Built in Australia, the Roam team have been exploring the US market over the last few years and joined several AUScelerate US medtech missions – find out what makes their founders story unique, how they are tapping into the US market and what’s on the horizon for this award-winning startup pushing the boundaries of home oxygen care. 

Find out more at https://www.roamtech.ai/ 

As the CEO of Stratos Medtech, Chelsea joins the podcast to tell us about the challenges and rewards of her medtech start-up journey, from building clinical evidence, setting up device manufacturing in Maryborough Queensland, meeting with payers and insurers, to expansion into the US market. She also shares insights into why she has joined AUScelerate international trade mission(s) to The Medtech Conference in the US and how her experiences as part of a delegation have been so beneficial.

Chelsea serves on the Board of the Medical Technology Association of Australia and Chairs its Women in MedTech Committee.

More information for women and clinicians at www.Pericoach.com

The company, based at the Tonsley Innovation District in Adelaide, has developed a mobile X-ray platform manufactured in Australia and sold around the world. 

Now it is using this lightweight tech to create the world's first portable stroke head CT scanner, small enough to fit in an ambulance or retrieval aircraft using precise imaging to diagnose stroke patients before reaching hospital, giving patients access to treatment sooner and increasing their chances of survival. 

Micro-X Chief Executive Officer Kingsley Hall and Chief Operating Officer Anthony Skeats join AUScelerate’s Caroline Duell and Dana Bell to discuss the company’s trajectory that led to the development of their life-saving diagnostic platform using unconventional carbon nanotubes. 

AUScelerate’s Pathway to Market – Medtech Capability Uplift Program has been supporting seven market-ready Victorian medtech innovations to position themselves competitively for local health procurement opportunities. 

The recent Australian Medtech Manufacturing Alliance (AMMA) Medtech Showcase profiled Victorian-made products and innovations from 21 local manufacturers spanning surgical care and diagnostics to hospital consumables and equipment. From advanced lung imaging, a live patient monitoring system to solve pressure injury to a sophisticated AI screening tool to profile endometriosis, the lineup was impressive. 

Companies were given the opportunity to pitch to a room full of health system leaders and procurement specialists, including representatives from HealthShares Victoria, Monash Health and Western Health.

The Showcase highlighted ‘Better Health Made Here’ – and the AUScelerate Podcast was on the ground talking to companies involved about getting procurement ready, including those taking part in the Pathway to Market Program – 4D Medical’s Professor Tim O’Meara, Lenexa Medical’s Ajit Ravindran and Arelis’ Tori Fox - as well as Akeeko Medical’s Professor Joseph Ischia. 

The Pathway to Market program is an initiative of the Australian Medtech Manufacturing Alliance (AMMA), delivered by AUScelerate in partnership with BioMelbourne Network and supported by the Victorian Government. Victoria serves as the pilot state for this important, solutions-driven program, setting the foundation to drive a national agenda for medtech innovation and manufacturing, and get other states on board!

In this episode dedicated to the Australian Clinical Entrepreneur Program (AUSCEP), we meet Dr Sumedha Verma, a clinical psychologist and sleep expert, and the founder of Deep Sleep Health. It’s a new evidence-based sleep help service that brings together patient care, workforce training, and workplace solutions to reduce insomnia and improve sleep health across clinical, community and corporate settings. Taking a hybrid model of clinician-led support combined with digital programs. 

Dr Verma has been taking part in Australian Clinical Entrepreneur Program (AUSCEP) in Victoria while scaling this unique sleep service. She tells us how the program has been fundamental to her growth as a clinician entrepreneur – how meeting like-minded entrepreneurs and receiving mentorships from clinicians and commercial mentors helped her to think bigger and take risks! 

AUSCEP’s fourth cohort has been delivered in NSW and Victoria, in partnership with MTPConnect and Australian Society for Medical Entrepreneurship and Innovation (ASME) and supported by LaunchVic and NSW Agency for Clinical Innovation (ACI). 

WAGES is delivered by MTPConnect in partnership with WA-based Synergy Health Solutions and supported by the Western Australian Future Health Research and Innovation Fund.

In this episode, we meet the team behind WAGES –MTPConnect’s Dr Tracey Wilkinson (WALSIH), MTPConnect’s Dr Bahareh Badrian (WAGES Head), and Synergy Health Solutions’ Dr Graham Hall. 

They discuss the WAGES mission, how the service works and their collaborative workshops to help teams and individuals prepare funding applications. Tune in for insights on pitfalls to avoid, whether to use AI tools, and top tips on pulling together a competitive application to funding bodies. 

Visit the WAGES website to find out more and subscribe to receive information of upcoming workshops, direct to your inbox. 

It’s a first-in-class solution for both chronic and infectious respiratory conditions using super-sonic sound waves to generate ultra-fine aerosol for lung delivery of respiratory medications. While smart circuitry enables breath-triggered dosing and seamless digital integration.

Anushi joins the podcast to talk about her 15 year innovation journey from PhD findings to setting up a global team connected to San Diego with a Victorian manufacturing base, the benefits of taking part in the JP Morgan Healthcare Week in early 2026 with Global Victoria’s delegation and the connections she has forged.

We also find out about her recent trip to BIO China in Suzhou where she took part in a panel discussion alongside MTPConnect CEO Stuart Dignam about how biotech startups can navigate cross-border collaboration between China and Australia. 

View preview of the episode!

As part of MTPConnect’s support for the Australian Government’s Industry Growth Program, MTPConnect brought US regulatory expert Jeff Gibbs to Australia for a three-city tour for a seminar and workshop ‘Navigating FDA Pathways for Medical Devices’. 

Jeff is a Director at Hyman Phelps and McNamara – the largest law firm specialising in FDA issues, based in Washington DC, and brings his 40 years of expertise working with companies ranging from global manufacturers to start-ups.

Jeff joins the podcast in Melbourne to discuss the device review process, the impact of recent changes at the agency under the new administration, how to get the most from your pre-submission, hot topics like cybersecurity, decision support software, biostatistics and clinical trial design and his top tips for success. 

Jordan joins the MTPConnect podcast to discuss innovations in disability and aged care from his social business Psykinetic, where biomedical technology, AI, extended reality and robotics are applied to create inclusive technologies with positive and life-altering impact.  He shares his move from Resmed to set up his inclusive tech company Psykinetic, discusses his innovations including a mind-controlled wheelchair, and the importance of user-centred design.

We also meet Jordan’s companion robot friend, Koobo, created through inspiration from his grandmother’s experience in aged care and his lifelong love of robots. 

Check out our preview of the episode.

MTPConnect and Wholesale Investor are collaborating on a dedicated capital engagement program designed for life science companies looking for private investment. 

Wholesale Investor Co-Founder and Managing Director Steve Torso is behind one of the largest capital raising platforms in Australia, and he joins the podcast to talk about how the MTPConnect Investor Ready program can help life science companies develop an investor network, build a skill base in investor communications and avoid some of the pitfalls when engaging with investors.

He covers what to expect at our upcoming inaugural Life Science Investor Day as part of Wholesale Investor’s Emergence 2026 conference, which will bring together ASX-listed innovators, breakthrough private companies, and global investors driving the future of health, diagnostics, and therapeutics. 

To find out more about the MTPConnect Investor Ready program and to register your interest, visit our website or contact Steve Torso. There are limited places still available. 

Its RealBrain technology generates reproducible, scalable micro-tissues that mimic the complexity of the human brain. Ready to accelerate neural drug discovery – without using animal models.

From working with CSIRO’s Kickstart program, receiving a CRC-P grant with Xylo Bio, and the University of Sydney  to develop neuroplastogens to research the treatment of addiction disorders and inking a new agreement with Swiss based InSphero, Tessara Therapeutics is helping to unlock human neuroscience. 

Joining us on the MTPConnect podcast is Tessara Therapeutics CEO and Managing Director, Dr Christos Papadimitriou to tell us more about their innovation to accelerate neural drug discovery and their plans to take this technology global.

MTPConnect’s Pathway to Market – Medtech Capability Uplift Program has been supporting ten market-ready Victorian medtech manufacturers to position themselves competitively for local health procurement opportunities. 

The recent Australian Medtech Manufacturing Alliance (AMMA) Medtech Showcase profiled Victorian-made products and innovations from 25 local manufacturers spanning surgical care and diagnostics to hospital consumables and equipment. From a new nasal swab designed for children to smart bedding systems for aged care and healthcare sectors, the lineup was impressive.

The Showcase highlighted ‘Better Health Made Here’ – and the MTPConnect Podcast was on the ground talking to companies involved, including those taking part in the Pathway to Market program - Ventora Medical’s Edward Buijs,  Rhinomed’s Michael Johnson, Dentalife’s Tom Stray, Sleeptite’s Cameron van den Dungen and Certius Medical’s Tim Stewart - as well as local leaders Care Essentials’ Helen Skazas and Lindo’s Robert Gangi. 

The Pathway to Market program is an initiative of the Australian Medtech Manufacturing Alliance (AMMA), delivered by MTPConnect in partnership with BioMelbourne Network and supported by the Victorian Government. 

Applications for the 2026 Pathway to Market program will open towards the end of 2025. 

Accomplished nanotech researcher and commercialisation champion, Professor Sharath spent 16 years at RMIT University in Melbourne most recently as director of the Discovery to Device manufacturing facility. In the last two years he also co-founded healthtech startups Fragment BioTech and Lubdub AI, and is the current president of the national peak body, Science & Technology Australia.

We meet leading Australian superstars working at the intersection of space and health technologies at MTPConnect SA’s Insights Series event “What’s Your Place in Space’, celebrating Australian Space Week in Adelaide.

Australia’s first astronaut, Katherine Bennell-Pegg, Director of Space Technology at the Australian Space Agency shares her view on why space matters, and the role of astronauts on the International Space Station as scientists in space. She reveals how biotech research in space using microgravity is revolutionising pharmaceutical development and unlocking treatments for cancer here on Earth.

Aerospace medicine specialist Dr Gordon Cable from Human Aerospace, is working on a spacesuit design program, developing compression garments that "trick" the body into thinking gravity exists, with applications for burns, lymphedema and post-surgical recovery. 

