Biotechnology Research Roadmap - Science and Innovation

5.5.5 Industrial biotechnology
Research strengths
Industrial biotechnology is a very broad research area.
It encompasses bio-energy production, bio-production
and manufacturing technologies and bio-based product
development like bio-polymers.
Areas of research strength in New Zealand
(traditionally labelled as “fibre” research) utilising
wool, wood and non-food crops are beginning to gain
critical mass. This is resulting in emerging research
strengths in areas like advanced industrial biopolymer
development. Industrial biotechnology applications are
also starting to emerge out of research underpinning
some of New Zealand’s plant food crops (see Case
Study p.45). Significant bio-processing research
capabilities leveraged from the dairy industry also fit
into this category.
Current investment levels and trends
Around $12 million of government research funding
is currently invested on bioprocessing research. A
small portion of bioenergy research ($1.2 million) is
also funded through Vote RS&T. Current industrial
biotechnology research capability mostly focuses
on improving biomanufacturing systems (45%) and
developing novel biomaterials (40%).
FRST has recognised the emergence of this sector
and its potential by signalling that industrial
biotechnology proposals be considered in the
06-07 investment round.
Issues or gaps
Sector feedback has identified areas of opportunity for
New Zealand to capitalise from emerging international
industrial biotechnology developments. Notably, niche
bio-based products and processes, the extraction of
greater value out of under utilised primary industry
waste-streams, and the potential, if proven economically
viable, for indigenous biofuel production.
However, despite this, potential areas of niche research
opportunity research capabilities in this area are not well
described or promoted as a whole. Greater coordination
will be required to understand and harness the value
proposition that industrial biotechnology offers to
New Zealand.
5.5.6 Environmental biotechnology
Research strengths
The government’s environmental biotechnology
research investments can be divided into three broad
areas of strength:
• fundamental research contributing to knowledge
about ecological and evolutionary processes;
Current investment levels and trends
Environmental biotechnology research investment
currently stands at 11% of the total expenditure.
Biodiversity ecology and evolution (53%), and
biosecurity and pest control technologies (31%)
account for the majority of the total (see Figure 13).
• research underpinning biodiversity and biosecurity
management in New Zealand; and
• research directed towards technology development
with dual economic and environmental outcomes
for example, bioremediation technologies.
44 Roadmaps for Science : biotechnology research