CSIRO creates research units

The CSIRO has created business units to strengthen the organisation's food and nutrition, health and biotechnology, and marine and atmospheric research activities.

Changes aimed at maximising CSIRO's impact in the food processing and biotechnology industries will see the creation of two new business units from the mergers of three existing research groups.

This involves CSIRO's Adelaide-based nutrition research group within the Division of Health Sciences & Nutrition (HS&N) merging with Food Science Australia (which operates as a joint venture between CSIRO and the Victorian government) to create one of the world's largest food research entities, with over 300 staff.

To strengthen CSIRO's health and biotechnology capability, a new division will be formed through the merger of HS&N's protein and structural biology groups at Parkville, with the Division of Molecular Science at Clayton.

Boosting CSIRO's commitment to environmental sciences, the Divisions of Atmospheric Research and Marine Research will be merged into CSIRO Marine and Atmospheric Research, with a complement of over 500 staff. Dr Tony Haymet, former Sydney University professor and prof of chemistry at the University of Houston and current chief of CSIRO Marine Research, will lead this new division.