Dr Richard Harvey from the ARC Centre of Excellence in Plants for Space explains how the international research consortium is engineering smart plants in space labs, that operate as programmable biological factories for biomolecule synthesis, to produce pharmaceuticals, including compounds that protect against radiation and improve cancer therapies. 

And Tiffany Sharp from Cambrian Defence and Space discusses launching medical research into space on a rocket in the Arctic circle - looking into the gut microbiome which shows how certain bacteria affecting anxiety and depression decline in microgravity, offering insights for mental health treatments.

Our CEO Stuart Dignam was on the ground to find out why people are making the trip to BIO and what the buzz is all about. 

In this episode, Stuart speaks to Brent Owens, co-founder of Ballarat-based Vitrafy Life Sciences – a company pioneering cryopreservation technology and Brent Barnes, CEO and Manager Director of Adelaide-based Clever Culture Systems - inventor of APAS Independence, an intelligent microbiology culture plate reading technology that is revolutionising pharmaceutical lab work. These Australian start-ups have established a foothold in the US and are looking to expand and navigate the new tariff regime. 

Stuart also catches up with Professor Chris Molloy from the UK’s Medicines Discovery Catapult to get his take on BIO and find out more about the BIOBridge initiative and why collaboration is key to solving the world’s health challenges. 

For the support and partnership, MTPConnect would like to thank the state governments of NSW, Victoria, Queensland, Western Australia and South Australia, and the Department of Industry, Science and Resources, Austrade, CSIRO and AusBiotech.

And thanks for the industry support from Moderna, Novartis, Australia & New Zealand, Cytiva, Sanofi, Arrotex Pharmaceuticals and Nutromics, and support for MTPConnect’s Australian delegation site visit program from CSL and Global Pharma Solutions. 

The Office of Research and Innovation (ORI) hosts the ‘Queensland Health Research Excellence Showcase’ to celebrate how translating research into practice is advancing medical research, workforce development and healthcare. 

The Showcase’s theme - Fast, Fearless and Future – is a unique opportunity for Queensland Health employees to promote their translation-ready research. 

MTPConnect partnered with ORI to deliver a research poster and pitch session for the Showcase – attracting more than 40 entries from across Queensland.

In this episode, we head to Brisbane for the Showcase event to meet some of Queensland Health’s research champions working on major healthcare challenges in mental health, kidney disease, hand therapy, pain education and diabetes-related ulcer care, to find out more about their posters – Dr Mike Trott (University of Queensland), Emma Taylor (STARS Hospital), Hannah Kennedy (Gold Coast Health), Ifeoluwapo Tokun (Townsville Hospital and Health Service) and Margie Conley (Metro South Hospital and Health Service). 

And Tammy Sovenyhazi Acting Executive Director, Queensland Health’s Office of Research and Innovation, explains what the Showcase is all about! 

NB. Findings from Dr Trott’s research were recently published internationally in a world first in The Lancet Psychiatry journal https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lanpsy/article/PIIS2215-0366(25)00129-4/abstract

The pioneering company has worked with speech pathologists and surgeons around the world to develop the world’s first smart, wearable (non-invasive), electronic voice box - the first new voice technology in forty years! It uses the power of AI and a person’s respiration signals to generate a natural-sounding voice.

In this episode, we meet Laronix co-founder siblings, CEO Dr. Farzaneh Ahmadi and Chief Operating Officer Dr. Mousa Ahmadi, who share their success story, creating a Brisbane-based manufacturing site, expanding to New York, launching their voicing devices in Australia and the US, and changing the lives of those living with a voice disability and giving hope to cancer survivors (half a million people around the world live with this condition). 

Tune into hear a Laronix voice in action! 

Dr Farzaneh Ahmadi, an expert in artificial voice research, was named as one of Australia’s top 100 Innovators in The Australian in 2024. 

Ibrahim Samaan is a senior physiotherapist and Managing Director of Purifas, an award-winning company developing and manufacturing clinically proven hygienic products for allied healthcare - like its FaceShield - now available in Australia, New Zealand, Hong Kong, Japan and the UK. 

The company is now branching out to develop a new innovation - Recyclable Single-use Hospital Bed Linen for hospitals and the aged care sector. Ibrahim shares his company’s journey and how being part of AUSCEP with like-minded innovators was important in nurturing his entrepreneurship and business acumen. 

The program’s third cohort has been delivered in NSW and Victoria, in partnership with MTPConnect and Australian Society for Medical Entrepreneurship and Innovation (ASME) and supported by LaunchVic and NSW Agency for Clinical Innovation (ACI). The next 2025/26 cohort is open for Victorian applications until 20 June 2025 – apply at auscep.au.

This episode is hosted by MTPConnect’s Caroline Duell and Elizabeth Stares.

Dr Monica Hadges is a Clinical Educator and Mental Health Therapist and founder of Mi Team Mental Health. Monica’s digital health innovation, I-CiE Mi Team, is an app for client involved e-collaboration giving consumers and families easy access to participate in clinical review dialogues about their care.

Monica shares her start-up journey which began with the findings of her PhD research, and her innovation is now ready for funding to resource further development. She explains how the regular AUSCEP Pitstop events enabled her to find the time away from her busy practice and build camaraderie with other clinicians ‘seeking solutions’. 

The program’s third cohort has been delivered in NSW and Victoria, in partnership with MTPConnect and Australian Society for Medical Entrepreneurship and Innovation (ASME) and supported by LaunchVic and NSW Agency for Clinical Innovation (ACI). The next 2025/26 cohort is open for Victorian applications until 20 June 2025 – apply at auscep.au.

This episode is hosted by MTPConnect’s Caroline Duell and Elizabeth Stares.

Dr Yagiz Aksoy is a Resident Doctor at Royal North Shore Hospital in Sydney and co-founder and Director of EosGene Therapeutics, a startup developing a pioneering light-activated gene therapy for diabetic retinopathy and macular degeneration using proprietary drug delivery technology – removing the need for painful eye injections.

Yagiz explains how taking part in AUSCEP helped him shift from being a clinician researcher to becoming a translational founder, giving him the language and tools to navigate startup strategy. And it gifted him a community of clinicians trying to solve real problems in different ways.

The program’s third cohort has been delivered in NSW and Victoria, in partnership with MTPConnect and Australian Society for Medical Entrepreneurship and Innovation (ASME) and supported by LaunchVic and NSW Agency for Clinical Innovation (ACI). The next 2025/26 cohort is open for Victorian applications until 20 June 2025 – apply at auscep.au.

This episode is hosted by MTPConnect’s Caroline Duell and Elizabeth Stares.

Elleesha King is a registered nurse and ambulance paramedic, and founder of Pulsatile Innovations, a start-up developing a medical device called Pulse Tile™ to reduce delays to CPR and defibrillation. She takes us on the journey of turning her idea into reality and explains how taking part in AUSCEP and meeting like-minded entrepreneurs has paid off in spades.  www.thepulsetile.com

The program’s third cohort has been delivered in NSW and Victoria, in partnership with MTPConnect and Australian Society for Medical Entrepreneurship and Innovation (ASME), and supported by LaunchVic and NSW Agency for Clinical Innovation (ACI). The next 2025/26 cohort is open for Victorian applications until 20 June 2025 – apply at auscep.au 

This episode is hosted by MTPConnect’s Caroline Duell and Elizabeth Stares.

Profile Media hosted a development workshop for a group of medtech startups through MTPConnect’s Clinical Translation and Commercialisation Medtech accelerator program…helping innovation companies develop a story that goes beyond complex science and is relatable to mainstream media and investors. 

Sue Papadoulis is a journalist and founder of Profile Media and joins the podcast to share some valuable insights on how start-ups can develop a compelling public profile and effectively communicate their innovation journey – taking a medical innovation from unknown to unforgettable.

Whether you're developing breakthrough medical technology or refining existing solutions, this episode delivers essential knowledge for anyone considering the US market. Subscribe to the MTP Connect podcast for more insights that will help your innovation journey from bench to bedside to global markets. 

At the 2024 MedTech Conference in Canada, MTPConnect and Medical Alley renewed an MOU to strengthen collaboration and support for Australian medtech companies looking to expand internationally.

Now, Medical Alley is launching a game-changing online training program, Medical Alley Academy, designed to help innovators move into the US market - a great opportunity for Australian companies to tap into.

Joining Caroline Duell to talk about this exciting initiative are Medical Alley CEO Roberta (Bobbie) Dresson and MTPConnect CEO Stuart Dignam.

What’s in this episode?

·       How Medical Alley is shaping the future of medtech

·       The changing trends and challenges in the US medtech ecosystem

·       All about Medical Alley’s new online Academy training 

·       Key opportunities for Australian medtech companies to expand to the U.S.

Tune in for expert insights and actionable advice for taking your medtech innovation global! 🎧✨

Exportia Australia’s Christelle Damiens, an entrepreneur and award-winning author, shared her insights in the workshop “Accessing Global Markets”. Christelle is described as the go-to person for Australian companies looking to expand into the European market and she shared her methodologies, winning strategies and key learnings from more than 20 years of business development in Europe. 

Christelle joined host Caroline Duell at the event to discuss the complexities of the European regulatory landscape, some advice on export readiness, and the value of outsourcing sales and marketing to European experts and finding the right distribution partners to help you scale. 

Advisory firm Intrinsika’s workshop, ‘Finding Your Intrinsic Value’, focused on how to reframe a company’s value beyond the financials, by identifying and maximising unique assets and pitching this value to investors.  

Intrinsika’s Brett Kensett-Smith and Michael Masterson joined host Caroline Duell at the event to discuss the importance of differentiating your company to capture investor attention and nailing a 30 second pitch. They share their list of intrinsic assets to consider including trade secrets and effective brand building and explain how cleverly navigating the patent landscape can make all the difference to companies looking to scale up.

Through clinical impact and entrepreneurship, an Australian wide network of academics, institutions, and industry partners are driving a high potential research portfolio and an education and training program with a commercialisation focus.

