Tessara Therapeutics, a pioneering biotech start-up based in Melbourne, has developed a platform which creates 3D human brain models using stem cells.

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.

One of the challenges we face in Australia is getting more homegrown medtech products purchased and used by local hospitals and health services. 

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. 

In a special series dedicated to the Australian Clinical Entrepreneur Program (AUSCEP) we introduce you to some of the passionate health professionals taking part in this 12-month program to develop their innovative ideas into products and enterprises. 

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.

In this episode we take you to our recent Collaboration and Skills Summit where we brought together a panel of industry experts to share their tips and experiences on how to maximise virtual partnering success at biotech conferences and meetings. 

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. 

This week’s edition of the MTPConnect podcast checks in with the Australian Technology Competition - Australia's national Competition, late-stage accelerator and partnerships program designed to identify and accelerate homegrown scaleups with global potential. Last year, Electrogenics Laboratories won the Australian Technology Company of the Year and also took out the Medtech and Pharma Award, for developing its MOSkin Sensor Technologies, an affordable wireless radiation sensor technology that precisely measures radiation skin doses. Host Shannan Osrin meets their Executive Chairman Kim Lyle who looks back on the impact of the win and the experiences gained, and shares tips on start-up success. Also joining the discussion is Patrick Mooney, Chair of Impact Tech Ventures, the organiser of the Competition. Now in its 11th year, the Competition is supported by the Department of Industry, Science, Energy and Resources, MTPConnect and other Industry Growth Centres, and industry partners. Entries are now open for the Competition in eleven categories, including the Medtech & Pharma Award, and close on 10 May 2021. 

Tune in for part 2 of our 100th episode special, following our chat with Professor Kate Schroder, head of the Inflammasome Laboratory and Director of the Centre for Inflammation and Disease Research at the Institute for Molecular Bioscience (IMB), University of Queensland and Professor Ian Henderson, the Director of IMB. We explore the story behind the milestone research discovery that could lead to a treatment for conditions like Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s disease, Motor Neurone Disease – even asthma. The innovation was developed out of the UQ, in partnership with Trinity College in Dublin. And the start-up company spawned by the research – Inflazome - was recently acquired by Roche in a deal worth around $600 million, making it one of Australia’s largest ever biotech deals. We also explore the broader work of IMB and the international collaborative approach underpinning its research successes.

Happy 100th episode subscribers! We bring you part 1 of a special double episode following our chat with Professor Kate Schroder, head of the Inflammasome Laboratory and Director of the Centre for Inflammation and Disease Research at the Institute for Molecular Bioscience (IMB), University of Queensland and Professor Ian Henderson, the Director of IMB. We explore the story behind the milestone research discovery that could lead to a treatment for conditions like Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s disease, Motor Neurone Disease – even asthma. The innovation was developed out of the UQ, in partnership with Trinity College in Dublin. And the start-up company spawned by the research – Inflazome -- was recently acquired by Roche in a deal worth around $600 million, making it one of Australia’s largest ever biotech deals. We also explore the broader work of IMB and the international collaborative approach underpinning its research successes.

In this week’s episode, we chat to WA-based digital health company Artrya’s Co-Founders - CEO John Konstantopoulos and Chairman John Barrington AM - about developing their heart disease detection application, which uses radiology and Artificial Intelligence to more accurately identify patients at risk of Coronary Artery Disease without invasive surgery in a matter of minutes. The ‘software as a service’ solution will also guide cardiologists to deliver more effective treatment. Artrya received funding through MTPConnect’s BioMedTech Horizons program. After starting up two years ago, Artrya have already received TGA registration and are poised to launch pilot programs in WA medical practices. In this episode they reveal more about their mission to save lives and take their solution around the globe. 

