The MTPConnect Podcast

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.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.

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.comThe 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.

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.

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. 

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!

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 episode is coming to you from MTPConnect's Development Workshop Series held 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'.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.

The Australian Stroke and Heart Research Accelerator, established through MTPConnect's Targeted Translation Research Accelerator for cardiovascular disease and diabetes on behalf the Medical Research Future Fund, is a research centre with a bold vision to deliver new health outcomes in coronary artery disease, heart failure and stroke.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.

We meet Dr Daniel Timms, the Australian biomechanical engineer behind BiVACOR who has dedicated his life to developing a titanium Total Artificial Heart (TAH) to restore the lives of people with end-stage heart failure, a disease that impacted his own family.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.

As World Antimicrobial Resistance Awareness Week (WAAW) kicked off around the globe, the Australian Antimicrobial Resistance Network (AAMRNet) was meeting in Canberra to explore how Australia can better support the development of and access to new antimicrobial technologies. 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. 

It's World Antimicrobial Resistance Awareness Week (WAAW) and the theme is "Educate. Advocate. Act now". It's a yearly global campaign, raising awareness of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) and promoting ways to reduce the spread of drug-resistant infections. 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.

As thousands in the medical technology sector headed to Toronto, Canada for The MedTech 2024 Conference, MTPConnect was making sure that the 18 companies and organisations joining the Australian delegation were given opportunities to showcase their capabilities and make valuable US and international connections with a stopover in the medtech hub of Minnesota, before hitting Toronto.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.

In July 2024, MTPConnect was selected to deliver a new $28.5 million investment for Drugs and Devices, which builds on the legacy of the inaugural TTRA program.The objective of TTRA Drugs and Devices is to accelerate development and commercialisation of promising drugs and medical devices into products that can reduce the burden of cardiovascular disease and complications of diabetes for patients, carers, families and community.TTRA Drugs and Devices is now calling for Expressions of Interest (EOI), to fund eligible Australian start-ups, spin-outs and SMEs to develop innovative preventative, diagnostic, therapeutic and/or disease management drugs and devices for cardiovascular disease and the complications of diabetes (type 1 and type 2). Guidelines & application information can be found on the TTRA webpage. Submissions close at 16:00 AEDT on Monday 4 November 2024.Hear from MTPConnect's TTRA Team Lauren Kelly, Dr Mana Liao and Dr Erin McAllum as well as experts Kenny Lean from Roche Diagnostics Australia, Dr Perdita Cheshire from CSL and Renza Scibilia from Breakthrough T1D.See the TTRA Drugs and Devices webpage for more information.

Omico is leading Australia's largest cancer genomics initiative –giving 23,000 Australians nationwide with advanced or incurable cancers, access to genomic profiling to detect unique genetic variations in their tumours to identify potential matches to new targeted treatments options. It is opening up new treatment pathways, extending lives and attracting more international trials to Australia.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.

Biocom California is the US state's advocate for the life sciences industry with a network of over 1700 members. With offices located in San Diego, Los Angeles, San Francisco Bay Area, Sacramento, Washington, D.C, and Tokyo the group is focused on building international collaborations and networks to bring new medicines to patients.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!

Back in June, MTPConnect led the Australian delegation at BIO 2024 in San Diego organising a range of activities to showcase Australia's innovative life sciences sector to the international biotech industry. With a powerful #TeamAustralia focus and a 500-strong delegation from Australia, BIO2024 was the biggest and best ever! 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. 

Back in June, MTPConnect led the Australian delegation at BIO 2024 in San Diego organising a range of activities to showcase Australia's innovative life sciences sector to the international biotech industry. With a powerful #TeamAustralia focus and a 500-strong delegation from Australia, BIO2024 was the biggest and best ever! 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.

Diabetes affects one in 20 people. An important initiative to set up a ‘virtual' emergency department designed for people living with diabetes has launched in Melbourne, Victoria during National Diabetes Week, with the aim of preventing unnecessary trips to hospital.  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.

ARM Hub is a technology adoption hub based in Brisbane, with a focus on robotics, AI and design for manufacture for biomedical, energy and defence industries.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.