We talk to stroke and heart research experts Professor Geoffrey Donnan AO and Professor Jason Kovacic about the Centre’s groundbreaking work covering various pipeline projects, including BiVACOR’s Total Artificial Heart, advanced tele-robotic thrombectomy technologies and a national research clinical trials register, all aimed at improving health outcomes for Australians.

Joining host Caroline Duell is Lauren Kelly, MTPConnect’s Senior Director, Targeted Translation Research Accelerator (TTRA) for diabetes and cardiovascular disease.

It’s a 25-year quest that has taken him from a PhD at QUT, developing the device with his father in his parent’s kitchen in Queensland, to collaborating with experts around the world and expanding operations to the US on his mission to save lives.

In 2024 Daniel made history in Texas, with the first successful implantation of the titanium heart into a patient awaiting a heart transplant, as part of an FDA feasibility study. Since then, several patients have received the heart as a bridge to a heart transplant and now Australian patients will be involved in clinical studies.

MTPConnect’s Targeted Translation Research Accelerator program for diabetes and cardiovascular disease, an MRFF initiative, has supported BiVACOR ’s development of a more portable external controller to allow for long-term use with the heart.

News of BiVACOR’s innovation has spread around the world as patients have shared their story of second chances after receiving the implant. Now we hear Daniel’s story, how the TAH is designed, his inspiration and approach to innovation, collaborations with NASA and transplant surgeons around the world, his plans to expand operations in Australia and what’s next for the privately held company he has put his heart and soul into as he aims to develop the TAH as a long term device that patients can have for the rest of their lives.

Key clinicians, researchers, industry and government representatives gathered to discuss how a subscription-style funding model for new antimicrobials might be adapted to be fit-for-purpose in Australia.

It’s an idea turned into reality by the UK’s National Health Service (the NHS) after it successfully piloted a world-first subscription reimbursement model, with the goal to improve access to much needed antibiotics, and at the same time incentivize the pharmaceutical industry to develop new antibiotics to tackle superbugs. 

David Glover, Assistant Director of Medicines Analysis at NHS England joined the workshop to explain the UK model in detail.

Afterwards he had a chat with Caroline Duell for the MTPConnect Podcast about the impetus for this pioneering approach, why paying manufacturers a fixed fee for antimicrobials can boost drug development and why this UK model, which is now being expanded, benefits governments, companies and patients. 

To mark the occasion, MTPConnect’s Andrew Bowskill, Co-chair of the Australian Antimicrobial Resistance Network, AAMRNet, and Anne Harris, Managing Director of Pfizer Australia and New Zealand join host Caroline Duell to discuss new approaches to fighting superbugs. Why it needs to be tackled holistically with a ‘One Health’ approach across all sectors, including the environment, animal health and agriculture. They discuss the role of vaccines as the first line of defence, and why a new subscription-style reimbursement model in Australia will help support equitable access to new treatments and restimulate investment in antibiotics R&D to meet future needs. We also find out how the recent upgrade to Pfizer’s manufacturing facility in Melbourne is an important development in the fight against AMR.

In this podcast special from North America, our MTPConnect CEO Stuart Dignam caught up with Kylle Jordan from Destination Medical Centre at the Mayo Clinic campus in Rochester Minnesota ahead of the Medtech conference to find out more about the 20-year initiative underway to expand the hospital precinct as a global medical care destination.

Then it was on to the three-day MedTech Conference. MTPConnect signed an MoU with Medical Alley and Stuart talks with their new president and CEO Roberta Dressen about working together to foster global partnerships in health technology.

Stuart was on the ground at the Australian Pavilion and caught up with some of Australia’s medtech movers and shakers including iYarn’s Founder and CEO Lockie Cooke, University of Melbourne’s Principal Research Fellow, Optometry and Vision Sciences, A/Prof Lauren Ayton, Materia Health’s Founder, Dr Emily Zhen as well as the delegation’s major supporter, Global Victoria’s Carolin McCaffrey.   

The Team Australia delegation was supported by our major sponsor the Victorian Government, through Global Victoria and Invest Victoria, as well as support from NSW Health and AusBiotech.

Professor David Thomas, renowned for his groundbreaking work in precision oncology, is the founder and Chief Science and Strategy Officer of Omico - the Australian Genomic Cancer Medicine Centre. 

In this episode, host Caroline Duell speaks with Professor Thomas to find out more about his mission to open up new treatment options for all cancer patients using genomics, the impact of pan tumour therapies on our healthcare system, and why we need to change the way we look at cancer care and cure right now before more people die unnecessarily.

MTPConnect recently signed an MoU with Biocom California during a visit to San Diego for the 2024 BIO Convention to strengthen ties between the US and Australian life sciences sector. 

In this episode, MTPConnect CEO Stuart Dignam joins host Caroline Duell to chat with Co-founder, President and CEO of Biocom California, Joe Panetta, about the Biocom California journey that began more than thirty years ago to advocate for the Californian life science sector, one of the leading innovation hubs in the world. Joe shares his top tips for Australian companies looking to move into the US market and talks about Biocom California’s upcoming Global Life Science Partnering and Investor Conference in February 2025 in La Jolla which will provide an important avenue for companies to connect with investors. Australian biotech companies are encouraged to attend this event!

In this BIO Bites episode, hosts Caroline Duell and Stuart Dignam catch up with Australian and global companies, entrepreneurs and researchers doing business at BIO and find out what all the buzz is about at the world's largest biotech partnering event. 

We take a tour around San Diego’s ecosystem catching up with Rachel Rath from the Blue Knight Initiative at J&J Innovation’s JLABS who are supporting early-stage companies, and Dena Marrinucci from US startup Truvian Health who are working with Planet Innovation on a portable blood testing platform. At the Australian Pavilion we chat with University of Adelaide ’s Prof Mark Hutchinson on defence and the SABRE Alliance and find out how statistics and AI are adding value to the life sciences sector with Adelaide Data Science Centre’s Dr Melissa Humphries. Topelia Australia’s David Fox talks about their antiviral therapeutic targeting coronavirus infections, Bridgewest Ventures’ Saum Vahdat explains their investment in drug manufacturing in Australia and Attentive Science Australia’s Holly Stefl discusses their recent expansion into the clinical trial ecosystem in Australia. 

In this BIO Bites episode, hosts Caroline Duell and Stuart Dignam catch up with Australian and global companies, entrepreneurs and researchers doing business at BIO and find out what all the buzz is about at the world's largest biotech partnering event. 

We take you to the Australian Global VIP Networking and Business Reception held on Coronado Island, as special guest John F Crowley, BIO’s President and CEO, welcomes guests in a very inspirational way and Australia’s Minister for Industry and Science the Hon Ed Husic MP who spearheaded the delegation, makes an address to the global audience to raise Australia’s credentials as a global hub for advanced biomanufacturing and clinical trials. We take in a site visit tour around San Diego’s ecosystem and catch up with Illumina’s Dr Emma Ball about the latest in DNA sequencing technologies enabling research discovery and personalized health. And head to the Australian Pavilion to chat to Pending AI’s David Cardoso about their drug discovery platform enabled by artificial intelligence and quantum mechanics, Gelomics’ Christoph Meinert discusses their 3D cell culture technology for animal-free research and Bellberry’s Kylie Sproston discusses the lure of Australia as an attractive destination for clinical trials.

The Victorian Virtual Emergency Department-Diabetes Service will be added to the existing Victorian Virtual Emergency Department (VVED) giving patients 24/7 online video access to emergency nurses and doctors. As a world first, this new model of care will add a roster of diabetes specialists on weekend and evening shifts, when diabetes patients are most likely to present to a hospital emergency department.

Joining the podcast to talk about this new initiative is endocrinologist Professor Elif Ekinci, Director of Diabetes at Austin Health, Head of Department of Medicine at University of Melbourne, and Director of the Australian Centre for Accelerating Diabetes Innovations(ACADI). ACADI was established in 2022 through MRFF funding from the Australian Government’s Targeted Translation Research Accelerator (TTRA) program, delivered by MTPConnect.

Also joining the discussion is Northern Health’s Dr Loren Sher, an emergency specialist who led development of Australia’s first virtual emergency department model, now operating as a Victorian state-wide service. Loren has been instrumental in working with Elif to get the diabetes service up and running. 

Hosts are Caroline Duell, MTPConnect’s Director Media and Communications and Lauren Kelly, Senior Director of the TTRA program.

The not for profit was recently appointed as one of four AI Adopt Centres by the Government to provide a service for SMEs that demonstrates how data and AI can modernise business, build skills and boost productivity. ARM Hub is also leading the Australian Manufacturing Capability Network (AMCN) as an Industry Partner Organisation for the Industry Growth Program to help participating small and medium businesses bring new products and services to market.

Podcast host Caroline Duell caught up with ARM Hub’s Chief Operating Officer Samuel Jesuadian at BIO 2024 in San Diego, where MTPConnect and ARM Hub unveiled a joint accelerator to help biomedical companies harness the power of data and artificial intelligence (AI).

The Biomedical AI Sprints Accelerator will provide matched funding up to $50,000 to upskill a selected number of high growth companies in the use of AI and data analytics, provide access to affordable data management infrastructure, and create a tech-ready workforce. Find out more about the program and how to apply – EOIs close 30 July 2024.
Visit the ARM Hub website.

WA-based VitalTrace is one of the companies participating in the CTCM program and developing a groundbreaking medical device to revolutionise fetal monitoring during childbirth. The company has set up an Australian-based manufacturing facility, received FDA Breakthrough device designation and will soon start its first clinical trial with mothers and babies. 

Joining host Caroline Duell on the podcast is Dr Chuong Phan, VitalTrace’s Manufacturing Lead, to share more about the progress and translation of DelivAssure, a unique biosensor innovation.

This episode comes to you from a special medtech event held in Melbourne and hosted by MTPConnect’s CTCM program and QUT’s The BridgeTech Program. The Design to Manufacturing Tours brought together a number of medtech startups to visit some of Australia’s leading medical manufacturing operations.

Ten projects were selected as finalists and given 12 months proof of concept funding to deliver their solution on the ground in the Pilbara. With the competition ending in October, the best solution will be selected to take home the $5 million prize supported by WA government’s Future Health Research and Innovation Fund, Rio Tinto and BHP. 

