About the Event

An immersive half-day experience crafted for those looking to dive into design control or product development in a medtech context

Introducing the ACMD: User Needs Workshop—an immersive half-day experience crafted for those to dive into the world of MedTech innovation. Whether you're a start-up founder, a dedicated researcher, a curious student, or anyone with a compelling product idea, this workshop is your gateway to understanding the pivotal role of user needs in the product development process.

Guided by experienced MedTech commercialisation experts, this workshop will be a transformative step in your entrepreneurial journey. We're here to empower both researchers and entrepreneurs with effective strategies for crafting a robust user needs analysis. Here's a what you can expect from the end of the workshop:

• Unlocking the Power of User Needs: Understand how user needs serve as the compass guiding your product development journey and regulatory compliance.
• Expert Guidance: Benefit from the wealth of knowledge and experience shared by our experienced facilitators, who have successfully navigated the intricate landscape of MedTech commercialisation. Learn the critical skills required to match needs to solutions, rather than shoehorn solutions into needs.
• FDA Design Controls and ISO 13485: Gain insights into FDA Design Controls; how they work with ISO 13485 design and development processes and why they are essential in determining what you spend your precious development funding on.
• Targeted Focus: Strategies to avoid spending effort on what you think is important as opposed to what the user actually needs.
• Strategies for Crafting a Successful Product: Gain hands-on expertise in developing a comprehensive user needs analysis, ensuring you're focused on a winning innovation.

Don't miss this opportunity to supercharge your MedTech journey by equipping yourself with the knowledge required to identify critical user needs and ultimately develop a focussed and effective medical device. Join us and let's embark on this exciting journey of innovation together!

The ACMD: User Needs course is a half-day workshop delivered in-person at the University of Melbourne, subsidised by the Victorian MedTech Skills and Devices Hub.

After a scene-setting presentation you will work in hands-on facilitated breakout groups that will reverse engineer the user needs from familiar MedTech devices. You will understand why certain design decisions have been made, and maybe spot opportunities for improved products.

Facilitators

Dr Erol Harvey, CEO ACMD: Erol founded MiniFAB, a product development company and contract manufacturer of polymer based microfluidic, lab-on-a-chip diagnostic devices for clients around the world. He is actively involved in local and international organisations supporting the commercialisation of science and technology and is a Fellow of the Australian Academy of Technology and Engineering (ATSE). In 2011 MiniFAB was awarded the inaugural “Enabling Technology Company of the Year” and the following year Erol was named Enabling Technology Entrepreneur of the Year by the Victorian Manufacturing Hall of Fame. In 2018 he was awarded the Clunies Ross Entrepreneur of the Year by ATSE.

Andrew Batty, ACMD Innovation and Translation: Andrew is an experienced MedTech CEO and Executive Director, leading the Lincoln Consulting Group (LCG), Cerebral Therapeutics, iFix Medical, and VividWhite. He brings over 25-years’ experience in the healthcare sector where he has developed, executed and managed business strategies with companies to commercialise innovative and emerging technologies.

Professor Andrea O’Connor (PhD, FIChemE): Professor O'Connor is the Shanahan Chair in Frontier Medical Solutions and a Redmond Barry Distinguished Professor at the University of Melbourne and the Aikenhead Centre for Medical Discovery. She is a co-Director of the Victorian Medtech Skills and Device Hub and leads the Tissue Engineering Group in the Department of Biomedical Engineering. Her research focuses on design, synthesis and fabrication of biomaterials, porous materials and antimicrobial nanomaterials. She teaches biomedical engineering subjects including Tissue Engineering and Stem Cells. Prof. O’Connor collaborates with clinicians, scientists, hospitals, medical research institutes and medical device companies to address clinical problems.

Alex Devlin, ACMD Projects: Alex is an experienced project officer with a background in science, biotechnology, immunology and clinical trial management. Alex currently works as an HREC Executive Officer in the research governance unit at St Vincent’s Hospital overseeing the validation, ethical review, management and operation of human clinical trials to validate new devices and pharmaceuticals. Alex also works with the team at ACMD to support projects within the ACMD Challenge and Advise programs, which seek to support early-stage MedTech collaborations undertaken by partner organisations.

Dr Michelle Low, ACMD Program: Michelle has experience in coordinating various research, teaching, policy, contract, and grant management projects to drive operational progress. Michelle is currently a program manager at the ACMD. The program operates at the initial stages of the commercialisation pipeline and aims to identify unmet clinical needs by fostering connections between clinicians, researchers and industry. Michelle is also a BridgeTech Industry Fellow working with LCG Consulting in commercialisation project management.

About the ACMD

The workshop is delivered by the Aikenhead Centre for Medical Discovery.

The Aikenhead Centre for Medical Discovery (ACMD) is a collaborative biomedical engineering centre accelerating the translation and commercialisation of medical research. This includes the delivery of much-needed, cutting-edge medical and healthcare solutions with a focus on medtech, biotech and digital health.

The ACMD brings together clinicians, major universities, leading research institutions, and innovative healthcare companies to develop novel technologies and drive the health system's transformation through research, collaboration and education.

The ACMD is co-located at St Vincent’s Hospital Melbourne, expanding opportunities for clinician-led research. State-of-the-art equipment, laboratories and facilities combined with strong affiliations with universities foster a thriving biomedical engineering ecosystem.

Brought to you by the Victorian Medtech Skills and Devices Hub.

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