The Clinical Translation and Commercialisation Medtech (CTCM) program aims to boost commercialisation of home-grown medical products. It is delivered by MTPConnect on behalf of the Medical Research Future Fund. 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.

Back in 2022, the Government of Western Australia issued a global challenge for a world-leading medical research and innovation solution to resolve a pressing problem of health service delivery in the remote Pilbara region.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. 

The Australian Stroke & Heart Research Accelerator (ASHRA) was established in early 2022 as part of the Targeted Translation Research Accelerator – a program delivered by MTPConnect for the Medical Research Future Fund.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. 

Radiopharmaceuticals are precision nuclear medicines used for medical imaging and treatment that allow doctors to diagnose and deliver targeted therapies for diseases such as cancer. 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. 

Perth- based biotech Argenica Therapeutics is developing therapies to treat stroke and other neurological conditions. A new neuroprotective peptide treatment is now being tested for ischaemic stroke patients presenting to emergency departments at 10 hospitals around Australia and is expected to improve patient outcomes by protecting the brain tissue from dying until blood flow can be restored. 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.

Innovators have told us that funding is important but difficult to navigate. The Australian Government is committed to investing billions of dollars into medical research and industry growth, cultivating a culture of translation and improving health for all Australians. So MTPConnect's Adelaide Intermediary Program kicked off its first SA Insights event in 2024 by bringing the Commonwealth funders together to offer invaluable insights, advice, and inspiration to over 200 guests.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. 

MTPConnect's Clinical Translation and Commercialisation Medtech (CTCM) program held its first annual Symposium in Sydney recently, bringing together all 11 companies from around Australia who are recipients of CTCM funding to develop new medical devices to improve health and wellbeing.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. 

The GSK Australia Graduate Researcher Program (GRP) is a 12-month work placement program for PhD graduates supported by MTPConnect's Researcher Exchange and Development within Industry (REDI) initiative showcasing opportunities in the pharmaceutical industry by providing hands-on experience for postdoctoral biomedical/science researchers.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.

The GSK Australia Graduate Researcher Program (GRP) is a 12-month work placement program for PhD graduates supported by MTPConnect's Researcher Exchange and Development within Industry (REDI) initiative showcasing opportunities in the pharmaceutical industry by providing hands-on experience for postdoctoral biomedical/science researchers.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.

As thousands in the medical technology sector headed to Anaheim, California for The MedTech 2023 Conference, MTPConnect was making sure that the 20 companies and organisations joining the Australian delegation were given opportunities to showcase their capabilities and make valuable US and international connections. 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. 

Dubbed the superbug pandemic, antimicrobial resistance (AMR) has been recognised by the World Health Organization as one of the top 10 public health threats facing humanity. 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.

Many well-known Australian medical innovations have been developed by visionary clinicians – doctors, nurses and allied health professionals – including the cochlear implant and spray on skin. In this special series we continue to explore how medical entrepreneurship can transform healthcare and meet Associate Professor Fiona Brownfoot, a specialist obstetrician and a clinician-scientist based in Melbourne.Fiona has co-founded healthtech start-up Kali Healthcare that is developing a new pregnancy monitoring system that consists of a small wearable device and sensor patch that very accurately picks up a baby's heart rate.Fiona joins hosts Caroline Duell and Dr Brandon Carp, President and founder of the Australian Society for Medical Entrepreneurship and Innovation (ASME), to discuss her career choices straddling obstetrics and medtech innovation, taking part in the Australian Clinical Entrepreneur Program and ASME to avoid a lonely journey, and her motivation to prevent stillbirths through Kali Healthcare's life-changing device to keep mothers and babies safe.

