May 26, 2009: A new center for disease research at the University of Queensland in Australia will focus on the early diagnosis and tailored treatment of diseases like cancer.

Announced in Seattle at the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center by Trade Minister Stephen Robertson, the Centre for Biomarker Research and Development will be formed at the University of Queensland’s Australian Institute for Bioengineering and Nanotechnology (AIBN).

Robertson said the center will unite AIBN’s nanotechnology researchers with leaders in the fields of medicine and molecular biology.

Biomarkers are molecules specifically associated with particular diseases that when present in the body, may indicate the onset and status of the disease. It’s anticipated biomarkers will be used to identify and treat diseases far earlier.

“Such early diagnosis leads to faster, far better treatment and therefore improved health for Queenslanders,” Robertson said. “The new center will focus on discovery, validation and utilization of molecular based biomarkers in medicine.

“It also re-affirms our commitment to the AIBN. The Queensland government invested $20 million into its construction and this has certainly proven to be a worthwhile investment, as the AIBN is now considered a world leader in the fields of bioengineering and nanotechnology.”