Dr Paul Savage, Australian Biotech Growth Partnerships Theme Leader

Dr Paul Savage: improving drug discovery

Dr Paul Savage is involved in bioactive molecule discovery that improves drug discovery and has applications to a variety of biotechnology areas.

• 17 January 2006 | Updated 14 October 2011

• Current activties
• Background
• Academic qualifications
• Achievements

Current activities

Dr Paul Savage is a Theme Leader, Australian Biotech Growth Partnerships, in CSIRO Molecular and Health Technologies.

He is involved in bioactive molecule discovery that will assist in improving drug discovery and other biotechnology applications.

Dr Savage is passionate about delivering outcomes from scientific research. Working at the interface between business and science, he applies chemistry capabilities in the service of biotechnology companies to help build a vibrant, globally successful Australian biotech industry. 

Dr Savage also works to foster deeper more meaningful relationships with large biotech and pharmaceutical corporations.

Background

Dr Savage joined CSIRO in 1990.

He had taken up a postdoctoral fellowship at the University of Florida, USA, 1988-90, with Professor Alan R Katritzky, FRS.

His post doctoral research encompassed a variety of projects including:

• the detection and decontamination of chemical warfare agents
• synthesis of organic liquid crystals
• computational chemistry and laser desorption FT-ICR mass spectrometry
• high-field nuclear magnetic resonance analysis of polycyclic heteroaromatic compounds
• preparative transformations using benzotriazole as a synthetic auxiliary.

Returning to Australia, Dr Savage took up a post doctoral position with CSIRO in the Division of Chemicals & Polymers in 1990 working on the Dunlena Project, a joint venture between CSIRO and DuPont.

He was subsequently appointed:

• Research Scientist, 1991
• Senior Research Scientist, 1994
• Project Leader of the Crop Protection Chemicals Project, 1997-99
• Director of Dunlena Pty Ltd
• Program Leader of the Molecular Engineering Program at CSIRO Molecular Science, 2000.

Academic qualifications

Dr Savage completed a Bachelor of Science (Hons) at the University of Queensland in 1984, with a major in organic chemistry.

He undertook postgraduate studies at the same University, under the supervision of Dr Russell F Evans.  Dr Savage was awarded a Doctor of Philosophy in the area of heterocyclic synthesis in 1988. 

Dr Savage received a Masters of Business Administration (Technology Management) from the Chifley Business School, La Trobe University, Victoria, Australia, in 2005.  He is also a graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors.

Achievements

Dr Savage has published over 60 peer-reviewed scientific articles.

He is a :

• Fellow of the Royal Australian Chemical Institute
• Member of the Association of Professional Engineers, Scientists and Managers, Australia
• former Editor-in-Chief of Chemistry in Australia from 1997-2001.

Read more about CSIRO's work in Biotechnology.