Many well-known Australian medical innovations have been developed by visionary clinicians – doctors, nurses and allied health professionals – including the cochlear implant and spray on skin. In part 1 of this double episode, we explore medical entrepreneurship in Australia with Dr Brandon Carp, a Melbourne-based doctor who changed up his medical career to pursue his entrepreneurial business ideas in healthcare. Brandon has been involved in the Australian Clinical Entrepreneur Program (AUSCEP) established by MTPConnect's REDI initiative. He is also behind the recently launched Australian Society for Medical Entrepreneurship and Innovation, Australia's first home for clinicians wishing to make an impact at scale in healthcare.He joins host Caroline Duell to discuss his journey to clinical entrepreneurship, the rise of the portfolio career, and why we need to do more to tap into the talent in our medical and healthcare system to strengthen Australia's innovation capabilities.

As Australia's life sciences industry accelerator, MTPConnect's is backing Australian medical devices of the future through the BioMedTech Horizons Program. It's a $45 million initiative of the Medical Research Future Fund to bring life-saving medical products from an idea to patients. It's about nurturing medtech companies through the first valley of death and de-risking product development to increase the appeal to private investment.  The first phase of the program supported 11 companies. And from 2019, a further three rounds awarded $30.3 million in funding to 38 companies. The good news is these latest projects have again captured the interest of investors, going on to secure at least $479 million of further flow-on and external investment.  With the program wrapping up, we brought these innovators together for the BioMedTech Horizons Finale event in Melbourne and released an Impact report to share their innovation journeys. In the second of this two-part special, MTPConnect's Caroline Duell chats to BioMedTech Horizons Director Elizabeth Stares about how the program is designed to tackle challenges in commercialising early-stage innovations. Caroline also catches up with several awardees to find out more about their innovations, including Brendan Fafiani from Cyban, Matt Boustred from ResusRight, Rachel Stirling from Seer Medical, Professor Mark Kendall from WearOptimo, Dr Kyle Berean from Atmo Biosciences, Ashley Zimpel from Cortical Dynamics, Dr Gautam Balasubramanian from Bionics Institute and John Konstantopoulos from Artrya.

As Australia's life sciences industry accelerator, MTPConnect's is backing Australian medical devices of the future through the BioMedTech Horizons Program. It's a $45 million initiative of the Medical Research Future Fund to bring life-saving medical products from an idea to patients. It's about nurturing medtech companies through the first valley of death and de-risking product development to increase the appeal to private investment.  The first phase of the program supported 11 companies. And from 2019, a further three rounds awarded $30.3 million in funding to 38 companies. The good news is these latest projects have again captured the interest of investors, going on to secure at least $479 million of further flow-on and external investment. With the program wrapping up, we brought these innovators together for the BioMedTech Horizons Finale event in Melbourne and released an Impact report to share their innovation journeys. In this episode, we talk with BMTH program lead, Dr Gerard Gibbs and MTPConnect Chair the Honorable Jaala Pulford about the impacts of the program and the value of catalyst funding.We also meet some of the awardees for an update on their promising innovations, including Robert Yearsley from ARIA Research, Anshul Dayal from Neuromersiv, Dr William Parr from 3DMorphic, Dr Ash Attia from Bionic Vision Technologies and Dr Cameron Ferris from Inventia. 

MTPConnect's REDI Fellowships are improving engagement between researchers and industry and providing fellows with real-world innovation experiences within commercial industry settings. 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.

After the international BIO 2023 convention wrapped up with Team Australia, MTPConnect took a tour of global biopharmaceutical company Sanofi's mRNA Centre of Excellence located in Greater Boston and learnt more about the company's plans for the Translational Science Hub being set up in Queensland in partnership with the Queensland Government, Griffith University, the University of Queensland. 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.

We take you to MTPConnect's inaugural seminar on 'Australian Women in Life Sciences Leadership - a Global Perspective' held during BIO 2023 in Boston. 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. 

Back in June, MTPConnect joined the Australian delegation at BIO in Boston and organised several activities to showcase Australia's fast-growing life sciences sector to the international biotech industry.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.

Vexev founders, Dr John Carroll and Dr Eamonn Colley met in Sydney as PhD students interested in fluid dynamics. They have turned their talents to investigate blood flows to try and predict vascular disease.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.

