In December 2011 Dr Alastair Robertson, Group Executive for Food, Health and Life Science Industries, announced to staff this formation of the new Division focused on human, animal and microbial life sciences from the two former Divisions.

Staff of both former Divisions have been working together for several months to ensure a smooth transition, particularly for our clients and research partners. All projects and agreements will continue and our partners and clients will continue to deal with the same staff.

Dr Martin Cole, Chief of Food and Nutritional Sciences and internationally recognised microbiologist, will lead the new Division. 

The 568 staff from the former Divisions will form one of the most comprehensive, cross-discipline life science capabilities in the world and maintain CSIRO’s unique position in whole of food-value-chain research.

‘Just as the last century has seen a revolution in computing, biology is experiencing a major wave of technical innovation flowing from the significant advances made in the life and computational sciences. Our capacity to understand complex processes in a highly targeted manner is vital to our capitalising on opportunities in the food, health and life science industries,’ Dr Cole said.

‘This new understanding will have profound impacts on animal production and health, human nutrition, and prevention of infectious and lifestyle diseases.

‘The new Division will allow us to capture these opportunities. It will connect primary production to food processing and manufacturing and consumer needs,’ he said.

‘Many of the big challenges and opportunities facing Australian and indeed global society and industry in the 21st Century are inextricably linked to biological processes in some way. This critical mass of science capability will help us meet these challenges,’ Dr Cole said.

‘CSIRO is already world class in the biological sciences but we want to take it to the next level. We’ve carefully examined options and bringing the similar capabilities together into larger teams will produce the synergies needed to make transformational changes right across the food and fibre value chains.

‘This is something more than a merger, this is about creating a Division that affords new science approaches that more effectively provide our clients and research partners with the greatest benefits,’ Dr Cole said.

Find out more about the new Division of Animal, Food and Health Sciences.