For this episode, we take you to our monthly seminar which is hosted by MTPConnect’s Andrew Bowskill and facilitated by Dr Lisette Pregelj (The University of Queensland). We bring together an expert panel to discuss the opportunities and challenges of embracing Australia’s adaptive regulation process when developing digital health technologies. Hear from Tracey Duffy (Therapeutic Goods Administration), Helen Souris (Cardihab), Dr Rob Grenfell (CSIRO) and Bronwyn Le Grice (ANDHealth) about the value of regulatory approval, the pitfalls and plans digital health innovators need to consider and tips for navigating the TGA processes! This is a must listen to episode for all the Australian digital health entrepreneurs preparing to commercialise their product and take it to markets around the world. You can also download our report ‘Adaptive Regulation for Digital Health’ from the MTPConnect website. 

For this episode, we explore the Australian Government’s focus on modern manufacturing and Medical Products. The Minister for Industry, Science and Technology, The Hon. Karen Andrews MP recently announced that funding is now available for Medical Products manufacturing under the $1.3 billion Modern Manufacturing Initiative (MMI). The Minister also released the Medical Products road map which will guide government and industry investment under the MMI. To discuss these developments in more detail we are joined by Nick Purtell, General Manager, Industry Engagement Branch, in the Manufacturing Division of the Department of Industry, Science, Energy and Resources. Nick also provides information on applying for the MMI funding currently available in two streams - Translation and Integration streams. The round closes on 29 March 2021. The MMI presents an opportunity for Australia’s MTP sector to step-up and secure funding to boost our unique manufacturing capabilities. 

For this episode, we explore and navigate the development pathway for emerging digital health entrepreneurs with our REDI partner, ANDHealth, Australia’s national digital health initiative.  Supported by MTPConnect’s REDI initiative, ANDHealth is providing a range of popular bespoke training programs to build commercialisation capabilities for founders, whether they are medical professionals, software specialists or business owners.

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. 

Melbourne based-Starpharma CEO Dr Jackie Fairley joins the MTPConnect Podcast this week to share the full story behind the fast track development of VIRALEZE™, an antiviral nasal spray for COVID-19 just registered in Europe and soon to be available in the EU and UK to complement vaccines and other preventative measures. Jackie shares how MRFF funding from MTPConnect’s Biomedical Translation Bridge (BTB) Program came through at the right time to support the research and development of the spray against important respiratory viruses. She also outlines Starpharma’s work with global pharmaceutical giants to develop new medical products based on dendrimers that are used to improve pharmaceuticals, to reduce toxicities and enhance their performance. 

We’re patching you into our first seminar series webinar for 2021 about the opportunity to access Round 11 of Cooperative Research Centres Projects (CRC-P) Grants which provides funding for short-term industry-led research collaborations. Our guests Martin Dent and Adrian March from the Department of Industry, Science, Energy and Resources (DISER) and Shay Chalmers from Strategic Engineering Australia share important insights and advice on preparing applications, why collaboration is important, the challenges of advanced manufacturing for medical products and more. Adrian provides an update on the Australian Government’s Modern Manufacturing Strategy and other avenues for funding of manufacturing-related projects, including the Modern Manufacturing Initiative. The session was led by MTPConnect’s Director of Stakeholder Engagement NSW Dr Duncan Macinnis. 

From scientific breakthrough to compelling headline - how do medtech and biotech start-ups developing new medical products tell their stories to attract investors, partners and public attention?

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.

In this week’s podcast, we travel to Perth to talk to regenerative medicine company Orthocell about gaining TGA, EU and US FDA approval to market its CelGro collagen membrane for dental and jaw bone surgeries. CelGro is a collagen scaffold that supports tissue reconstruction and repair. Orthocell CEO Paul Anderson discusses the regulatory approach for markets in Australia, Europe and the United States, and the setup of their dedicated and licenced GMP manufacturing facility in Perth. He shares some words of advice for medtech and medical device entrepreneurs too. This is a must-listen to episode for SMEs and start-ups keen to learn more about commercialising regenerative medicines! 

This week the podcast travels to the city of Newcastle to find out why a new regional medtech industry network has sprung up in the Hunter Central Coast Region, a location synonymous with coal. Trevor John, Director of Regional Development and Executive Officer and Kate O’Mara, Director Special Projects from the Regional Development Australia Hunter Committee join the podcast team to discuss the companies behind the MedTeCCH network, how COVID-19 prompted a re-think around advanced manufacturing capabilities, and the challenge to create more innovation-driven jobs. To join the network or learn more about medtech capabilities in the region, visit https://www.medtecch.org.au/. 