To give us an update, we catch up with the WA Minister for Medical Research, the Honourable Stephen Dawson MLC and RioTinto’s Dampier Salt General Manager Operations, Laura Thomas.

Joining Caroline Duell on the podcast is co-host Dr Tracey Wilkinson, MTPConnect’s Director of Stakeholder Engagement in WA at the WA Life Sciences Innovation Hub. 

To find out more about The Challenge and the ten finalists visit the website. 

This is a research centre with a difference. Lead by Australia’s foremost heart and stroke researchers, ASHRA is aiming to transform the field of cardiovascular and stroke research in Australia by bringing a new sector-wide focus on clinical impact and entrepreneurship.

ASHRA’s Director, Professor Clara Chow in Sydney and ASHRA’s Deputy Director Professor Stephen Nicholls in Melbourne, join host Caroline Duell to discuss why a research accelerator of this kind is needed, how ASHRA’s pioneering model is bringing together a likeminded academic and clinical community to drive change, and how they are collaborating with industry to deliver improved outcomes for Australians. 

Professor Clara Chow is a distinguished cardiologist and clinical researcher, Professor of Medicine at the University of Sydney and serves as the Academic Director of the Westmead Applied Research Centre.

Professor Stephen Nicholls is a world-renowned cardiologist, inaugural Director of the Victorian Heart Institute and a Professor of Cardiology at Monash University. He also leads the Victorian Heart Hospital (VHH) - Australia's first dedicated heart hospital.

This is the first episode in series on ASHRA. 

A new discussion paper from MTPConnect, ‘From Mines to Medicines. Australia’s Radiopharmaceuticals Future’ reveals how Australia is ready to play a leading role in the rise of the global radiopharmaceutical industry, as advanced therapies drive significant investment and rapid expansion. South Australia is identified as the ideal location to lead the development of Australia’s radiopharmaceuticals future, with end-to-end capabilities – from unique mining assets and a robust research ecosystem through to cutting-edge clinical services and specialised workforce. 

In this feature length episode, hosts Caroline Duell and Dana Bell, MTPConnect’s Partnerships Director South Australia, speak to experts in South Australia along the supply chain - from mines to medicines including: 

• UniSAs Professor Eva Bezak, Deputy Director of the Australian Research Council’s Industrial Transformation Training Centre (ITTC) for Radiation Innovation (Time code: 10.32) on researching new radiopharmaceuticals and building a highly skilled workforce to scale up,  

• SAHMRI’s Chady Barkil, Director, Molecular Imaging and Therapy Research Unit (MITRU) (Time code: 35.43) on manufacturing nuclear medicines and the supply chain challenges,

• EntX's Dr Massey de Los Reyes, Principal Scientist and Facilities Manager, on developing technology to transform mining waste into medical isotope production (at Time code: 57.36),

• Novartis ANZ’s Matt Zeller, Country President (Time code: 1.17.03) on how the company is reimagining cancer care with its precision nuclear medicine pipeline,

• Artesian’s Stephanie Morris, Investment Manager (Time code: 1.36.02) discusses the investment activity and interest in the growing radiopharmaceuticals market and,

• Department for Industry, Innovation and Science’s Dr Judy Halliday, Director Innovation and Entrepreneurship (Time code: 1.48.06) outlines South Australia’s strengths as a first mover to unlock the radiopharmaceutical industry opportunity. 

CEO and Managing Director Dr Liz Dallimore joins hosts Caroline Duell and WA Life Sciences Innovation Hub Director, Dr Tracey Wilkinson, to discuss the company’s journey from research institute spinout, working with the US FDA, the benefits of conducting clinical trials in Australia, the challenges of raising capital, and why she is passionate about representing the biotech sector on various boards.

This episode takes you to the event at the University of Adelaide, where our host Jo Close, Director for the Adelaide Intermediary Program, chats to six distinguished leaders, each representing national funding programs that drive Australia's healthtech innovations including AusIndustry’s David Luchetti, CRC-P Manager Martin Dent, Medical Research Future Fund’s Tracey Laba, National Reconstruction Fund’s Rebecca Manen, Cooperative Research Australia’s Jane O’Dwyer, and Thomas Ting from Australia’s Economic Accelerator.

Listen in to find out how to align an innovation with the right funding program and pick up some tips for making successful applications. 

In this episode, host Caroline Duell meets some of these Australian trailblazers - Eudaemon Technologies, CathRx, Ventora Medical, LBT Innovations, and 4DMedical, to find out more about their innovations and how the CTCM program is supporting their commercialisation journeys.

You will hear about a next generation hydrogel condom for better contraception and sexual health; a new ablation catheter for treating atrial fibrillation; a contrast-free combined air flow and blood flow 4D lung function scanner; a more accurate airway pressure monitor to detect respiratory distress in newborn babies on breathing support systems; and a compact platform technology to speed up microbiology workflow.

The CTCM program, delivered by MTPConnect, is made possible by the Medical Research Future Fund.

Since 2021, the GRP program has been opening doors for PhD science graduates and post-doctoral research academics who are interested in pursuing careers in the vaccines and pharmaceutical industry. 

As the program draws to a close, we take you to GSK’s Australian headquarters in Abbotsford, to find out more about the career-changing impact of the GSK Graduate Researcher Program (GRP) on the participants and the GSK team. 

Hear from GSK Specialty Care Business Unit Director Katrina Vanin, GSK Health Economic Lead Simon Barnfather, GSK Director of Clinical Research Carrie Bloomfield, ViiV Clinical Support Specialist Amy Dearsley, and GSK Australia’s Head of Communications Angela Hill.

For anyone thinking of moving from research/academia to the pharmaceutical industry this 2-part series is for you. We draw the curtain to find out what sort of career roles are available, discuss career satisfaction and get some tips from those who have made the move. 

MTPConnect’s REDI initiative is made possible by the Medical Research Future Fund.

Since 2021, the GRP program has been opening doors for PhD science graduates and post-doctoral research academics who are interested in pursuing careers in the vaccines and pharmaceutical industry. 

As the program draws to a close, we take you to GSK’s Australian headquarters in Abbotsford, to find out more about the career-changing impact of the GSK Graduate Researcher Program (GRP) on the participants and the GSK team. 

Hear from MTPConnect’s REDI Director Jarrod Belcher, GSK Medical Manager – Oncology and GRP Lead, Dr Niamh Mangan, GSK Associate Brand Manager Dr Terence Tieu and GRP interns Dr Niloufar Ansari (Medical Affairs Specialty Care – Oncology), and Dr James Cooney (New Products Specialty)

For anyone thinking of moving from research/academia to the pharmaceutical industry this 2-part series is for you. We draw the curtain to find out what sort of career roles are available, discuss career satisfaction and get some tips from those who have made the move. 

MTPConnect’s REDI initiative is made possible by the Medical Research Future Fund.

In this podcast special from Los Angeles, our CEO Stuart Dignam was with the delegation when he caught up with US medtech movers and shakers to gain some insights into how to crack the world’s largest medical technology market. Tune in to hear from Edwards Lifesciences’ Dr Farzad Azimpour, Scalehealth’s Chris Spearman, BioscienceLA’s Dave Whelan, Peptilogics’ Dr Nick Pachuda and Medical Alley’s Kylle Jordan. Stuart also connected with two Australians now based in the US – BiVACOR’s Founder and CTO Dr Daniel Timms who is developing a total artificial heart at the company’s manufacturing and R&D site in California, and Stryker’s Vice President and General Manager ENT Business Unit, Kate Stewart who is now based in Minnesota. They shared their tips on doing business in the US, leveraging technology and scaling up innovations for global markets.

The Team Australia delegation was backed by Austrade and our partners, Global Victoria, Trade and Investment Queensland, Invest and Trade WA. 

Effective antibiotics underpin modern medicine and yet, it takes just two to three years for new antimicrobial medicines to become ineffective against superbugs. Worryingly, the innovation pipeline for new antibiotics is stagnating. 

An estimated 10 million people globally will die each year by 2050 from infections that can be readily treated today.

To mark this year’s World Antimicrobial Awareness Week, MTPConnect and its Australian Antimicrobial Resistance Network (AAMRNet), has launched the second of its Fighting Superbugs reports, Fighting Superbugs: Ensuring Australia is Ready to Combat the Rise of Drug Resistant Infections, prepared in response to the Australian Parliament’s report, The New Frontier – Delivering better health for all Australians.

The independent report developed by Evohealth presents nine recommendations, urging immediate action to enhance the availability of new antibiotics and equip the Australian healthcare system to fight the superbug pandemic.

Hosts Caroline Duell and MTPConnect’s Andrew Bowskill co-chair of the AAMRNet discuss AMR with two of the reports’ authors - Former Chair of the Pharmaceutical Benefits Advisory Committee Emeritus Professor Lloyd Sansom, a renowned pharmacy academic, policy advisor and researcher and Renae Beardmore, Founder and Managing Director of specialist health advisory firm Evohealth and former Chief Pharmacist for the ACT. You can find the report on MTPConnect’s website.

The idea of connecting researchers with industry is critical for the growth of Australia’s medical products sector and so far, 49 Fellows have been selected for industry placements, some with multinational companies, spearheading global collaborations and connections. 

One of those Fellows is Mark Taylor, Professor of Biomedical Engineering from the Medical Device Research Institute, at Flinders University in Adelaide whose work involves computational-based orthopaedic biomechanics to improve surgical planning and healthcare outcomes. 

Mark tells us about his REDI Fellowship with Synopsys Northern Europe, part of US-based Synopsys, a world leader in electronic design software, and how working with the Synopsys Simpleware team increased his skills in orthopaedic production development and software commercialisation, primarily through an in silico clinical trials platform. Find out how the experience has changed his mindset and research focus, and why he believes more research academics need an ‘industry buddy’.

Hosts are Caroline Duell, MTPConnect’s Director Media and Communications and Jo Close, MTPConnect’s Director, Adelaide Intermediary Program.

