This symposium will explore how industry-academia collaboration is advancing biopharmaceutical science, supporting
translation, and shaping workforce training in Australia. As the biopharmaceutical sector continues to grow, there is an
increasing need to connect fundamental pharmaceutical science with real-world manufacturing, regulatory, and clinical
challenges.
Using the ARC Digital Bioprocess Development Hub as a case study, the session will highlight how collaborative
research environments integrate academic expertise, industry priorities, and PhD training to address key challenges in
therapeutic protein development, including formulation, stability, and product quality. Presentations from academic,
industry, and industry-embedded PhD researchers will illustrate how multidisciplinary approaches are applied to solve
complex problems and deliver meaningful outcomes.
A concluding panel discussion will explore the skills required to train industry-ready graduates and strengthen
collaboration across academia and industry in biopharmaceutical science.
Symposium Structure (90 minutes)
• Academic perspective (15–20 min): Prof Sally Gras (University of Melbourne; ARC Digital Bioprocess
Development Hub Director) will provide a strategic overview of industry–academia collaboration in
biopharmaceutical science and workforce development
• Industry perspective (15–20 min): Ellen Otte (Director, Cell Culture Process Development, CSL Limited)
will present challenges and opportunities in biopharmaceutical development and manufacturing, with emphasis
on product quality, translation and workforce training.
• (TBC) Industry decision-making perspective (15–20 min): Daniel Pham (Manager AI & Advanced Analytics,
CSL Limited) will discuss how data-informed approaches support decision-making in complex
biopharmaceutical systems, while highlighting the development of AI capability for the future workfoce.
• PhD case studies (2 × 10 min): Nimish Pradhan (RMIT University / CSL) and Vinodya Karunadhika (RMIT
University / CSL) will present short case studies demonstrating how industry-integrated PhD training
addresses real-world challenges in biopharmaceutical science
• Panel discussion and audience Q&A (15–20 min): Moderated by A/Prof Céline Valéry (UNSW Sydney) and
Dr Durga Dharmadana (RMIT University), with all speakers and additional industry panellists (to be
confirmed), focusing on collaboration, workforce readiness, and alignment between academic research and
industry challenges.