Brisbane-based Ellume Health’s Founder and CEO Dr Sean Parsons joins the MTPConnect podcast this week to share the full story behind developing the first #COVID-19 Home Test to be given FDA Emergency Use Authorisation in the United States. Ellume recently signed a $300 million deal with the US government to supply the over-the-counter diagnostic which uses smart-device connectivity and ramping-up Australian manufacturing will be critical to meeting demand. This is a must-listen episode for medtech innovators keen to understand more about commercialisation success in America. Sean shares his ten-year journey from physician to founder, including tips for fellow entrepreneurs and his views on how to boost sovereign capabilities by growing medical products manufacturing in Australia.

To stimulate collaboration across industry, research and clinical organisations we’re allocating $20 million to support the establishment of two new Research Centres through the Targeted Translation Research Accelerator (TTRA) initiative for diabetes and cardiovascular disease, supported by the Medical Research Future Fund. MTPConnect is calling for Expressions of Interest (EOI) to establish one centre focused on diabetes-associated complications and the other on cardiovascular disease-associated complications and each funded for up to $10 million over four years. The program has the potential to transform diabetes and cardiovascular disease outcomes and reduce the burden of disease on patients, families and the community. This Information Session provides valuable information to those considering submitting an EOI. Dr Dan Grant, MTPConnect Managing Director & CEO discusses the Research Centres opportunity. Lauren Kelly, MTPConnect Senior Director TTRA program and Dr Mana Liao, MTPConnect Director TTRA program outline the priority areas, submission process and provide relevant information about preparing an application. You will also hear from our TTRA Expert Advisory Board Chair Professor Ian Frazer AC FRS who contributes to the question time.

The Targeted Translation Research Accelerator (TTRA) initiative for diabetes and cardiovascular disease, supported by the Medical Research Future Fund, is calling for Expressions of Interest (EOI) for the first round of Research Projects funding. The program is making available $18 million to support translational Research Projects that have the potential to transform diabetes and cardiovascular disease outcomes and reduce the burden of disease on patients, families and the community – with up to $6 million available in this first round. This Information Session provides valuable information to those considering submitting an EOI. Dr Dan Grant, MTPConnect Managing Director & CEO  discusses the Research Projects opportunity. Lauren Kelly, MTPConnect Senior Director TTRA program and Dr Mana Liao, MTPConnect Director TTRA program outline the priority areas, submission process and provide relevant information about preparing an application. You will also hear from our TTRA program partners who will be providing mentoring and commercialisation advice to applicants and those receiving funding:

• 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 

While Australia is getting on top of COVID-19 and Britain begins vaccinating frontline healthcare workers, the virus is still raging in the US, Europe, and many parts of the world. It all underscores the critical importance of ongoing pandemic preparedness – for policy makers, industry and the community.  To hear more about Australia’s efforts, we meet Dr Felicia Pradera who leads the DMTC Medical Countermeasures (MCM) program, which involves harnessing Australia’s capabilities to develop leading-edge, advanced technologies and to direct and deploy skills into activities that support Australian defence, health and national security outcomes. Medical Countermeasures include vaccines, therapeutics and diagnostics for the protection of military and civilian personnel against Chemical, Biological and Radiological threats, emerging infectious diseases and pandemics. They have just launched the National Health Security Resilience Assessment (open until 31 May 2021) to evaluate Australia’s research, product development and manufacturing capability in six priority areas - MCM, Medical Devices, PPE, Modelling and Simulation, Hazard Management and Sensing Systems. Find out why they need input from the MTP sector to help provide a national picture of Australia’s capability and capacity in the health security ecosystem. 

Digital evolution is the central enabling megatrend of the MTP sector. As healthcare incorporates more and more digital solutions, its important to get cybersecurity right.  Lives depend on it.  So how do we secure the digital safety and security of Australian medical technology and is the sector too complacent? MTPConnect’s Managing Director & CEO Dr Dan Grant tackled that question in his keynote at the Medical Technology Association of Australia (MTAA)’s Cyber Security Forum, in November 2020. MTPConnect was pleased to be a sponsor and support further discussion in this area. Many thanks to the MTAA for championing this issue and thanks to CSIRO’s Director of Health and Biosecurity Dr Rob Grenfell for facilitating the session. 

