UNSW RNA Institute

The UNSW RNA Institute is a hub for academia, investors, industry, and government, and collaborating with multiple companies and research institutes. There are myriad ways we can work with companies to solve problems and advance technologies as the only lab in Australia with ISO9001 certification.

The RNA Accelerator is the core facility within the UNSW RNA Institute and the NSW RNA Research and Training Network (NSW-RRTN). The NSW-RPRN includes all 14 universities in Australia and major research institutes. We are also leading a national network that includes all the states and the heads of RNA in each major university.

Our capabilities across the development and production pipeline for RNA-based therapeutics include:

• Plasmid DNA production, purification, and characterisation
• mRNA production, purification, and characterisation
• Synthetic RNA and DNA production, purification, and characterisation (including siRNA, gRNA and oligoDNA)
• Lipid NP formulations, purification, and analysis

Our scientific research strengths include and cover 3 faculties:

Our Institute spans across Science, Engineering, and Medicine & Health Faculties. Forming partnership and collaboration projects in research, development, and other areas such as training and education are important for us.

Particularly significant are our resources in:

• Cancer/oncology
• Rare and genetic disease
• Precision and personalised medicine
• Viral, bacterial, and parasitic infectious diseases
• Neurodegenerative diseases
• Nanomedicine and materials
• Omics (Genomics, transcriptomics, etc.)
• Artificial Intelligence

Why work with us

The UNSW RNA Institute is established to translate the potential of Global bioscience into the products that will improve our health and the quality of our lives.

These products are the vaccines and treatments for emerging infectious diseases, but also therapeutics for the yet more complex challenges of cancers, infectious, rare genetic and neurodegenerative diseases – all areas to be pioneered by the UNSW RNA Institute.

There are myriad ways in which we can collaborate with companies to solve problems and advance technologies. These include, but are not limited to, scaling up (m)RNA or (lipid) nanoparticle delivery systems, developing quality control processes as well as compiling the ideal cross-disciplinary team of scientists, medical experts and engineers to advance your deep tech R&D program. We invite you to join us.

Education and training

A core objective of the UNSW RNA Institute is to train the workforce for the RNA manufacturing industry and the next generation of leaders in RNA Science, Engineering and Medicine. Our research programs will be tailored to give graduate students and early career researchers the chance to collaborate in a cross-disciplinary environment, putting them in prime position to become tomorrow’s leaders in their field.

The RNA Accelerator and our strong commitment to industry collaboration will provide a great opportunity for students to get hands-on training in the techniques that underpin RNA manufacturing. Through its outreach program, the UNSW RNA Institute will also provide the broader community with educational material on RNA science, technology and therapeutics.

RNA Accelerator

One of the three pillars of the NSW-RPRN is the RNA Accelerator, the institute’s nucleus designed to expedite the discovery, manufacture and – crucially – pre-clinical trials of RNA-based therapeutics and other products. The Accelerator will supply high quality RNA/nanoparticle formulations under ISO-9001/GLP conditions for pre-clinical studies.

NSW RNA Production and Research Network

Supported by the Office for Health and Medical Research, the RNA Accelerator is primed for action with three pilot projects within the NSW RNA Production and Research Network (NSW-RPRN):

• Messenger RNA (mRNA) delivery pilot project
• Better RNA nanoparticle delivery systems for the respiratory tract
• Synthetic RNA (siRNA) therapeutics for treating SARS-CoV-2.

Therapeutics Innovation Australia (TIA) and National Collaborative Research Infrastructure Strategy (NCRIS)

The UNSW RNA Institute is a TIA facility, meaning that government support is available to use our services for the development of RNA therapeutics. TIA has developed the Pipeline Accelerator voucher scheme, with successful applicants able to receive up to $50,000 in matching funds to develop therapeutic projects using RNA Institute capabilities. See the Pipeline Accelerator Scheme link below for more information.

• Therapeutics Innovation Australia (TIA), opens in a new window
• National Collaborative Research Infrastructure Strategy (NCRIS), opens in a new window
• Pipeline Accelerator Scheme, opens in a new window

NSW RNA Research and Training Network

Then UNSW RNA Institute is leading the NSW RNA Research and Training Network (NSW-RRTN) Accelerating RNA Innovation in NSW Through Research, Partnerships and Workforce Capability

A collaborative initiative backed by the NSW Government, bringing together 12 universities and their affiliated medical research institutes across NSW and the ACT to support research, training and strategic programs in RNA science and technology.

Strategic Focus Areas

• RNA Therapeutics & Diagnostics for human and animal health
• Biosecurity & Industry Development
• Collaborative Research & Training