Events | NationalBiologicsFacility

Join us in Brisbane from 17–18 August 2026 for the premier national meeting on protein science and technology, hosted by the University of Queensland’s Protein Expression Facility and National Biologics Facility. This event will showcase cutting-edge research in protein engineering, veterinary science, and bioproduct translation, featuring global academic speakers and networking opportunities. A selection of leading international and domestic experts will discuss the latest advances across the protein sciences, with sessions dedicated to the following themes:

Human Medicine
Vaccines
Food and Fuel Production
Bioprocessing and Analytics
AI and Computational Sciences
Australian and Global Bio-Ecosystem

Join us in Brisbane for 2 days of cutting-edge program!

Conference registration includes:

Keynote speakers from Australia and around the world
Scientific trade exhibition
Expert panel discussions
Student talk and poster competitions
Social networking events
Protein production workshop

We invite students and EMCRs to showcase their work in a dedicated poster and oral presentation session.

Oral presentation

- $300 for Best Presentation

- $100 for People's Choice

Poster presentation

- $200 for Best Poster (3 prizes up for grabs!)

- $100 for People's Choice

Submissions are welcome ahead of registration, but all presenters must be registered participants.

Submit your abstract by July 1st!

Submit Now!

Speaker Introduction

Professor David Ascher

The University of Queensland

NHMRC Investigator & Professor at UQ, Deputy Associate Dean of Research. Expert in structural bioinformatics and AI applied to biological data; developed 90+ tools used 9.5M+ times/year.

Sheila Barbero

Senior Associate, FB Rice

Senior associate patent attorney at FB Rice, specialising in life sciences IP strategy. PhD in medicinal chemistry from the Institute for Molecular Bioscience, University of Queensland.

Lukas Gerstweiler

Lecturer, School of Chemical Engineering Adelaide University

Senior Lecturer at the University of Adelaide, leading the Biomanufacturing Research Group. Focuses on scalable downstream processing for biomolecules including VLPs, mRNA and lactoferrin.

Jann Ledergerber

PhD Candidate, EPFL

PhD candidate at EPFL working on AI-guided antibiotic design. Uses BindCraft to engineer de novo protein binders targeting bacterial surfaces. MSc in Chemistry, ETH Zurich.

Dr Henry De Malmanche

Research Officer, The University of Queensland

Postdoctoral researcher at UQ specialising in vaccine bioprocess engineering. Leads development of ISVac™, a next-generation flavivirus vaccine platform based on mosquito cell culture.

Professor Esteban Marcellin

Group Leader, The University of Queensland

Director of the UQ Biosustainability Hub. Expert in precision fermentation and industrial biotechnology. Leads Q-MAP analytics facility and IDEA Bio biofoundry. 140+ peer-reviewed publications.

Professor Sheryl Van Nunen

Murdoch Childrens Research Institute

Clinical Professor at University of Sydney and Macquarie University, OAM. Discoverer of tick-induced mammalian meat allergy. 220+ publications. Co-chair, National Allergy Centre of Excellence.

George Peppou

CEO & Founder, VOW

CEO and co-founder of Vow, a biotech company producing novel products from animal cells. Focuses on scalable bioprocess platforms bridging frontier science and real-world manufacturing.

Dr Thomas Pillow

Distinguished scientist, Genentech

Distinguished scientist at Genentech, leading the antibody-drug conjugate pipeline. PhD in organic chemistry from Stanford. Inventor of 4 ADC conjugates that have advanced to clinical trials.

Professor Sally-Ann Poulsen

Group leader, Griffith University

Professor of Chemistry & Chemical Biology at Griffith University. Expert in native mass spectrometry for protein characterisation. Established Australia's first high-resolution nCDMS platform in 2024.

Professor Gary Schenk

Group Leader, The University of Queensland

Professor of Biochemistry at UQ, internationally recognised in enzyme engineering and biocatalysis. 265+ publications, $36M+ in funding. Co-founder of the Global Bioeconomy Alliance.

Chris Smith

Partner, Brandon Capital

Partner at Brandon Capital, Australia's leading life-science investor. PhD in Immunology (WEHI), MBA from Cambridge. Board member across multiple biotech companies developing allergy, oncology, and dental therapeutics.

Dr Owen Tatford

CBE

R&D leader and biopharmaceuticals consultant with 20+ years of experience. PhD in Immunology. Expertise spans bioprocess development, GMP manufacturing and extracellular vesicle technologies.

Associate Professor Jenny Vo

Head of Centre for Biologic Therapies, Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research

Head of the Centre for Biologic Therapies at WEHI. Expert in antibody engineering and biologics discovery, bridging fundamental research and translational science to develop novel medicines.

Steve Williams

Director, CBE

Strategic regulatory consultant with 45+ years in biotech, pharma and medical devices. Expert in GMP compliance, auditing and quality systems. APVMA-registered auditor operating across Asia Pacific.

Associate Professor Michelle Wykes

Group Leader, QIMR Berghofer

Associate Professor at QIMR Berghofer and expert in immune checkpoints and cancer immunotherapy. Founder and CSO of Fovero Therapeutics, developing novel immunotherapy for MSS colon cancer.

Platinum Sponsorship for Protein Australia 2026 provided by