ARIA Research is a Sydney-based start-up developing technologies delivering a sense of vision via sound (echolocation) to people who are blind or have low vision. The company's defining advantage has been its diverse and inclusive team, which incorporates employees and end users living with blindness into every aspect of the project and organisation. 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. 

Tens of thousands of central venous catheters designed for adult bodies are inserted into the delicate veins of newborns in Australian intensive care settings every year for life-saving care. 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. 

ANDHealth specialises in the acceleration of commercialisation of evidence-based digital health technologies through targeted programs and expert support. Their ANDHealth + Program funded by the Australian Government's Medical Research Future Fund has opened for applications. ANDHealth Co-founder and Chief Product Officer Grace Lethlean explains how thisunique accelerator can be a gamechanger for those SMEs who are selected to share in up to $3.75M of project funding per intake. 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.

In July 2022, Defence launched the 'Safeguarding Australia through Biotechnology Response and Engagement' (SABRE) Alliance, to bring together biotech capabilities from Australia's universities, research institutes, SMEs and manufacturers to connect them with the needs of the Defence and national security sectors. 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. 

BellaSeno is a clinical-stage medical device company born in Queensland in 2015 and now expanded to Liepzig in Germany. They are developing a next generation fully resorbable breast implant for soft tissue reconstruction, which recently started clinical trials in Australia. 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.

To mark our 150th episode, we are delighted to introduce MTPConnect's newly appointed Chair, the Honorable Jaala Pulford. A passionate advocate for the medical technology, biotech and pharmaceutical sector, Jaala has a long and distinguished career in government including Minister for Innovation, Medical Research and the Digital Economy. 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 Targeted Translation Research Accelerator (TTRA) program, a Medical Research Future Fund initiative delivered by MTPConnect, launched Round 3 of its Research Projects funding opportunity on 30 January 2023 to support diabetes and cardiovascular disease projects that address the unmet health and medical needs of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples in rural, remote, regional, and urban centres.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.

It's three years ago this month that COVID-19 was declared a pandemic by the World Health Organisation. We've seen nearly 800 million confirmed cases around the world and nearly 7 million deaths… and there are signs that another wave is underway in Australia as we head into the colder months. But imagine those numbers if we didn't have the vaccines – particularly the mRNA vaccines.  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. 

Our Targeted Translation Research Accelerator (TTRA) program, a Medical Research Future Fund initiative delivered by MTPConnect, launched Round 3 of its Research Projects funding opportunity in January 2023 to support diabetes and cardiovascular disease projects that address the unmet health and medical needs of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples in rural, remote, regional, and urban centres.Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander research ethics is an important part of research projects that involve Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. During the webinar, you will hear from two speakers with extensive experience in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health research ethics from both an ethics committee and a researcher perspective: Dr Summer May Finlay – Co-Chair of the Aboriginal Health and Medical Research Council of NSW Ethics Committee, and Professor Jenni Judd – Professorial Research Fellow, Central Queensland University. They explore researchers' ethical obligations, when you need to submit to an Aboriginal Human Research Ethics Committee, and the importance of cultural safety in research design and reciprocity. Applications close 28 April 2023.

We talk to Sydney-based eye surgeon Dr Sarah Crowe, Founder and Director of 4eyesVision who has invented the 4eyesVision Kit to correct refractive error, the leading cause of blindness in the developing world and provide affordable glasses on the spot for people in remote and developing communities. Dr Crowe shares her clinician entrepreneur story that started in the Solomon Islands and progressed with the help of the Kokoda Track Foundation. She took her innovation through the 2020 Australian Technologies Competition winning the Global Social Impact Division, and the Health 10x Accelerator program winning a 2022 UNSW Founders Award. Having dispensed 1,000 pairs of glasses already, Dr Crowe is now focused on securing funding to scale up the organisation and commercialise the kit.Find out more about her work at https://www.4eyesvision.org/

MTPConnect's Targeted Translation Research Accelerator (TTRA) program has opened a new funding round to support diabetes and cardiovascular disease research projects that address the unmet health and medical needs of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples in rural, remote, regional, and urban centres. 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.

For this episode we tap into an international perspective on the digital health sector and the business of healthcare.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/