Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation, Australian Government

Acknowledgement of Country

CSIRO acknowledges the Traditional Owners of the lands, seas and waters, of the area that we live and work on across Australia and pays its respect to Elders past and present. We recognise that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples make extraordinary contributions to Australian life including in cultural, economic and scientific domains.

Indigenous science projects

Solving the greatest challenges

Wastewater testing takes flight in the fight against COVID-19

In an extra line of defence against COVID-19, we have analysed wastewater samples from long haul flights of returning Aussies which prove signals of the SARS-CoV-2 virus can be detected even before passengers show symptoms.

Australia’s Synthetic Biology Roadmap

This Roadmap provides a commercially focused and strategic view of how synthetic biology could underpin a thriving Australian bioeconomy worth up to $27 billion by 2040.

Antimicrobial Resistance Summit 2021

Join us for this special event which aims to identify and share actions and approaches we need to take to achieve the greatest impact in mitigating the rise of antimicrobial resistance in Australia.

Our greatest inventions

World's first Hendra vaccine

In 1994, a deadly new virus threatened to stop Australia's premier horse race – the Melbourne Cup. Over the next 16 years, 18 outbreaks of the now infamous Hendra virus were recorded through Queensland and NSW. In May 2011 CSIRO announced the development of a prototype vaccine for horses. By March 2013 our scientists confirmed that horses were immune to a lethal exposure of the Hendra virus six months post vaccination.

How it happened

Plastic banknotes

Australia's introduction of plastic bank notes with optically variable devices (OVDs), developed by CSIRO, was a world's first and represented a paradigm shift towards a currency secure against forgery. This was one of our longest and most successful research initiatives.

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Solving the greatest challenges

Wastewater testing takes flight in the fight against COVID-19

Australia’s Synthetic Biology Roadmap

Antimicrobial Resistance Summit 2021

Our greatest inventions

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