Canberra and the surrounding region is home to first-class synthetic biology research facilities, expertise, and capabilities. Our strong infrastructure base allows research excellence and innovation to benefit the nation in the face of major challenges including climate change, rising demand for food, global economic factors and new technologies.

Protein chemistry and microscopy

• Joint Mass Spectrometry Facility located at ANU operates in partnership with CSIRO and specialises in metabolomics, proteomics and molecular structural characterisation
• ANU Research School of Chemistry has capabilities for synthetic biology in microorganisms and protein characterisation. It partners with synthetic biology start-ups and other businesses with access to infrastructure and expertise.
• ANU Centre for Advanced Microscopy hosts cryo instruments, light microscopes, sample preparation, scanning electron microscopes and transmission electron microscopes, which is maintained by experienced technical staff. 

Agritechnology

• ANU Research School of Biology has capabilities for synthetic biology in plants, uniquely looking across scale from molecular, cellular, organism and ecosystem scales. It has PC2 facilities for plant transformation and access to growth cabinets and greenhouses. 
• CSIRO Agriculture and Food works broadly across agribusiness, including digital technologies for on-farm decision support.
• ARC Training Centre for Future Crop Development, led by ANU and partners CSIRO, The University of Adelaide, NSW Department of Primary Industries, is creating socially responsible genetic and field technologies for future crops.
• Wagga Wagga Agricultural Institute a research centre of NSW Department of Primary Industries conducts industry-driven research a two-hour drive from Canberra in the sheep-wheat mixed farming belt.
• Australian Plant Phenomics Facility, the world-leading infrastructure facility that accelerates the development of new and improved crops, has two nodes in Canberra: the High Resolution Plant Phenomics Centre at CSIRO and the Plant Phenomics Group at ANU.
• Australian National Soil Archive collection at CSIRO is a long-term repository for soil specimens.

Medical research

• John Curtin School of Medical Research in the ANU College of Health and Medicine research aims to understand and provide novel insights into diseases.
• Biomolecular Resource Facility at ANU provides services in sequencing and genotyping with high throughput technologies. It is supported by NCRIS and Bioplatforms Australia. 
• Flow Cytometry Facility at ANU provides access to equipment, advice and training in cell sorting (FACS), flow cytometry, data analysis and the Extracellular Flux Analyzer.
• Shine-Dalgarno Centre for RNA Innovation at ANU drive impactful discoveries and innovations in RNA science for therapeutics and diagnostics, and to train the future RNA research workforce.

Computer science and engineering

• Data 61 at CSIRO is creating Australia’s data-driven future and has two sites in Canberra, one at CSIRO Black Mountain and the other on campus at ANU.
• ANU Biological Data Sciences Institute operates in the interface of data science and biological science and builds capacity and capability.
• National Computational Infrastructure facility provides expert services to government, science and industry through high-performance data organisation. It is supported through NCRIS.
• School of Computing and School of Cybernetics at ANU have strengths in of algorithms, logic and artificial intelligence.
• ANU School of Engineering encompasses materials and manufacturing, robotics, telecommunications, systems, and control of massively complex networks.
• Centre for Computational Biomedical Sciences at ANU develops advanced computational and medical technologies to enable discovery and interpretation in biomedical research.
• ANU Bioinformatics Consultancy is a service unit that offers a wide range of bioinformatics analysis, consulting, programming and training services.

Science communication and public policy

• Australian National Centre for the Public Awareness of Science  at ANU conducts research into best practice for communicating science to the public, including issues such as emerging technologies and climate change.
• Crawford School of Public Policy at ANU is the region’s leading public policy school, with outstanding research focused on Australia, the Asia-Pacific, and beyond.
• ANU Research School of Social Science conducts research into biomedical and life sciences led by Professor Catherine Waldby, who has written books on stem cells and regenerative medicine. 

Innovation

• Centre for Entrepreneurial Agri-Technology at ANU builds partnerships and capability to allow researchers, industry, government and end-users to collaborate and innovate in the agriculture sector. Its Innovation Hub  supports six agri-tech start-ups and small businesses.
• Southern NSW Innovation Hub was established to drive innovation, research and adoption to combat drought and is a two-hour drive from Canberra in the Charles Sturt University AgriPark in Wagga Wagga.