Never a Dull Moment on the Road to the Max: Australia

Day 08 started off with an unexpected twist when Nigel was hit with a sudden bout of abdominal pain in the middle of the night. After a quick trip to Canberra Hospital, it turned out that a kidney stone was the culprit. Armed with some heavy-duty painkillers, Nigel was back on the road, though Brett had to take the wheel for the rest of the day. Despite the rocky start, the team pushed forward on a 300-kilometer trek to Macquarie University, home to Australia’s original innovation district. Often referred to as “Pill Hill” for its high concentration of pharmaceutical companies, the region has solidified itself as one of Australia’s largest pharma strongholds.

Meeting of the Minds at Macquarie University

At the university, we had the pleasure of meeting Isak "Sakkie" Pretorius, Deputy Vice-Chancellor of Research, and Dan Johnson, Pro Vice-Chancellor of Research, Innovation, and Enterprise. They offered fascinating insights into the region’s rapidly growing ecosystem of life sciences, technology, and cutting-edge innovation. Day 08 was a reminder that even with unexpected bumps along the way, the journey continues. With Macquarie University’s thriving life sciences hub as our backdrop, we’re more fired up than ever to discover the future of Australia’s biotech and pharma industries. Stay with us as we continue to forge ahead on the Road to the Max: Australia!