We catch up with Sanofi’s Chief Technology Officer and Global Head of Research and Biomarkers at the mRNA Center of Excellence Frank DeRosa, and Sanofi’s Global Head of Vaccine Research and Development Dr Jean-Francois Toussaint. 

As part of Sanofi’s global research and development network, the Hub will initially focus on the evaluation of a new generation of mRNA vaccines, the development of a world-first chlamydia vaccine, building Australian biomanufacturing capabilities in Brisbane and connecting into the biomedical ecosystem.

Founders, CEOs, board executives and managers gathered to discuss the opportunities and challenges faced by women in the biotech industry in a changing global market.

The seminar, supported by Sanofi, showcased inspiring stories, insights and advice from trailblazing leaders and we caught up with two of the guest speakers, Dr Iris Depaz from Sanofi, and Sibylle Hauser from California Life Sciences, about their career trajectories and what Women’s Leadership means to them. 

With a powerful #TeamAustralia focus and a 430-strong delegation from Australia, BIO2023 was literally the biggest and best to date with over 20,000 attendees from 73 countries.

In part one of this BIO episode, host Caroline Duell heads to the Australian Pavilion at the Boston Convention Centre to catch up with Australian companies, entrepreneurs and researchers looking to do business at BIO and drive collaborations, partnerships and investments. 

You will hear from Australia’s Chief Scientist Dr Cathy Foley AO PSM, Deputy Premier of Queensland Hon Dr Steven Miles MP, Dimerix CEO Dr Nina Webster, Garvan Institute’s Dr Deborah Burnet, CSIRO’s Dr Erica Kneipp, St Vincent’s Hospital’s Dr Megan Robertson, Rhythm Biosciences’ Elena Deak, University of SA’s Professor Marnie Hughes-Warrington AO, Phage Australia’s Dr Ruby Lin, Vaxxas’ David L. Hoey, Uniquest’s Dr Tamsin Terry, Uniquest’s Queensland Emory Drug Discovery Initiative Laura Kearney, Bentleys R&D’s Mike Burfield and Clinials’ Maree Beare.

They have created an ultrasound-powered imaging robot and software platform — to automatically take fast and consistent 3D scans, to supercharge the diagnostic power of vascular clinicians, with the simple push of a button.

The company has secured funding through Blackbird Ventures and are travelling between Australia and the US developing their production prototype and working with dialysis patients and clinicians to refine their technology.

Their breakthrough bionic vision system was funded initially through MTPConnect’s BioMedTech Horizons program (see podcast episode 124) and now with support from the Clinical Translation and Commercialisation Medtech program, the company is gearing up for a clinical trial.

ARIA Research’s Co-Founder and CEO, Robert Yearsley, Program Director Dr Neesam Jeffers, and Research Coordinator Dr Lil Deverell join the podcast to talk about co-design practices, clinical trial planning, building a new Human Augmentation Laboratory (HAL) which will open soon in Sydney, and offer tips for medtech startups about commercialisation and the benefits of MRFF funding. 

But positioning the catheter tip can be challenging and if not done correctly, can lead to dangerous complications for children who are already critically ill.  

Navi Medical Technologies is developing the Neonav, an ECG tip location system to help guide clinicians during insertion of a central line, to get it right the first time and then to check it doesn’t move. 

Navi’s ‘smart catheter’ was recently granted Breakthrough Device Designation by the FDA in mid-December 2022; and the company was awarded funding in MTPConnect’s Clinical Translation and Commercialisation Medtech Program. And further clinical trials are due to start soon.

Navi’s Co-founders, CEO Alex Newton and Co-CFO Brad Bergmann, join host Caroline Duell to discuss how the idea of neonatologist Dr Christiane Theda has become a reality, the benefits of the FDA’s medical device programs and tips on how to successfully grow a start-up and attract funding support. 

Cardihab is a digital health company focused on improving cardiac rehabilitation who was selected to take part in ANDHealth + in 2021. We find out from CEO Helen Souris all about the benefits of securing this funding and commercialisation support and her tips for digital health innovators thinking of applying.  Cardihab was also awarded funding through MTPConnect’s Targeted Translation Research Accelerator for Diabetes and Cardiovascular disease to develop their digital health therapeutic for heart failure. ANDHealth is a TTRA partner and has been supporting Cardihab with mentoring and commercialisation advice.

Hosts are Caroline Duell, MTPConnect’s Director Media and Communications and Dr Mana Liao, MTPConnect’s Acting Senior Director, TTRA Program.

Apply for ANDHealth + by 18 June 2023 at the ANDHealth website.

MTPConnect has played a role in establishing the SABRE Alliance and in March 2023, the ‘Advancing the SABRE Alliance’ workshop was held in Canberra, as part of the ‘Science Meets Parliament’ program. Our podcast host Caroline Duell was at the event to find out about the initiative and how the sector can get involved. We hear from SABRE Alliance Co- Chairs, Dr Peter Shoubridge (DSTG) and Professor Mark Hutchinson (STA), who explain the origins and purpose of the SABRE Alliance. SABRE Committee members Sue MacLeman, Professor Emily Hilder (DSTG), Dr Leigh Farrell (DMTC) and Major Ricky Schmidt talk about the importance of industry, science and researchers coming together to solve Defence’s most pressing needs. We also hear from industry and science representatives, UQ’s Professor Trent Munro from Microba, Professor Jia-Yee Lee from the University of Melbourne, Paul Davies from Abbott and Dr Andy Shepherd from CSIRO. 

We connect with BellaSeno’s Co-Founder & Chief Executive Officer Dr Mohit Chhaya and Chief Medical Officer Dr Tobias Grossner in Germany, to discuss their ground-breaking 3D printing technology that aims to restore breast tissue. In a global collaboration, their team has been working with Queensland’s Herston Biofabrication Institute. 

And Brisbane breast surgeon and Director of the Comprehensive Breast Cancer Institute, Professor Owen Ung, shares a clinicians view on the importance of this innovation for patients. Professor Ung is a principal investigator for a trial which began recently in Queensland.

MTPConnect hosts are Caroline Duell, Director Media and Communications and Andrew Bowskill, Director of Stakeholder Engagement for Queensland.

Jaala chats with host Caroline Duell about her ministerial achievements, how COVID-19 has refocused our efforts on sovereign innovation and manufacturing, and how she hopes to build on MTPConnect’s seven years of success and help more Australian innovative medical products make it to patients.

The translation of knowledge and evidence into practice is challenging, and thoughtful and systematic implementation into healthcare systems and communities is key for new products and innovations to be effective, acceptable and sustainable. In this podcast, you will hear from Professor Gillian Harvey, Strength Lead, Implementation at the Australian Centre for Health Services Innovation (AusHSI) and Professor Ray Mahoney, Professor of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health and Discipline Lead for Population Health, Flinders University and Visiting Scientist, Australian eHealth Research Centre (AeHRC), CSIRO. They explore the general principles of Implementation Science, and what it looks like in practice with examples within Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health research. Applications for the Round 3 funding opportunity close 28 April 2023.

In this episode, we meet the Hungarian born, US scientist Dr Katalin Karikó. It’s her research, along with collaborator, Dr Drew Weissman from the University of Pennsylvania, that gave the world the Moderna and Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccines. 

Dr Karikó is one of the key participants in this year’s ‘Science Meets Parliament’ conference, delivered by Science and Technology Australia (STA).

She is joined by STA’s Chief Executive, Mischa Schubert, for a fireside chat on International Women’s Day.

MTPConnect is again partnering with STA for the ‘Science Meets Parliament’ National Press Club Address later this month, which will be delivered by Industry and Science Minister Ed Husic. 

To develop this Indigenous-specific round, MTPConnect has partnered with the Lowitja Institute to lead the priority setting and ensure the voices of Indigenous communities have been centred in every aspect of the process to determine the health priority areas that will receive research funding. 

To find out more about the application process, project eligibility and selection criteria, listen in to this TTRA Information Session to hear  from MTPConnect's TTRA team – Dr Mana Liao, Dr Erin McAllum and Dr Andionne Parlade, and Lowitja Institute’s Dr Michelle Kennedy, NACCHO’s Christopher Lee, Diabetes Australia’s Deanne Minniecon and AusHSI’s Megan Campbell.  Applications close 28 April 2023.

Lisa Suennen is a US-based entrepreneur and industry advisor. After thirty years in healthcare and seeing little progress in efficiency and optimisation of care, she moved into the digital health space, working as a venture capital investor, speaker and writer. 

Lisa visited Australia recently in her role as Chair of ANDHealth’s Digital Health Investment Advisory Committee. ANDHealth is Australia’s leader provider of accelerator, incubator and commercialisation programs helping to scale digital health technology companies. MTPConnect works closely with ANDHealth through the REDI initiative and the TTRA and CTCM programs.

Lisa joins host Caroline Duell to discuss her views on the development of the Digital Health sector, sharing her expertise as both an investor and advisor.

https://venturevalkyrie.com/

The test was launched in the US in 2022, after Minomic was the first to sign up to the 20/20 GeneSystems’ Clinical Lab Innovation Axcellerator (CLIAx) - providing a ‘soft landing’ to help diagnostic test innovators worldwide to substantially reduce the time and cost of launching their tests in the U.S. 

Minomic CEO and Managing Director Dr Brad Walsh joins MTPConnect host Caroline Duell from Sydney to talk about the company’s commercialisation journey and how it launched into the US market after working with urologists around the world during COVID-19. Minomic received funding through Federal Government’s Modern Manufacturing Initiative and is working with Sonic Healthcare to make the test available in Australia. 

In anticipation of the round, MTPConnect hosted a webinar to highlight key elements of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health research to consider when building research projects and teams.

You will hear from three leading Indigenous researchers, all dedicated to ensuring that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health research is conducted by community, for community with a long-lasting impact on health and wellbeing, including Professor Alex Brown, Professor of Indigenous Genomics, The Australian National University and Telethon Kids Institute, Dr Michelle Kennedy, Executive Manager of Research and Knowledge Translation, Lowitja Institute, and Ray Kelly, Accredited Exercise Physiologist/Researcher and creator of ‘Too Deadly for Diabetes’.