We’re patching you into our November 2020 Seminar Series webinar about how to craft a successful commercialisation funding application. Hear valuable tips from communications specialist and grant writer Rebecca Colless from gemaker, experienced grant assessor Dr Andy Gearing from BioComm Squared and Professor Kevin Pfleger from UWA who shares his academic and commercial experience, highlighting key differences between research and commercialisation applications. MTPConnect’s Dr Dan Grant brings insights from his own research career and administering MTPConnect’s multiple translation funding programs. They explore the steps to developing a well-executed application, share their experiences and reveal why it is so important to get the story right. The session was led by MTPConnect’s Director of Stakeholder Engagement for WA Dr Tracey Wilkinson. This episode will be of interest to researchers, research offices, start-ups & SMEs.

Happy bonus episode listeners! To mark World Antimicrobial Awareness Week, the MTPConnect podcast team caught up with OUTBREAK Managing Director & Co-founder Associate Professor Branwen Morgan from the University of Technology Sydney and Distinguished Professor Antoine van Oijen, who is OUTBREAK’s Deputy Managing Director and Director of Health Programs from the University of Wollongong, to talk about their new economic report on the impact of antimicrobial resistance in Australia released this week which shines a light on the multi-million dollar cost of drug-resistant infections and connects the overuse and misuse of antibiotics to the health and economic impact of a single disease. OUTBREAK is a national consortium whose analysis used big data and Artificial Intelligence to highlight how urinary tract infections (UTIs) are becoming more persistent and harder to treat, resulting in more people being admitted to hospital where they require longer stays and more costly medicines. Each year UTIs alone lead to 2.5 million GP appointments, 100K emergency visits and 75K hospital stays!. OUTBREAK is a member of MTPConnect’s AAMRNet, Australia’s first Antimicrobial Resistance Network launched in October 2020. The report is available to download at OUTBREAK Project’s website: https://outbreakproject.com.au/antimicrobial-resistance-publications/utis-economic-report/. For more information on AMR, follow Twitter for updates at @AAMRNet_ and @OneHealthAU.

For this episode, we’re exploring the incredible benefits that can flow from connecting PhD graduates with industry. By giving researchers real-world experiences in research-intensive organisations, we can drive better commercialisation outcomes. 

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/

Jeff Gibbs is a Director at Hyman Phelps and McNamara – the largest law firm specialising in FDA issues, based in Washington DC. With four decades of FDA expertise he delivers crucial insights for medical technology companies aiming to crack the US market. Peaking to the podcast during his national tour for the MTPConnect seminar series, this US-based regulatory veteran shares his strategic tips on the FDA submission process, and discusses the dramatically shifting FDA landscape that could make or break your US market entry strategy. 

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. 

The Medical Device Partnering Program (MDPP) is an ideas incubator, established in 2008, with the ambitious goal to make Australia the fastest country in the world to take a medical device to market. The program has been connecting with start-ups in Adelaide and now Victoria to develop their cutting-edge medical devices and is now expanding its services nationally across Australia with the support of MTPConnect’s REDI initiative! We hear from MDPP Director Professor Karen Reynolds and Innovations Manager Stephen Blakeney on the workforce skills gap they are seeing in the medical devices sector, their Online Capability Directory that identifies and connects innovative companies working in this space and they share some success stories of startups that have been through the incubator.  If you have a problem, an idea for a solution or even a working prototype for a medical device, contact MDPP at https://mdpp.org.au/. 

