Tassie's first BioBus hits the road
Tassie's first BioBus hits the road
Menzies Research Institute Tasmania will unveil Tasmania's first 'moving laboratory,' the Tasmanian BioBus today.
Menzies Research Institute Tasmania will unveil Tasmania's first 'moving laboratory,' the Tasmanian BioBus today.
A BioBus is an innovative concept involving a bus that has been equipped as a self-contained mobile science laboratory and clinical room.
The Tasmanian BioBus is the third of its kind in Australia.
The Tasmanian Biobus, supported by the Tasmanian Community Fund, will be used to connect medical research with the Tasmanian community. It will provide people across the State with the opportunity to participate in clinical research trials undertaken by Menzies.
Menzies' Professor Mark Nelson says the BioBus is a vital part of involving the Tasmanian community in research.
"The BioBus is a way for our study and others to reach out to parts of the Tasmanian community that usually do not get the chance to participate in medical research as easily as those who live closer to the major cities.
"In order to carry out high quality clinical research in an ageing population, we need the capacity to take research activities to the people," Professor Nelson said.
Initially the Tasmanian BioBus will be used to carry out research for the Aspirin in Reducing Events in the Elderly (ASPREE) Healthy Ageing Biobank study.
The ASPREE study is an important Australian initiative that aims to assist in identifying biological factors for the onset of diseases affecting the elderly. The BioBus will assist researchers in collecting and processing blood samples from the over 1,000 current study participants across Tasmania.
When the BioBus is not being used for medical research purposes, it will be used by local Divisions of General Practice to bring disease screening programs and other health activities to local communities.
The BioBus undertook trial runs to Bothwell, Kempton, Huonville and Geeveston late last year and is now ready to venture further afield to the north and north-west of the state.
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