Bugworks’ Co-founder and Chief Executive Officer, Dr Anand Anandkumar, joins the podcast from Bangalore, India to talk about the challenges of developing new antimicrobials, the boost from CARB-X accelerator that is keeping their lights on, and why push and pull incentives are vital for innovation. Dr Anandkumar reveals why the company chose Adelaide in South Australia as the site for the first-in-human Phase 1 clinical trial of one of two antibacterial agents in development. And we pose the question – does Australia need a CARB-X style accelerator to supercharge its efforts to curb AMR?

Joining host Caroline Duell is Andrew Bowskill, MTPConnect’s Director of Stakeholder Engagement for Queensland and co-chair of the Australian Antimicrobial Resistance Network (AAMRNet), established by MTPConnect as Australia’s first multi-stakeholder expert group formed to address the impact of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) on human health. AAMRNet, in conjunction with CSIRO, recently released the ‘Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR) Impact Report: How big is Australia's AMR threat?, which reviews gaps in our data collection methods to find out how many people are dying from drug-resistant infections in Australia. 

With the creation of the unmissable Australian Pavilion exhibit and a top-level visit program of keynotes and networking events, the mission was supported by Austrade and state partners Global Victoria, Invest & Trade Western Australia, NSW Health, Trade and Investment Queensland and the Government of South Australia.

In the second of this two-part special, MTPConnect’s CEO Stuart Dignam chats to Medical Alley Association’s Vice President of Intelligence Frank Jaskulke ahead of signing an MoU. The agreement will build on an already strong relationship and help support Australian medtech companies and start-ups seeking access to the US Market. Stuart also catches up with some Team Australia delegates making connections in Boston, including, CSIRO’s Dr Dharmini Robertson, Singular Health’s Martina Mariano, IDE Group’s Leah Trend, Crow Clinical’s Julie Hicks and Julie Von Grom, WearOptimo’s Nicolas Gikakis, Virtetic’s Dr Ricardo Garcia Rosas, Customa’s Dr Guan Tay, Ferranova’s Stewart Bartlett, Datawre’s Dr Stephanie Chausis and Mobius Medical’ s Stefan Czyniewski.

With the creation of the unmissable Australian Pavilion exhibit and a top-level visit program of keynotes and networking events, the mission was supported by Austrade and state partners Global Victoria, Invest & Trade Western Australia, NSW Health, Trade and Investment Queensland and the Government of South Australia.

In this first episode of our two-part special, MTPConnect CEO Stuart Dignam chats to Rachel Rath, Director of the BARDA Alliance for Johnson & Johnson Innovation after Team Australia toured the JLABS life science and healthcare incubator, the newest in J&Js worldwide stable of facilities. He also catches up with Australian cardiologist, Professor Ian Meredith, Executive Vice President and Global Chief Medical Officer from Boston Scientific, Caroline McCaffrey, Director of Investment & Trade at Global Vic and some Team Australia delegates including, iishield’s Dr Jeremy Kwarcinski, Hydrix’s Peter Lewis, Design and Industry’s Adam Donath, Cortical Dynamics’ Ashley Zimpel and Jay-Nik's Clare Brown.

One of the company’s that reached out to CSIRO was WA-based Singular Health - an ASX-listed medical technology company improving patient education & enabling patient-specific surgeries through their innovative technology converting 2D medical images such as CT, MRI and PET scans into 3D/VR scans using artificial intelligence (AI). 

Dr Megan Sebben, CSIRO’s Kick-Start Program Manager, joins the podcast to tell us how startups can apply to the program. And Singular Health’s Chief Operating Officer James Hill talks us through the company’s journey using the Kick-Start Program twice, working with CSIRO’s Data61 Team to leverage their expertise on AI, innovate manufacturing processes, and build on their software design. 

Also joining host Caroline Duell is Dr Tracey Wilkinson, MTPConnect’s Director of Stakeholder Engagement Western Australia. 

A number of partners - high profile scientists and physicians - are lending their expertise to the project, including world renowned burns surgeon Professor Fiona Wood, and leading bioprinting researcher, Professor Gordon Wallace. The partnership will endeavour to print a patient's own cells, embedded in an optimised matrix material, directly onto a wound site to accelerate and improve healing after skin injury.

The project was awarded $1M through our BioMedTech Horizons program, an initiative of the Medical Research Future Fund.  

MTPConnect hosts Caroline Duell and Elizabeth Stares chat to Inventia Life Science’s CEO Dr Julio Ribeiro and CTO Dr Aidan O'Mahony about their expanding company, new manufacturing premises, an upcoming clinical trial in 2023 and nomination for a KUKA Innovation Award 2022.  

Three years on and a COVID-19 pandemic later and the program is now moving to completion. To celebrate this milestone, we brought together the 21 funded projects and our venture and education partners, Biocurate, UniQuest, Medical Device Partnering Program and the Bridge and BridgeTech programs, for the BTB Finale event at Luna Park in Sydney. 

In part two of this episode, hosts Caroline Duell and Dr Duncan Macinnis walk the floor catching up with awardees and partners. We hear from Dr Alison Thistlethwaite from Melbourne-based biotech MycRx - developing first-in-class small molecule inhibitors of the Myc oncoprotein as safe and effective treatments for cancer. Dr Jeremy Paull from Melbourne biotech Starpharma talks about how the funding supported the development of their anti-viral nasal spray, Viraleze™  within 12 months which is now registered for sale in more than 30 countries. And venture partners Dr Mark Ashton from Uniquest, the Biocurate team of Linda Peterson, Dr Tifelle Reisinge and Dr Eric Hayes, and BridgeTech’s Professor Lyn Griffiths explains how they bring their expertise in commercialisation to assist BTB projects reach commercialisation stage. 

Three years on and a COVID-19 pandemic later and the program is now moving to completion. To celebrate this milestone, we brought together the 21 funded projects and our venture and education partners, Biocurate, UniQuest, Medical Device Partnering Program and the Bridge and BridgeTech programs, for the BTB Finale event at Luna Park in Sydney. 

In part one of this episode, hosts Caroline Duell and Dr Duncan Macinnis walk the floor catching up with awardees, guests and partners including MTPConnect Chair Sue MacLeman, NSW Parliamentary Secretary for Science, Innovation and Technology Robyn Preston MP. You will hear from some of the team - Prof Jason Monty, Samantha Bates and Kevin - behind the Medihood McMonty, a patient isolation hood developed to protect healthcare workers from COVID-19 now being used in hospitals in Australia and internationally. The BTB program’s support and funding helped move the medical device from research to market. And Dr Andrew Milligan from the Medical Device Partnering Program explains how they provide expertise and guidance to projects like the Medihood to boost the chances of commercial success. 

Operations Director Megan Campbell joins the podcast to discuss how AusHSI’s research and implementation science is improving health services and patient outcomes. Megan gives an update on ‘Cardiac Month’ held in August highlighting how AusHSI’s Cardiac Health Services is addressing the burden of CVD.

Megan explains how the Centre is supporting LISTEN, a TTRA – funded research project led by Deakin University’s Australian Centre for Behavioural Research in Diabetes, aiming to be the world’s first national helpline providing mental health support via telehealth for adults with diabetes and cardiovascular disease. 

MTPConnect’s Dr Mana Liao, Acting Senior Director of the Targeted Translation Research Accelerator (TTRA) program discusses the importance of working with AusHSI and flags that the third funding round of TTRA research projects will focus on indigenous communities, once priorities are set with guidance from the Lowitja Institute in a newly announced partnership 

Her work in vaccinology, public health and infectious diseases at the University of Adelaide’s Robinson Research Institute has focused on protecting babies and children from Meningococcal disease. 

She led the world’s largest meningococcal B vaccine study in South Australia, B Part of It, to investigate whether the vaccine could not only protect against the disease but also reduce spread, particularly in infants and young people. 

Professor Marshall joins us on the podcast to discuss how she got this game-changing meningococcal study off the ground in partnership with GSK Australia and reveals the study’s outcome, which has influenced immunisation programs globally.

She also shares her plans for her new role as the first Clinical Research Director at the Women’s and Children’s Health Network in Adelaide, her work with COVID-19 vaccine roll-outs in SA and nationally, and how she is visiting schools as the recently announced South Australia Australian of the Year to inspire young people to make a difference. 

Also joining Caroline Duell on the podcast is Jo Close, MTPConnect’s Director of the Adelaide Intermediary Program which works with Adelaide BioMed City to grow South Australia’s health and medical industry sector.

CARB-X (Combating Antibiotic-Resistant Bacteria Biopharmaceutical Accelerator) is a global non-profit partnership focused on supporting antibacterial research, based at Boston University. On a visit to Australia, CARB-X Chief Scientific Officer Dr Richard Alm (originally from Adelaide) joins the podcast to discuss the threat of antimicrobial resistance, the need to take a ‘village approach’ to develop new life-saving antimicrobial treatments, why it’s time for an AMR accelerator in Australia and tips for Australian start-ups & researchers on applying for future CARB-X funding rounds!

Richard also shares his journey, joining CARB-X following almost 20 years working in drug discovery in the pharmaceutical and biotech industry. Prior to joining industry, as a microbiologist from the University of Adelaide he undertook postdoctoral studies in the AMR area, in Australia and Canada. 

Also joining Caroline Duell on the podcast is Andrew Bowskill, MTPConnect’s Director of Stakeholder Engagement Queensland and co-chair of AAMRNet – Australia’s Antimicrobial Resistance Network, a multi-stakeholder expert group formed to address the impact of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) on human health.

To tell us more about the project, we are joined by Lead Investigator Professor Jamie Triccas from the University of Sydney Institute for Infectious Diseases and the Charles Perkins Centre.

After spending his career researching new vaccines and treatments for tuberculosis, the world’s most deadly infectious disease, Professor Triccas has pivoted his knowledge of the body’s immune responses to new vaccines, to play a part in Australia’s scientific efforts to counter SARS-CoV-2 viruses. 

Professor Triccas details the benefits of collaborating with international partners - Bharat Biotech International (India) and ExcellGene SA (Switzerland) and how the vaccine, if successful, could  contribute to the long-term control of the virus and pave the way for vaccine development for other pathogens. 