With one in five Australians living with disability, the power of technology is being harnessed to help overcome barriers. In this week’s podcast, the MTPConnect team speak to Remarkable Tech Founder Pete Horsley on supporting Australian disability tech start-ups through an inclusive 16 week accelerator program, set up by the Cerebral Palsy Alliance in NSW with corporate sponsorship and support from industry. The program helps to take ideas to commercial reality, supporting ‘profit for purpose’ businesses in Australia. While this year’s cohort of seven startups has had to adapt to the impact of COVID-19, enthusiasm is high and the accelerator is now seeking applications for its 2021 cohort. One of those company’s is ResusRight who are on a mission to prevent the death and disability of newborn babies who require resuscitation after birth. Co-Founder Matt Boustred joins us to share the journey behind developing a new medical device thirty years in the making, as they seek first round seed funding and work to secure an Australian manufacturing deal. Pretty remarkable stories from these two guests!

Australian Postgraduate Research Intern (APR.Intern) connects PhD students with industry, from incubators to multinationals, through short-term internships. These opportunities empower students to thrive in a practical research environment and for businesses to innovate and be future-ready. Their program also links businesses to fresh ideas and provides pathways for universities to expand research collaborations with industry. MTPConnect’s REDI initiative is providing funding for APR.Intern’s established Industry Placement program to increase workforce capabilities and strengthen research translation within Australia’s MedTech, biotech and pharma (MTP) sector. It’s providing a subsidy to 20 MTP sector businesses to take on a PhD student through a short-term research placement until the end of 2020. The upside is enabling innovative businesses to engage with Australia’s brightest emerging research talent. For universities, the placements support the development of an industry-ready Ph.D. workforce. More information can be found at: https://aprintern.org.au/business-info/costs-rebates/partnerships-mtpconnect/ 

The MedTech Actuator connects Australia’s broad ecosystem to empower founders to build the next wave of global MedTech, HealthTech and BioTech success stories. In 2020, the MedTech Actuator joined MTPConnect as a REDI partner to expand the focus of its medtech programs into BioTech, pharma and health and well-being. MedTech Actuator CEO Dr Buzz Palmer and CSO Dr Vishaal Kishore joined the podcast this week to discuss the success of its pre-seed to series A 2020 accelerator program that provided Entrepreneur-in-Residence sessions at universities, hospitals and research institutes, all delivered virtually due to COVID-19 restrictions. 15 start-ups have begun the fifth cohort of the program, which commenced in July 2020. The MedTech Actuator team also spoke of helping start-ups face the fear of failure out of start-ups and what they could learn from it, and the importance of encouraging the entrepreneurial spirit in younger Australians, particularly students.  The MedTech Actuator Origin (formerly MedTech’s Got Talent), is an early-stage pitch competition for medtech, healthtech and biotech entrepreneurs . Applications for the industry-led bootcamp opened 16 November 2020. More information at: https://medtechactuator.com/origin/

The Bridge and BridgeTech Programs, facilitated by QUT on behalf of a consortium of key industry partners and institutes, are nation-wide professional development programs, focussing on training Australia’s next generation of researchers and life sciences entrepreneurs by developing their commercialisation skills and industry networks. The Bridge and BridgeTech programs are partners of MTPConnect’s REDI Program, an initiative to improve workforce skills across Australia. Joining the podcast this week, is Director of the Programs, Professor Lyn Griffiths and the Program Manager Joel Spotswood, who discuss how the initiative has expanded to include the new Bridge and BridgeTech REDI Program offering 20 funded, competitive industry fellowships annually for Bridge and BridgeTech participants, alumni and selected associated participants over the next four years. Successful applicants receive a $10,000 Fellowship to fund their industry placement to be undertaken for a minimum of 3-6 weeks. Researchers are given a new opportunity to immerse themselves in industry, make professional connections and consider the translation and commercialisation of research. With the impact of COVID-19 being felt across the university sector and research labs across Australia, the REDI Industry Fellowships can provide a bridge to the medtech and pharma industry for our best and brightest scientists. More information, go to https://research.qut.edu.au/redi-program/. 

To mark our involvement in the Virtual Medtech Conference 2020 in Toronto,  we hosted a special webinar with Austrade, for US and Canadian medical device companies who may benefit from running clinical trials in Australia. The session explored ‘Australia as a medical device trial destination: Maintain momentum in your clinical development program’, and focused on first-in-human / early phase cardiovascular medical device trials.  Discussions cover the clinical trials landscape in Australia and the impact of COVID-19 on maintaining research momentum, the opportunities for international collaboration and a German company’s firsthand experience as a multinational medical device company running clinical trial programs in Australia. 

