The Biomolecular Interaction Centre (BIC) is a multi-disciplinary research centre dedicated to the study of molecular interactions critical to biological function. Understanding these interactions is central to a range of fundamental sciences, discovering new treatments for disease and developing highly functional products.
The Centre was founded in 2007 at the University of Canterbury (UC). In 2010, BIC received a multi-million dollar investment from UC to become one of two new premier research institutes on campus.
BIC has thirteen Principal Investigators – nine based at UC, two at the University of Auckland, one at Victoria University of Wellington and one at the University of Otago. We have a strong network of Associate Investigators from New Zealand universities, Crown Research Institutes and Callaghan Innovation, plus a growing number of international collaborators. These investigators are supported by experienced postdoctoral fellows and more than 30 postgraduate students. Together, BIC supports a dynamic research environment for both staff and students.
BIC provides support for members in variety of ways:
- providing Seed grants to explore new areas of research and collaboration
- Running research symposia to share research and stimulate cross-collaborative research projects
- providing summer scholarships to attract undergraduates into postgraduate studies by exposing them to a range of research experiences
- supporting postgraduate (PhD and Masters) study
- providing some administrative and management support to researchers
- connecting researchers with other members of our network and with industry
BIC support, in particular Seed funding, often lays the foundation for researchers to go on to have future success in attracting research grants to expand their research programmes. In 2024, 35 research papers affiliated with BIC were published.
