Dr Martin Playne

Dr Playne began his career as a research scientist with the CSIRO until late 1999. He led a CSIRO program on probiotic research from 1991-1999. His earlier research experience included animal nutrition, liquid fuels from biomass and organic acid.

Following a meeting of like-minded individuals in 1985, Martin founded what was then known as the Australian Biotechnology Association (ABA) and started a newsletter called the ABA Bulletin. Over the years the Association he founded grew and then, by order of its Membership at an Extraordinary General Meeting, the ABA became AusBiotech. The publication he started in 1986 as a photocopied newsletter also grew and developed into the glossy full-colour Australasian Biotechnology journal that is published every two months and distributed to Members of AusBiotech Ltd.

Dr Playne retired his editorship of the Australasian Biotechnology journal at the end of 2002 and is currently developing new postgraduate research in functional health foods and is a part-time lecturer at RMIT in probiotics. He is a consultant operating a business called Melbourne Biotechnology (mBIO), which specialises in probiotic and prebiotic research and technologies, fermentation, lactic acid bacteria, and in biotechnology industry information and services. He is an Honorary Life Member of AusBiotech.

Emeritus Professor Nancy F Millis AC, MBE, MAgr Sc, PhD, DSc, FTSE

Nancy Millis is one of the pioneers of the study of fermentation technology in Australia. Prof Millis’ areas of interest lie in the general field of biotechnology, more specifically in fermentation, wastewater and environmental biotechnology. Having attained a Master of Agricultural Science (MAgSc) at the University of Melbourne, and then a PhD from Bristol University, Prof Millis was appointed to the position of Lecturer in the Microbiology department at the University of Melbourne from 1953 until 1982, during which time she was awarded a Fulbright travel grant (1954). In 1982, she was made a Professor of Microbiology at the University of Melbourne, a position that she held until 1987. In 1988 she was made Emeritus Professor of the University of Melbourne.

During her career she was appointed MBE - Member of The Order of the British Empire (Civil) - 31 December 1976 for her work in biological sciences and education and appointed AC - Companion of the Order of Australia - 11 June 1990. She is a Fellow of the Australian Academy of Technological Sciences and Engineering, and an Honorary Life Member of the Australian Society for Microbiology and of AusBiotech Ltd. From 1981-2001 she chaired the Commonwealth government's agency for the surveillance of genetic engineering.

Gregory Terence Lonergan (22.02.1957 – 02.09.2006)

AusBiotech members will be deeply saddened at the premature death of Greg Lonergan, one of the founding members of the Association.

Greg was born in Perth forty nine years ago. He attended the University of Western Australia after matriculating as top student at Narrogin Agricultural Senior High School in the grain and livestock belt where he was also school captain. During this period he was a delegate to the United Nations Dag Hammarskjöld Conference in Adelaide. At University he began a medical course but later changed to science and graduated with first class honours in biochemistry. After graduation he was employed by CSR in Perth and later moved to Melbourne with the same company.

In 1983 he was appointed tutor in biochemistry at Swinburne University of Technology which had developed a course based on fermentation, industrial biochemistry and microbiology. His industrial experience was invaluable in this course. Within a short period he was promoted to lecturer and then senior lecturer and contributed to the teaching and research in biological aspects of waste management, an area where he was to work for the remainder of his career.

He established an affiliation with the Swinburne Centre for Applied Colloid Science and subsequently, due to the expansion of biologically based projects, this centre was renamed as the Centre for Applied Colloid and Biocolloid Science. His interests in waste management encompassed specific topics such as biological methods of detection of toxic compounds, detoxification of toxic materials using biological based systems, decolouration of industrial based dyes, scale up fermentation techniques, the role of manganese peroxidase, lignin peroxidase and laccase and other enzymes in detoxification mechanisms and the chemistry and biology of compost and its possible use in biodegradation.

Within the centre he commenced a PhD project related to biological degradation of organic dyes and particularly remazol brilliant blue R. The project encompassed an examination of the growth parameters leading to maximum enzyme yield of his freshly isolated, high laccase-producing fungus which he identified as Pycnoporus cinnabarinus. Problems associated with scale up from bench to large scale fermentation were also examined,

Greg also had extensive involvement with Visy Industries and the Co-operative Research Centre for International Food Manufacturing and Packaging Science. Projects undertaken included the enzymatic de-inking and enzyme assisted watering of recycled paper products and degradation of recalcitrant polymeric material. A project of particular interest which he supervised was associated with development of biodegradable polymers.

He supervised many honours, masters and doctoral studies of students in the degradation areas using biological waste management and treatment techniques. There was also extensive collaboration with other members of staff in projects relating to his interests. These associations resulted in approximately one hundred and fifty papers, conference proceedings and presentations, two book chapters, with a further one in press, plus two substantial reviews. He also co-ordinated about one hundred, in confidence, industrial reports.

By 2002 the work of the centre had expanded so widely that that the name of the centre was again changed to the Swinburne Environment and Biotechnology Centre. Greg became the director and was appointed professor shortly afterwards. In this role in the Centre Greg expanded industrial links relating to environmental and industrial research and by self-funding activities ensured the continual activities of the centre. In 2002 the Centre was given an Australian Co-operative Research Centre Award for Technology Transfer for the project on biodegradable polymers.

His interests included the Australian Biotechnology Association founded in 1986. He was a foundation member, its inaugural treasurer and served terms on state committees once they were established. At the time of his passing the Association (now named AusBiotech) was flourishing. Other special interests were his membership of the selection panel for the Australian Scholarship Program of the Australian/Indonesian Partnership Reconstruction and Development Scheme and membership of the committee of the Australian Standards Association dealing with drafting standards for biodegradable polymers.

Work in waste management brought Greg into contact with groups working in Australia and many other countries and links were established with laboratories in Spain, Italy, Sweden, Japan, New Zealand and the Ukraine and especially Indonesia. He travelled extensively. An often reiterated theme from students was his exceeding generosity towards them. Along with colleagues, they were often sent to overseas conferences to present the latest results of their research. Australian biotechnology has become poorer with his passing.

Greg is survived by his wife Chantal and two young children Cara and Jake , his mother, Heather, and brothers Gary and Stephen; and sister Vivienne.