 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)

We’re patching you in to the September webinar in our 2020 Seminar Series to explore the challenges and issues specific to developing diagnostics in the Australian and global market, compared to drugs and devices. 

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. 

MTPConnect recently held a virtual industry roundtable to launch the formation of Australia’s first Antimicrobial Resistance Network – the AAMRNet, and released a new report, ‘Fighting Superbugs: A Report on the Inaugural Meeting of Australia’s Antimicrobial Resistance Stakeholders’, prepared by MTPConnect in partnership with Biointelect.

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. 

What happens when you are tasked to setup a virtual care model to meet the demand for growth in hospital services, and just as operations are launched, a pandemic emerges? The team at Sydney Local Health District – General Manager Miranda Shaw and Chief Information Officer Richard Taggart - are on the team that developed New South Wales’ first virtual hospital - RPA Virtual - which has treated more than 3,500 patients at home, by managing their care through an online healthcare model. And feedback from patients of all ages is really positive. The conversation covers the upside of a virtual healthcare model, how it can be applied and adapted for different patient groups, and what was involved in pivoting care for patients in COVID-related hotel quarantine. With the model reliant on the use of medical technology including wearables, devices, smart phones  electronic medical records, there is more room for Australian digital health innovation. And it’s prompting healthcare professionals to embrace new workplace skills through technology training. Join us to see how ‘disruptive ideas’ are revolutionising patient care!

In this episode, we catch up with one of our REDI partners, the George Institute for Global Health, an independent medical research institute based in Sydney. We discuss their Health10x Accelerator program and the opportunities it’s creating for Australian start-ups and entrepreneurs to deliver successful commercial ventures with maximum social impact. Dr Parisa Glass, the Director of Innovation and Enterprise at The George Institute for Global Health and a Senior Lecturer in the Faculty of Medicine at UNSW, is joined by Vesna Todorovski, the Program Manager for the George’s Genovate initiative, to explain why Health10 X is an ‘Accelerator with a difference’. Health10x has a particular focus on innovations that address major health challenges in emerging and underserved markets, particularly the burden of non-communicable diseases (NCDs), like cancer, diabetes and chronic respiratory illness - leading causes of death and disability worldwide. They reveal some of the promising  startups going through the program now, in partnership with UNSW’s Founders program. Listen for a really insightful discussion about driving entrepreneurship and innovation in healthcare.

Medical Alley is a powerhouse in global healthcare innovation, connecting startups and Fortune 100 companies to transform healthcare solutions. Headquartered in Minnesota, it’s one of the world’s largest medtech clusters.

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! 🎧✨

In this episode, we bring you the keynote presentation from MTPConnect Managing Director & CEO Dr Dan Grant at Innovate Health 2020. 

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’.

We’re patching you in to the August webinar on our 2020 Seminar Series. Hear from Dr Manuel Zander from AusIndustry in Queensland, Sue Mundy from the Australian Taxation Office in Adelaide and Dave Sammut from Access RnD Tax Solutions in Sydney, as they discuss how the R&D Tax Incentive can benefit your business, the importance of record keeping and where to find information on how to commence R&D activities in Australia. The session was led by MTPConnect’s Director Stakeholder Engagement Queensland Andrew Bowskill. 

The MTPConnect podcast team – Caroline Duell and Dr Dan Grant – explore how MTPConnect’s REDI initiative is supporting the Victorian Comprehensive Cancer Centre (VCCC) to extend the pilot of its successful SKILLED clinical trial internships program.  The VCCC’s Executive Director Professor Grant McArthur and the Head, Education and Training Development Michelle Barrett join us to discuss how SKILLED internships provide a pathway for scientists to build role-specific clinical trial knowledge, experience and skills in a clinical trials unit through theoretical and on-the-job training. The pace of cancer research is driving up the demand for highly skilled Clinical Trial Assistants & Study Co-ords, creating employment and career opportunities.  

