Research partnerships

At UniSA, we’re a national and global leader in partnered research. We push the boundaries, working together in multidisciplinary teams to give insight to current issues and create relevant and applicable solutions. We know that the world is changing rapidly, and we apply our research to developing the industries of the future and bringing benefit to society.

We apply our expertise to the problems our partners bring us, and co-create solutions that support not only their goals, but also economies and communities.

If you’re interested in establishing or extending your research partnership with UniSA, the Enterprise Hub can help. Our experience in partner collaboration spans local and global companies, governments, social enterprise and startups. We’ll open our doors so that you can access our technology, infrastructure, and the latest discoveries from UniSA researchers and innovators.

Our dynamic and flexible approach to collaborating means that you’re in charge – we’ll apply our considerable talents to your issue, and work with you to get meaningful results that propel your business forward.

Discover research at UniSA Contact us

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Benefit from research-led solutions

#1 in Australia for research impact and engagement

2018 ARC Engagement and Impact Assessment (EI), Combined Impact – Approach to Impact and Engagement on Assessed Fields.

Research that you can put to work

Prioritising the translation of knowledge into solutions

No.1 young university in Australia for industry collaborations

2023 THE Young University Rankings – Industry Income Indicator

Addressing tomorrow’s challenges

Learn from interconnected teams that create and respond to change

Case studies

Adaptable, affordable vaccines for multiple conditions

Despite safe and effective vaccines being available for a wide range of infectious diseases, prevention and treatment of more complex conditions, including allergy and cancer, remain elusive. Furthermore, vaccines are complex to manufacture, making them difficult to produce to a scale, quality and cost that supports widespread global access. An ongoing collaboration between South Australian biotech company Sementis Ltd and UniSA’s Experimental Therapeutics Laboratory has developed a vaccine delivery platform that can potentially produce easy-to-manufacture vaccines for multiple acute and chronic disease conditions.

“The collaboration with UniSA over the past 11 years has resulted in the development of what is Australia’s most advanced viral-vector vaccine technology platform technology, and we look forward to continuing the collaboration to support the work of Sementis to scale this vaccine technology ready for clinical trials.”

Leanne Hobbs, CEO, Sementis

Energy efficient, on-time trains

Software developed by UniSA and industry partners TTG and Modaxo uses information about a train, its route, and schedule to calculate efficient driving strategies and advise drivers when to accelerate and brake to ensure they arrive on time with minimum energy use.

The software, trademarked as Energymiser, is now on trains across the UK, Belgium, France, Spain, Germany, China, India, Australia, New Zealand, and Africa, saving rail companies up to 20 per cent of their energy costs.

The world is evolving faster than it ever has. With a smart and dedicated TTG and UniSA team, we will continue to maintain a heightened level of curiosity and focus on how we improve technology capability to drive sustainability in transport.

Ben Dvoracek, Managing Director of ANZ Rail at TTG and Trapeze

Helping keep astronauts healthy in space

As humanity looks to expand its presence beyond Earth, the wellbeing of the women and men who undertake off-planet activities remains top priority. With space missions likely to become longer over coming years, developing reliable ways to monitor the health of astronauts is a crucial aspect of space exploration. UniSA’s Associate Professor Craig Priest is currently working with NASA to develop non-invasive sensors to monitor health through the testing of bodily fluids such as sweat and saliva, identifying potential health issues quickly and easily.

“The combined expertise and capabilities comprised in this effort have been beneficial in addressing problems of mutual scientific interests to our respective organizations, which could open the doors for further collaborations in this area, as well as other related areas of interest.”

Dr Félix A. Miranda, Deputy Chief, Communications and Intelligent Systems Division, NASA Glenn Research Center

Developing Aboriginal medicines to fight inflammation

Aboriginal Peoples were the first to research and understand the effects of Australian plants, with thousands of years of accumulated knowledge about their properties and how to best to use them. A long-term partnership between UniSA researchers and Chuulangun Aboriginal Corporation is leading the way in understanding the healing potential of plant species used in Aboriginal medicine, while also creating a model for equitable partnerships and benefit sharing between Aboriginal and Western scientific researchers.

“I hope that this work will continue to provide opportunities for Aboriginal custodians to manage and direct research on their land and receive ongoing income from the intellectual property of their heritage, as well as support the passing down of traditional plant knowledge from Elders to younger generations.”

Dr Susan Semple, Senior Research Fellow, University of South Australia

Related services

Grant and funding opportunities

Leverage our expertise to find research funding support. UniSA’s partner engagement specialists can help you find the right grant or funding source to support your activity.

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International research

Research at UniSA answers big questions that are inspired by global challenges and opportunities. We’ll work with you to build or extend a mutually beneficial international research partnership that achieves your objectives.

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Invest in research

Support future-focused thinking and change. By investing in UniSA research, you can support the brightest minds who can imagine tomorrow’s questions, test the possibilities and find the right answers.

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Access to UniSA IP

By accessing UniSA technology, you can gain an innovative edge, make a significant economic or social impact, and add value to your organisation. Discover our intellectual property and the researchers who created it at UniSA’s Enterprise Hub.

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