Joining us on the podcast is Duncan Macinnis, MTPConnect’s Director of Stakeholder Engagement NSW and ACT. 

Melbourne-based medtech company Nirtek, is using laser technology discovered at the Baker Heart and Diabetes Institute, to develop the first intra-coronary guidewire device for the detection of unstable plaque to prevent heart attacks and save lives. Nirtek’s device has been awarded funding through MTPConnect’s Targeted Translation Research Accelerator program for Diabetes & Cardiovascular Disease, made possible by the Medical Research Future Fund.

MTPConnect hosts Caroline Duell and Lauren Kelly, Senior Director of the TTRA Program are joined by Nirtek’s CEO Matthew Hoskin, who shares the challenges of their medtech journey as the company prepares for a capital raise and works towards creating a prototype for clinical trials. Matthew also explains the value of the support provided by the Medical Device Partnering Program (MDPP), a TTRA venture partner, and MDPP’s Olivia White joins the discussion.

Melbourne-based Dimerix Bioscience is a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company investigating a new treatment for respiratory complications as a result of COVID 19 – which was selected for inclusion in the global WHO-endorsed clinical study REMAP-CAP investigating community-acquired pneumonia.

Through MTPConnect’s Biomedical Translation Bridge (BTB) Program, Dimerix was awarded $1 million in MRFF-funding for this COVID-19 related project. 

MTPConnect host Caroline Duell catches up with Dr Robert Shepherd, Research & Development Director at Dimerix Bioscience to find out more about this potential new treatment, the benefits and challenges of being part of a unique adaptive clinical trial program and how they managed to manufacture doses for the trial during the pandemic. https://dimerix.com/

Uniquest is a Venture Partner in the BTB Program, and Cecile Francis, Uniquest’s BTB Program Project Manager joins the discussion.  https://uniquest.com.au/

MTPConnect co-hosts Caroline Duell and Dr Duncan Macinnis, Director Stakeholder Engagement for NSW and ACT, look into the unique Health 10X Accelerator delivered by the George Institute of Global Health and UNSW Founders, which is supported by our REDI initiative. Dina Titkova, the Health 10x program Manager at UNSW Founders, explains how and why companies should apply for the 2022 program by 15 May 2022.

And we meet Sam van Bohemen, co-founder and CEO at Nuroflux, a Sydney-based start- up developing a portable, digital device for continuous monitoring of brain activity to revolutionise stroke patient care. Nuroflux took part in Health 10X, and is about to kick off their pre-seed raise to fund the development of their clinical program for device registration.
https://nuroflux.com/

Applications close 15 May 2022.  For more information about Health 10x Accelerator program and to apply: https://unswfounders.com/health10x-accelerator

ARIA has been developed in collaboration with University of Sydney, University of Technology Sydney, Blind Citizens Australia and World Access for the Blind Australia. MTPConnect is supporting ARIA's research to develop a prototype of the glasses for clinical trials through the BioMedtech Horizons program. 

Co-hosts Caroline Duell and Dr Gerard Gibbs check in with Robert on ARIA’s progress towards clinical trials and find out why the device could be a game changer for 338 million people worldwide who live with visual impairment. Check out ARIA’s website: https://ariaresearch.com.au/

The podcast was recorded in Canberra where MTPConnect was supporting Science and Technology Australia’s Science Meets Parliament event and the National Press Club Address by Professor Mark Hutchinson.

The CTCM program can provide between $250,000 and $1.5 million to SMEs to support early clinical development of medical devices with commercial potential. The first funding round of our CTCM program is  open for applications until 11 March 2022. If you missed the Information Session webinar, listen to it here to see if your company is eligible for funding support. 

Hear from MTPConnect's Dr Duncan Macinnis, MTAA's Ian Burgess, MDPP's Dr Andrew Milligan and Cicada Innovation's Dr Dharmica Mistry on applying for funds to develop medical devices.

The consortium behind this innovation, which has just been granted a Breakthrough Device designation from the US FDA, includes Bionic Vision Technologies, the Centre for Eye Research Australia, the Bionics Institute, CSIRO’s Data61 and the University of Melbourne.

Dr Ash Attia, the CEO of Bionic Vision Technologies and Associate Professor Penelope Allen, a Principal Investigator at the Centre for Eye Research Australia join the podcast to discuss the importance of the bionic eye breakthrough.

MTPConnect co-hosts are Caroline Duell and Dr Gerard Gibbs, Senior Director of our BioMedTech Horizons program which is providing $1 million of MRFF funding to support this project. 

The podcast visits Western Australia to find out how new technology like Artificial Intelligence is being used to improve healthcare for Indigenous Australians and those living in remote communities.

Cliniface is delivering the world’s first 3D photo library of Aboriginal and Torres Straight Islander peoples, an innovative medical resource that could improve diagnosis of rare and genetic diseases particularly in children.

And Lyfe Languages is translating complex medical terminology into traditional languages to better bridge the language barriers experienced by many Indigenous communities, in Australia and internationally.

Hosts Caroline Duell and Dr Tracey Wilkinson, MTPConnect's Director of Stakeholder Engagement for WA, meet the driving forces behind these projects. 

Dr Gareth Baynam is a Clinical Geneticist specialising in rare diseases and Head of the Western Australian Register of Developmental Anomalies. Gareth founded Project Y, Cliniface and Lyfe Languages and is passionate about the use of technology to improve the lives of people with rare diseases and address health inequality. Yarlalu Thomas is a medical student and a Precision Public Health Fellow in Genetic and Rare Diseases who is currently working on the Cliniface project and managing the Lyfe Languages program he co-founded with Gareth. Yarlalu is a Nyangumarta Pitjikarli man from the Pilbara Desert who was recognised as the Young West Australian of the Year in 2020. Both Yaralalu and Gareth are based at the King Edward Memorial Hospital in Subiaco, WA.  www.projecty.info

In this episode, hosts Caroline Duell and Dr Rebecca Tunstall, MTPConnect’s Senior Director of Stakeholder Engagement, catch up with BiomeBank, a company out of South Australia. As Australia's first public stool bank and a microbial therapeutics company, it is pioneering new treatments for debilitating bowel conditions.

Biomebank Chief Executive Officer Thomas Mitchell, who has worked with key microbiome biotech companies in US and UK, discusses microbiome science – a hot spot in biotechnology right now. The Company currently supplies hospitals with FMT (feacal transplants) to treat patients with hard-to-treat gut infection C. difficile, and is involved with clinical trials treating constipation symptoms linked to Parkinson’s Disease. 

We cover BiomeBank’s pipeline of second-generation microbial therapies, setting up Australia’s first GMP facility for the manufacturing of microbial therapies and how the company is collaborating with groups around Australia to improve treatments for patients with unmet needs. 

In this episode we catch up with Recce Pharmaceuticals, a company out of Western Australia that is pioneering the development and commercialisation of a new class of synthetic anti-infectives designed to overcome resistance. Its lead compound is the only synthetic polymer and sepsis drug candidate in development, as listed in the Pew Charitable Trusts Global New Antibiotics in Development Pipeline and has been awarded the US regulator’s Fast Track Designation under the GAIN Act.

Recce Pharmaceuticals’ Chief Executive Officer James Graham, joins the podcast from the United States after attending the World Antimicrobial Resistance Congress in Washington DC.

Joining host Caroline Duell is Andrew Bowskill, MTPConnect’s Director of Stakeholder Engagement for Queensland and the co-chair of AAMRNet, Australia’s first industry led, multi-stakeholder Antimicrobial Resistance Network, established and operated by MTPConnect.

In this episode, we catch up with LBT Innovations, a groundbreaking South Australian company designing advanced medical technologies that automate culture plate reading and improve medical diagnostic workflows. 

Their Chief Executive Officer, Brent Barnes, provides an update on the world-first APAS Independence, their automated plate reading technology now making headway into US and European markets,  and a project funded by MTPConnect’s Biomedical Translation Bridge (BTB) program that is developing the use of artificial intelligence to help speed up the detection of antimicrobial resistance, improve antibiotic stewardship and ultimately help patients get the treatment they need.

Joining host Caroline Duell is Andrew Milligan from the Medical Device Partnering Program  based in South Australia. MDPP is one of the Venture Partners for the BTB program and Andrew supports BTB awardees, like LBT Innovations with mentoring and project support. 

Joining our podcast host Caroline Duell is MTPConnect’s Director of Stakeholder Engagement for Queensland Andrew Bowskill, who is the co-chair of AAMRNet, Australia’s first industry led, multi-stakeholder Antimicrobial Resistance Network, established and operated by MTPConnect.

We hear from Dr Mark Blaskovich, Associate Professor, The University of Queensland; Director, Centre for Superbug Solutions at the Institute for Molecular Bioscience (IMB) and co-founder of the Community for Open Antimicrobial Drug Discovery (CO-ADD) at The University of Queensland.  

And Dr Alysha Elliott, IMB Research Officer and part of the Cooper Group involved in translation of research for antibacterial drug discovery who leads the CO-ADD microbial team in screening compounds from all over the world to search for the next new antibiotic.

Find out more about CO-ADD's global screening initiative,  the challenges of antimicrobial drug discovery, why AMR is a global health threat and how support from CARB-X and other collaborative efforts like the SPARK data sharing initiative is helping to further critical research into finding new antimicrobials, fighting the threat of AMR and the rise of superbugs. This is the first of four episodes specially programmed to coincide with WAAW!

Coviu recently took out two awards at the Australian Technologies Competition (ATC), an accelerator program that MTPConnect supports in partnership with the Australian Government’s Department of Industry, Science, Energy and Resources. 

Coviu Global’s Director & CEO Dr Silvia Pfeiffer, a start-up veteran, shares the company's journey starting with the  spin out from Data61/CSIRO, scaling up during the COVID-19 pandemic to providing 5.5 million telehealth consultations to date. Dr Pfeiffer also outlines the benefits of participating in an accelerator program for start- ups who are commercialising and growing rapidly.  An episode not to be missed!