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.

This week, we speak to vaccine development expert Professor Nikolai Petrovsky from South Australia. He is the Director of Endocrinology at Flinders Medical Centre, a Professor in the School of Medicine at Flinders University and the founder of Vaxine Pty Ltd, an Adelaide-based biotechnology company specialising in pandemic vaccine design. Professor Petrovsky joins the MTPConnect podcast to update us on his promising vaccine candidate - COVAX-19, with a recombinant spike protein approach, that has recently successfully completed Phase 1 trials at Royal Adelaide Hospital. It’s a thought provoking discussion covering vaccine development, funding, access issues and manufacturing capabilities, future pandemic preparedness and what we can learn from past outbreaks to protect us against other threats like MERS-CoV. He also reveals how the vaccine mapping project funded by MTPConnect as a part of the Industry Growth Centre Project Fund Program helped accelerate their current COVAX-19 research program. Listen for a fascinating chat.

In this week’s episode, the MTPConnect podcast team follow the trailblazing journey of a regional founder in Australia. We speak to Anna Barwick, a Clinical Pharmacist and researcher, at the University of New England (UNE) in Armidale, NSW who is lecturing to the next generation of pharmacists, podcasting a show ‘Indispensable’ for Australians who want to know how to use their medications effectively and improve their health with tips from expert pharmacists, and running a family farm. Anna is just about to launch her new digital health business called PharmOnline, which will provide telehealth consultations [via an App] for patients to access pharmacists to get answers in real-time about their medications, instead of turning to ‘Dr Google’. The idea is to use technology to provide a virtual advisory service in community pharmacy to improve the lives of people living remotely. PharmOnline was also one of 12 digital health start-up companies accepted in to ANDHealth’s BRIGHT Workshop NSW held virtually in July which supports founders. We also hear from Dr Lou Conway, who connected with Anna at the beginning of her founder’s journey, as the Director of the UNE’s Smart Region Incubator, a place where new founders can find support and mentorship to kickstart their business ideas. Some of the programs offered at UNE start linking with innovators as young as 15 years of age. Lou discusses the value of involving research practitioners from rural areas, and how important it is to be part of a larger community focused on innovation and creativity. 

We’re patching you in to our latest webinar in the 2020 Seminar Series. Hear from A/Prof Jacqueline Alderson from UWA in Perth, Rick Wingfield from Catapult Sports in Melbourne, Dr Lee Walsh from Platypus Technical in Canberra and Dr Dan Grant from MTPConnect in Melbourne, as they discuss this emerging Knowledge Priority - biomechanics & human movement - and the growth of digital technologies creating a revolution in the field of sports science and biomechanics that could impact wellbeing, physical performance and healthy ageing. The panel discuss the latest developments in wearable sensors, data analytics and the ‘cool tech’ that is being trialled and tested in Australia in high performance sporting codes like motorsport, soccer, football and rugby. The challenges of validation and regulatory approvals were covered. There are also some interesting career opportunities opening up in sports science for engineers, data and computer scientists. The session was led by MTPConnect’s Director Stakeholder Engagement WA Dr Kate Brooks. 

In this week’s edition, we profile South Australia’s Chief Scientist, Professor Caroline McMillen who was recently honoured with an Order of Australia for her contribution to medical science, tertiary education, to the South Australian community and to social equity. The MTPConnect podcast team – Caroline Duell, Dr Dan Grant and Dr Rebecca Tunstall – follow her fascinating career journey from Northern Ireland via UK to Australia, as she moved from the medical profession to the university sector engaging with industry and amplifying STEMM research in education. Now she is helping to drive emerging opportunities in science and research coming out of SA, which she describes as the ‘State of science’. Her story will inspire others to explore the unknown and unleash their bright talent.

The team at the Australian Technology of Science and Engineering, otherwise known as ATSE, joined the MTPConnect podcast to chat about the success of the one-year Industry Mentoring Network in STEM (IMNIS) program. It began as a pilot in 2015, funded by MTPConnect, and now has an extensive alumni group of over 900 members and over 500 leaders involved in mentoring Australia’s talented PhD students. 

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.

