UniSA experts to be key researchers at two new Cooperative Research Centres

The University of South Australia (UniSA) has shared that it will play “a major role” in two of the Cooperative Research Centres – the Additive Manufacturing CRC and the SMART CRC – which were awarded $58 million and $65 million in federal funding last Thursday.

According to a statement on Monday from UniSA, Professor Colin Hall from the Future Industries Institute is a key researcher in the AMCRC, as AM is placed “on the cusp of full-scale adoption” by local manufacturers. 

“From a South Australian perspective, this CRC means that UniSA can engage with some of our long-term industry partners, including SMR Automotive, Starke-AMG, EntX and Laserbond to take our industry research and workforce development to a higher level,” added Hall.

Associate Professor Shruti Sardeshmukh, a UniSA Business entrepreneurship and innovation researcher, will lead the AMCRC’s Sustainable Manufacturing research theme. Other themes are Applications and Materials Development; Technology and Process Development; and Surface Technologies and Post-Processing.

The AMCRC involves 73 industry partners, 14 research organisations and five government departments, with $213 million in partner contributions pledged in addition to the federal funding.

Allison Cowin, an international leader in wound healing and regenerative medicine research and Professor of Regenerative medicine at UniSA, will be a key researcher at the Solutions for Manufacturing Advanced Regenerative Therapies (SMART) CRC. The ten-year CRC is supported by $173 million in partner contributions.

“The SMART CRC will accelerate the Australian regenerative therapy industry,” said Cowin. 

“It will catalyse, drive and co-ordinate a national effort, guiding industry growth in the cell and gene therapy sectors.

“Regenerative therapies aim to cure, rather than treat diseases. They replace, engineer and regenerate human cells, tissues and organs that will restore normal function in patients with diseases such as cancer, diabetes, wounds and blood disorders.”

Professor Peter Murphy, the university’s Deputy Vice Chancellor: Research and Enterprise, added that once UniSA and the University of Adelaide merge in 2026 to become Adelaide University, the new institution can expect to share in more than $26 million worth of projects through the AMCRC and SMART CRC.

Picture: credit AMCRC

Further reading

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