Hear from MTPConnect’s team:

Managing Director & CEO - Dr Dan Grant, Senior Director TTRA Program - Lauren Kelly, Director TTRA Program - Dr Mana Liao and Project Manager TTRA Program - Dr Erin McAllum.

You will also hear from our TTRA program partners who will provide mentoring and commercialisation advice to applicants and those receiving funding:

ANDHealth's Chief Product Officer & Co-Founder - Grace Lethlean, MDPP's National Program Manager - Olivia White and UniQuest's Project Manager, TTRA Program - Dr Leigh Ford.

You will hear from Colin Denver, CEO of SpeeDx Pty Ltd,  an Australian diagnostics company developing tests for infectious diseases including COVID-19. Colin shares his top tips for raising capital as a small company and doing deals online in the age of COVID-19.

If you are seeking new strategic partnerships for funding or collaboration this episode is packed full of helpful insights.  

SpeeDx is supported with funding from MTPConnect’s Biomedical Translation Bridge (BTB) Program. 

Hear insights from our esteemed panel chaired by Dr Dan Grant, MTPConnect's Managing Director and CEO.

• Carrie Bloomfield, Co-Chair,  R&D Taskforce, and Director Clinical Operations  GlaxoSmithKline Australia
• Dr Janelle Bowden, Managing Director AccessCR
• Dr Megan Robertson, Group Chief Research Officer @St Vincent’s Health Australia, and Chair AusBiotech Clinical Trial Advisory Group
• Prof John Zalcberg, Head, Cancer Research Program Monash University
• Dr Rebecca Tunstall, Senior Director Stakeholder Engagement  MTPConnect

MTPConnect's report 'Australia’s Clinical Trials Sector: Advancing innovative healthcare and powering economic growth' has been developed in partnership with L.E.K Consulting and will provide an essential reference for the sector. Download the report at www.mtpconnect.org.au/reports.

You will hear from Dr Nina Webster, the Managing Director & CEO of Dimerix Limited who shares the highs and lows of forming relationships and doing deals online in the age of COVID-19.

If you are seeking new strategic partnerships for funding or collaboration this episode is for you. 

ANDHealth CEO & Managing Director Bronwyn Le Grice is joined by Macuject Founder Dr Devinder Chauhan to chat about the bespoke ANDHealth training programs designed to build commercialisation capabilities for founders in the rapidly growing digital health space. Bronwyn discusses why ANDHealth’s programs address common pitfalls and knowledge gaps that exist for digital health companies. As a retinal ophthalmologist Devinder explains how professional development designed just for digital health entrepreneurs helped him grow from a medical expert to a medical innovator.  He shares lessons learned by participating in ANDHealth’s three-week Masterclass Program, and how it’s changed his approach and mindset when seeking investors and managing his company. Macuject’s research, developing a software to help doctors make treatment decisions for macular disease, is supported by MTPConnect’s BioMedTech Horizons program, an initiative of the Medical Research Future Fund. 

• ANDHealth’s Co-Founder & Chief Product Officer Grace Lethlean
• MDPP’s National Program Manager Olivia White and;
• UniQuest’s Senior Director QEDDI Dr Andrew Harvey 

And it’s exactly what we’re doing as a core component of our ‘Researcher Exchange and Development within Industry’ (REDI) program - in partnership with pharmaceutical company GSK. GSK is one of the largest pharmaceutical companies in the world researching, developing and manufacturing innovative pharmaceutical medicines, vaccines and consumer healthcare products. The company has operations in Australia which employ 1,500 people in Sydney and Melbourne. GSK Australia has developed a new PhD graduate program to facilitate the cross pollination of scientific, academic research expertise with that of the Pharmaceutical Industry. The MTPConnect podcast team of Caroline Duell and Dr Rebecca Tunstall speak to GSK’s Head of Human Resources - Australia & New Zealand David Fitz-Gerald and GSK’s Director of Regulatory Affairs for Australia and New Zealand Dr Carolyn Tucek-Szabo about the launch of the new GSK PhD Graduate Innovation Program, supported by REDI over the next three years. The 12-month placement program, which builds on GSK’s successful Industry Based Learning program for undergraduate students, is open now for applications and will enable six PhD graduates to join GSK Australia assigning them to lead on core projects in areas such as early product development, medical affairs and regulatory affairs. The company is currently developing novel medicines in immuno-oncology, immuno-inflammatory, HIV, and infectious diseases (including COVID-19 therapy areas) so it’s an exciting time to throw off your lab coat to learn about industry career options. Apply by 2 December at GSK Australia’s website: https://au.gsk.com/en-au/careers/phd-graduates-and-post-doc-researchers/

 A special thanks to our stellar panel:

• Hon. Peter McGauran – Australia’s Consul General and Senior Trade & Investment Commissioner, Austrade Houston
• Dr Dan Grant – Managing Director & CEO MTPConnect
• Prof John Kovacic – Executive Director Victor Chang Cardiac Research Institute
• Prof Gemma Figtree – President Australian Cardiovascular Alliance 
• Mr Falko Thiele – Director Clinical & Regulatory Affairs BIOTRONIK Australia (HQ Germany)

Infectious diseases physician, Dr Jack Richards from Australian biotech ZiP Diagnostics whose team is developing and manufacturing infectious diseases diagnostics in Melbourne, shares his experiences and reveals the impact COVID-19 is having on the diagnostics sector. Dr Sarah Hennebry from FPA Patent Attorneys in Melbourne explores intellectual property issues specific to diagnostics. Fund raising is covered by Dr John Westwater from OneVentures in Sydney. The session was led by MTPConnect’s Director Stakeholder Engagement NSW Dr Duncan Macinnis. 

Collaboration is the key to success and the AAMRNet aims to provide a unified voice to support and promote Australia’s role in the global fight against the growing threat of drug resistant infections. MTPConnect’s Managing Director and CEO, Dr Dan Grant officially launched the initiative, followed by a discussion with AAMRNet’s Steering Committee members facilitated by Jenny Herz, Biointelect Managing Director. 

Panellists included:

• Elizabeth de Somer - CEO, Medicines Australia 
• Professor David Paterson - Director UQ Centre for Clinical Research, Faculty of Medicine at University of Queensland 
• Paul Field - Australian Representative, Global Antibiotic Research and Development Partnership (GARDP) and Foundation for Innovative New Diagnostics (FIND) 
• Julie Philips - Managing Director, Opal Biosciences and MTPConnect Director.

 To find out more or to join the AAMRNet, contact MTPConnect. 

Recent research released by MTPConnect reveals the COVID-19 health crisis has had a significant impact across the Australian MTP sector, with hits to company values, the shutdown of critical clinical trials and research labs, and the drying-up of much needed capital to sustain research and development projects. Simultaneously the sector has been fast-tracking vaccine, diagnostic, device and therapeutic research to fight COVID-19 and securing vital medical supplies to help save lives. Dr Dan Grant shines the spotlight on the role innovation will play in the sector’s recovery and the potential for digital health to drive renewed growth of the sector over the next six to twelve months. Dr Grant also chats with the Innovate Health Conference Chair Tam Ngyuen from St Vincent’s Melbourne.

MTPConnect sponsored Innovate Health 2020, which this year focused on ‘encouraging engagement, navigating commercialisation and accelerating growth and uptake of digital health innovation in Australia’.

The internships run for 40 weeks with VCCC alliance partners and collaborators in metro and regional locations across Victoria in a model that has attracted international interest. The SKILLED Internship Program has continued to operate in the COVID-19 environment, and pivoting to teletrials is providing interns with new skills. Developing a highly trained cancer care workforce is critical to meet the field's future demands as we advance cancer research and patient care.

The Academy’s CEO Kylie Walker and IMNIS program Executive Director Dr Marguerite Evans-Galea discuss their recent alumni survey results and their involvement with MTPConnect’s new REDI initiative which will enable them to expand the program to international mentors and broaden mentoring to include emerging areas like digital health, regenerative medicine, cell and gene therapies and more.

Maggie and Kylie explain how PhD students can join the IMNIS program and find a mentor to help expand their career horizons, and also encourage those who want to be mentors to get in touch. The IMNIS  program is all about connecting to a larger network and paying it forward. 

ATSE applies science, technology and engineering expertise to solve the big issues facing our nation in a fast-changing world, and Kylie also touches on the challenges and opportunities that COVID19 has posed for ATSE and its members.

With thousands of people infected worldwide, and the number of deaths already surpassing 900, the race is on for a vaccine – and it’s here that Australia is playing a critical role.  

We meet two leading researchers in this area – Professor George Lovrecz from CSIRO and Professor Trent Munro from the University of Queensland’s Australian Institute for Bioengineering and Nanotechnology who discuss their work with the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI) and the status of the vital research.  

Stay tuned for news on when Round 2 opens for applications.

For this edition, we introduce you to a new host, Caroline Duell, and to a very special guest – renowned burns surgeon, researcher and medtech innovator Prof Fiona Wood AO from WA. Fiona takes us through her start-up journey to develop the world’s first spray-on skin, the importance of asking why, and how science is improving burns treatment.

We hear from MTPConnect’s Managing Director & CEO Dr Dan Grant and a panel of industry experts who ‘unpack’ the India Opportunity in a discussion led by Asialink Business CEO Mukund Narayanamurti.

• Dr Pradeep Philip, Partner at Deloitte Access Economics 
• Sabeen Shaikh, Managing Director of Crescent Strategy Consulting 
• Associate Professor Ruth Webster, Global Head of Medicine, George Health Technologies at the George Institute for Global Health

You can download a copy of our report at the MTPConnect website.

Our CEO Dr Dan Grant is joined in the MTPConnect podcast studio by special guests CT:IQ Program Director Leanne Weekes, GSK Australia’s Head of Clinical Research Carrie Bloomfield and from California, Deep 6 AI Vice President Eric Gildenhuys. 

It’s equally parts lucrative and challenging.

We invited Frank Jaskulke, VP Intelligence at the Medical Alley Association in Minnesota, and our very own GM Stakeholder Engagement Dr Alfredo Martinez-Coll into the MTPConnect podcast studio to break down the do's and dont's of a US market entry strategy.