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Three Australian Research Council (ARC) Centres of Excellence with links to The University of Western Australia are among 11 ARC Centres around the country to share an extension of Federal Government funding of $82.25 million.

UWA hosts the Centre of Excellence in Plant Energy Biology, and houses two nodes for the Centre of Excellence for Antimatter and Matter Studies and the Centre of Excellence in Vision Science, both based at the Australian National University (ANU).

The Centre of Excellence in Plant Energy Biology will receive $2.8 million each calendar year to total $9.8 million over the three-and-a-half year period, which represents 12 per cent of the national funding awarded to the ARC high-performing centres.

The first Federal Government Centre of Excellence in WA, it was opened April 2006 by former Federal Science Minister Julie Bishop and has research hubs at both ANU and the University of Sydney.

UWA Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Research and Innovation) Doug McEachern congratulated the Centre of Excellence in Plant Energy Biology for its outstanding contribution.

"The centre has been an outstanding research performer. It has recruited an excellent team of researchers and has developed strong links with the key international organisations working in similar fields in Asia, Europe and the US," Professor McEachern said.

Acting centre director Harvey Millar said the centre was dedicated to uncovering the mechanisms and control of energy generation and usage within individual cells of plants.

"Plants generate energy to produce food, fuel and even fabrication materials for use across the globe," Professor Millar said.

"If we can efficiently harness this resource, it will have a significant impact on the future use of plants as food sources, biofuels to rival fossil fuels and plants as factories for pharmaceuticals. In light of climate change predictions, it's vital for the wellbeing of the planet that fundamental research continues to further our understanding of how plants grow and their response to environmental variation."

Media references

Professor Harvey Millar (+61 8) 6488 7245
(ARC Centre of Excellence in Plant Energy Biology)
Sally-Ann Jones (UWA Public Affairs) (+61 8) 6488 7975 / (+61 4) 20 790 098