Building the future of medicinal agriculture in Australia

Researchers will use plants to develop next generation medicines to put Australia at the cutting-edge of an emerging field of medicine while creating jobs and business opportunities. 

The Morrison Government has provided $5 million to establish the Australian Research Council (ARC) Research Hub for Medicinal Agriculture to research the cultivation and production of plant-based medicines. 

Minister for Education Dan Tehan today officially opened the research hub at La Trobe University. 

“This research hub will help to develop a profitable and sustainable industry that provides jobs and leads to better health outcomes,” Mr Tehan said. 

“Research conducted here will assist primary producers and manufacturers to use the latest technologies to optimise their production as well as help train the specialised workforce needed to underpin Australia’s developing medicinal agriculture industry. 

“Our Government is funding research that fosters collaboration between Australian universities and industry to deliver outcomes that benefit everyone.” 

The hub will see collaboration between nine participating organisations across two countries with $19.7 million in cash and in-kind support provided to the hub. The partners are: The University of Melbourne; Cann Group Limited; Under the Tree Biopharmaceuticals Pty Ltd; Hexima Ltd; Photon Systems Instruments; Sensadata Pty Ltd; Palo Alto Research Centre Inc; and Bioplatforms Australia Ltd. 

Visit the ARC Research Hub for Medicinal Agriculture website for more information. ENDS