Grant for enzyme research project

Press, 15 June 1983, Page 3

Grant for enzyme research project

PA Hamilton The Government has allocated $652,000 for a new laboratory to house the University of Waikato’s exportoriented enzyme research project, soon to be the basis of a multi-million dollar New Zealand-American consortium.

The grant was announced yesterday by the Minister of Science, Dr Shearer, who said it was the result of “hard, personal lobbying” over the last few months. The grant was subject to a 50 per cent equity participation being taken up by the two American corporations negotiating for a consortium, Bendix and Genex. The project involves heatresistant enzymes produced by bacteria found in thermal areas. The consortium will be based on the existing company, New Zealand Enzymes, Ltd, which comprises a unique commercial

partnership between the university and the Development Finance Corporation. Dr Shearer said negotiations were "well advanced” for a Hamilton-based development facility based on this partnership. Dr Shearer said that the organism under study had “exciting” commercial potential as catalysts in the food-processing, ethanolproduction, and waste-treat-ment industries, and that the grant would give “the current research efforts a much-needed boost.”

The grant was designed to maintain a technological lead the Waikato group had established, and to ensure that New Zealand was “well positioned to exploit a world market for industrial enzymes worth $5OO million a year.” “The grant gives me particular satisfaction because it is the culmination of many months of hard, personal lobbying for a project

at the leading edge of the new biological technology,” Dr Shearer said. The Vice-Chancellor of the University, Dr D. J. Llewellyn, said the university was “delighted” that the grant had finally been approved. Working drawings for the 400 sq m laboratory, planned to abut the present School of Science, were ready, he said, and that Ministry of Works architects would be consulted to ensure that tenders were called “without delay.” The laboratory would be for the project’s exclusive use and would provide space for 24 researchers — eight senior scientists, four technical officers or research assistants, four technicians, and eight Ph.D. students.

A university spokesman said yesterday that a separate application had been lodged for funds to equip the laboratory.