Trevor Evans (Brisbane, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I want to inform the House today of something very exciting and world-changing happening in Brisbane. I was recently back at the Queensland Institute of Medical Research, in Herston, and met with Dr Bicheng Yang and her BGI Australia team. BGI has just opened a gene-sequencing lab at the institute, which is now home to the very first gene sequencer of its kind in the Southern Hemisphere. The opportunities this technology presents are so diverse and extensive that I really do feel like invoking those words—that there has never been a more exciting time to be an Australian. Over the course of, say, a day or so, the gene sequencer there could map out your entire genetic make-up; your medical doctor could check if you are predisposed to any illnesses, infections or degenerative disorders, so you could better target what you do in terms of preventive health; you could get information on what medicines are more likely to be effective for you; and athletes could check what training is least likely to cause them injury or strain. But it is not just about humans; this could improve crop yields and it can record the genomes of endangered species.

Already, BGI has forged partnerships with five Australian universities, with projects ranging from animal and human health through to marine life on the Great Barrier Reef. I am proud to see this technology make Brisbane its home, and I encourage as many people as possible to get involved with these facilities and the research breakthroughs that we will undoubtedly see.