Scientia Professor Justin Gooding and Hub Theme Leader, Physical & Chemical sensors has been awarded the 2021 Applied Research Award from the Royal Australian Chemical Institute (RACI).

The Applied Research Award is given to a member of the RACI who has contributed significantly towards the development of, or innovation through, applied research or in industrial fields. It is one of only a handful of national awards granted by the RACI.

The award is in recognition of Prof. Gooding’s work with startup companies, developing commercial diagnostic devices such as a glucose meter and a 3D bioprinter which creates 3D cell cultures. The award also recognises the student and post-doc led startup companies which originated from within the group.

“For me, the award is recognition for the whole group and the hard work by many of the bench (lab) researchers that came through the group. As a collective we are delighted to win such an important award,” Prof. Gooding said.

“It’s also an award for a culture of trying to make a difference by trying to make the world better.”

Prof. Gooding has been part of the commercialisation teams for an Australian-based 3D bioprinting company and a glucose biosensor that is sold worldwide. He leads a research team of over 30 researchers interested in surface modification and nanotechnology for biosensors, biomaterials, electron transfer and medical applications.

He said he believes it’s important to validate an entrepreneurial approach to university research.

“Both fundamental and applied research are important and all types of approaches to research warrant recognition. The running of all research groups requires entrepreneurial skills, even if the work is focused on important questions with little to no apparent technological outcomes,” Prof. Gooding said.

“The modern academic really needs to have a way of disseminating their important research to a broader audience than their peers. Commercialisation is just one way of doing this.”

Read more at the UNSW Newsroom