Since ANDHealth’s inception in 2017, they have been working to elevate Australia’s emerging digital health sector and support start-ups and companies to progress and find investment. The organisation’s Managing Director, CEO & Founder Bronwyn Le Grice chats to the MTPConnect podcast team – Caroline Duell and Dr Dan Grant – about their new report, ‘Digital Health: The Sleeping Giant of Australia’s Health Technology Industry.’ It’s packed with data and information they’ve collected from the Australian digital health sector since 2017 and is the first to comprehensively demonstrate the global potential of digital health innovations to support Australia’s healthcare system and economy. Bronwyn also explains the opportunities that COVID-19 has opened up for the digital health sector. 

We’re patching you in to our 2020 Seminar Series via our latest webinar. Hear from Boston-based CIMIT Chief Operating Officer Dr John Collins, Health Horizon Co-Founder & CEO Marcus Dawe and OncoRes Medical MD & CEO Dr Kath Giles to discuss how to best to navigate the pathways to commercialising health innovations. The team guided by our Senior Director Stakeholder Engagement Dr Rebecca Tunstall as MC, along with MTPConnect’s MD & CEO Dr Dan Grant, heard about the journey of OncoRes Medical developing introperative imaging technology to improve accuracy of breast cancer surgery. CIMIT’s GAITS model was showcased as a tool to help innovators map their commercialisation process to get their solutions to patients faster. And one of Australia’s latest health innovations, the Health Horizon platform, revealed how it keeps track of health innovations around the world for innovators, funders and the public so everyone can follow the progress of medical breakthroughs.

Dive into another episode coming to you from MTPConnect’s Development Workshop Series held recently in Sydney for 52 start-up organisations from around Australia. The 2-day program was a terrific opportunity for companies participating in our Accelerator programs to get ‘investor ready’.

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. 

This week we bring our virtual podcast studio to WA, where our hosts Shannan Osrin and Dr Kate Brooks, check in with University of Western Australia Associate Professor Jacqueline Alderson to discuss how sports science is improving athletes performance. Jacqueline, a leading sports scientist, explains her digital twin model that uses machine learning and Artificial Intelligence to enable researchers to perform real-time monitoring of a person’s health data and test scenarios on the data collected. We also chat to her about  her involvement with major sporting teams like the Australian women’s hockey team, the Hockeyroos. She also talks about the career satisfaction gained from mentoring her PhD students from their studies into industry jobs, in Australia and beyond. 

How is Australia progressing in the race to develop a COVID-19 vaccine? The MTPConnect podcast checked in with University of Queensland’s Dr Keith Chappell and Professor Trent Munro, who are leading a research team using their patented molecular clamp technology to create a vaccine in record time. The UQ team, which includes Professor Paul Young, is the only Australian organisation backed by the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI) and who along with Australian biotech giant CSL recently signed a deal to develop and manufacture the candidate. We first spoke to Trent on the podcast back in February 2020, when the new coronavirus was just emerging in Australia and before the WHO global pandemic declaration. Now, just four months later, COVID-19 has spread around the world, with more than 8 million cases and close to half a million people dying. Already, their vaccine is moving into human clinical trials, and if successful, the vaccine could be available in 2021.  Keith and Trent discuss their extraordinary quest, and the importance of collaboration, funding and teamwork. 

We are constantly finding new ways to use technology to address major healthcare challenges facing the world. In this episode, we spotlight the research efforts of Brisbane-based enterprise WearOptimo as they try and find a way to detect health issues before they become problems, like cardiac disease, inflammation and dehydration. Founder & CEO Professor Mark Kendall and Chief Technology Officer Dr Steve Wilson speak to the MTPConnect podcast team about how their technology, is creating simple, painless, wearable medical devices that interact with our skin and which have the potential to monitor and manage a range of diseases ‘when time matters most’. That also includes COVID-19. Their work is supported by MTPConnect’s BioMedTech Horizons program whose Senior Director Dr Gerard Gibbs discusses the importance of early stage medtech research and what’s ahead for all of the projects receiving BMTH funding as they progress to translate their discoveries from bench to bedside.