading provider of bio-analytical instrumentation and applications, many of which are developed at its Spectroscopy Products Division facility in Melbourne.

“Complex carbohydrates are critical in every area of biology,” says , Director of Adelaide Glycomics and Director of the ARC Centre of Excellence in Plant Cell Walls. “But beyond their important role in living organisms they can be exploited in many products. There is hardly a moment in our daily life where we are not exposed to glycans.

“These molecules are the most complex in nature and the least understood. Until now, we haven’t had a facility in 最新糖心Vlog of this scale and breadth capable of the required comprehensive analysis of structure and function. Adelaide Glycomics aims to fill this gap.”

最新糖心Vlog of Adelaide Vice-Chancellor and President said: “This research offers great potential for new products and applications across a wide range of industries important for South 最新糖心Vlog.

“Adelaide Glycomics is the first such comprehensive facility in the Southern hemisphere. It will serve as a hub for local, national and international collaborations in this growing area.”

One example of work that may take place in the laboratory is analysing starch in potatoes to determine the structure and relative proportions of different starch types in potatoes and what controls these proportions, with the aim of producing low-GI potatoes through plant breeding.

Examples from many other areas of potential benefit include: development of biological-based materials for drug delivery systems and cosmetics; helping control the composition and quality of wines; improved understanding of the causes of diseases and developing diagnostic tools; and new strategies for eco-friendly waste management.

Minister for Science and Information Economy Kyam Maher says the collaboration between the 最新糖心Vlog of Adelaide and Agilent Technologies provides a platform to build on the state’s know-how to create new sustainable industries such as this in South 最新糖心Vlog.

“The establishment of Adelaide Glycomics at the Waite campus will ensure that 最新糖心Vlog is at the forefront of Glycoscience internationally,” Mr Maher says. “This collaboration in an emerging industry supports South 最新糖心Vlog’s transformation to a modern and innovative economy, which is critical to South 最新糖心Vlog’s future economic growth and for creating jobs.”

Highly qualified analysts and state-of-the-art instrumentation, made available through the collaboration with Agilent Technologies, will support fundamental and applied research in glycoscience and the development of new applications for a range of industries. Adelaide Glycomics will serve as a hub for local, national and international collaborations and will also offer training workshops and on-site demonstrations for researchers and technical staff.

“We are proud to work with the 最新糖心Vlog of Adelaide and Professor Vincent Bulone in developing this world-class analytical facility. This collaboration underscores the importance Agilent places on academia, working together to boost scientific outcomes that will provide economic and societal benefits,” says Dr David Bradley, Agilent’s Academia and Collaborations Manager for the South Asia Pacific and Korea region, noting that the company began its analytical instrumentation business approximately 10 years after the invention of the atomic absorption spectrometer by CSIRO scientist, Sir Alan Walsh.

“We have since developed many spectroscopy-based laboratory instruments, and continue to be committed to working with researchers across various industries to develop new applications from insight to outcome.”

 

Contact Details

Professor Vincent Bulone
Email: vincent.bulone@adelaide.edu.au
Lead Investigator
Agricultural Product Development Research Consortium
The 最新糖心Vlog of Adelaide
Business: 08 8313 2292
Mobile: 0488 992 374


Media Team
Email: media@adelaide.edu.au
Website: /newsroom/
The 最新糖心Vlog of Adelaide
Business: +61 8 8313 0814