In Case You Missed It: Here’s What The MTPConnect Team Has Been Up To in May

05 June 2023

New Paper Promotes First Nations Science and Health Research Impact
MTPConnect and the Lowitja Institute have released a discussion paper to help guide design of research funding programs that will benefit Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health and wellbeing. The paper, ‘Targeted Translation Research Accelerator Needs Assessment and Prioritisation Project’, provides a framework for how Indigenous-led priority setting can inform important funding decisions and is based on the needs assessment and prioritisation work conducted for the third funding round of MTPConnect’s Targeted Translation Research Accelerator (TTRA) program which targets solutions for diabetes and cardiovascular disease in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.

Adelaide Intermediary Program Tours WA Government Delegation
MTPConnect's Jo Close hosted a tour with WA Minister Stephen Dawson MP, John Van Der Wielen (FHRI Fund), and MTPConnect's Tracey Wilkinson to learn more about Adelaide's BioMedCity. The guests visited SAHMRI, Royal Adelaide Hospital, taking in a sneak-peek at the 'under construction', Commercial & General building which will be home to the Australian Bragg Centre for Proton Therapy and Research, and viewed the Fusetec - Advanced Surgical Training centre.

Discovering SA's Medtech: People Places and Opportunities
AusMedtech delegates were treated to a pre-conference extravaganza when our Adelaide Intermediary Program team hosted a free showcase and three guided innovation precinct tours with the SA Department for Trade and Investment. More than 150 guests attended the showcase hearing from 23 leading medtech organisations in the SA ecosystem and 40+ industry leaders shared their knowledge, capabilities, and opened discussions for collaboration and connection. MTPConnect's CEO Stuart Dignam opened the event, and thanks to special guest presenters Medical Device Partnering Program's Prof Karen Reynolds, and Director Health, InvestSA Department for Trade and Investment, Mark Wheeler.

Farewell to former MTPConnect Chair Sue MacLeman
This month, we farewelled Sue MacLeman as our inaugural CEO and former Chair. Sue stepped down from the Board in March when Hon Jaala Pulford was appointed as Chair but continued to act as an advisor though the initial transition. Sue has been instrumental in creating and driving MTPConnect’s contribution to support the medtech & pharma sector in Australia. The Board and Staff thank Sue for her energy, vision and leadership and we wish her all the best for her future endeavours!

Making US Connections for Australian Medtech Companies – Frank Jaskulke's Visit
In May, we welcomed back Medical Alley's Frank Jaskulke, to share his insights on the US medtech market at a series of special events with medtech innovators in Perth, Adelaide, Melbourne, and Sydney. The tour kicked off in Perth with the WA Life Sciences Innovation Hub. MTPConnect's Chair Hon Jaala Pulford, and CEO Stuart Dignam, introduced Frank to representatives of the WA Government at a roundtable. He also spoke to South Australian-based researchers and entrepreneurs at a seminar at Tonsley Innovation District. In Melbourne, Frank met with awardees of MTPConnect's Clinical Translation and Commercialisation Medtech Program (CTCM) to provide guidance on navigating the path to successful commercialisation. The tour wrapped in Sydney, where Frank connected with participants of the REDI-supported Health 10X Accelerator, led by The George Institute and UNSW.

New Podcast Episodes
Check out this month's new episodes! We travelled to Canberra to capture insights from the SABRE Alliance's recent workshop, ‘Advancing the SABRE Alliance’ workshop, held as part of Science Meets Parliament event. The workshop sought 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. And take a listen to TTRA-awardee Cardihab, a digital health startup that was part of the first cohort of ANDHealth +, a commercialisation acceleration program for digital health, which is currently open for new applications.

SA Insights Series features Fertilis
In May, Jo Close, Director Adelaide Intermediary Program, held a fire-side chat with long-time friends, Fertilis Founder and Scientific Officer Professor Jeremy Thompson and Founder and CEO Marty Gauvin to learn about nanoscale medtech created in SA and improving IVF treatment around the world.

2023 INMIS Catalyst ambassadors announced
Twenty emerging leaders in STEM were announced to join the 2023 IMNIS Catalyst programto become ambassadors for their professions by providing unique professional development and networking opportunities. IMNIS Catalyst is supported by MTPConnect as part of the Researcher Exchange and Development within Industry (REDI) initiative.

BIO Korea Delegation – Promoting Australia’s MTP Sector and Announcement of New REDI Fellow
MTPConnect CEO Stuart Dignam was in Seoul with Austrade’s delegation for Bio Korea, promoting Australia’s medtech and pharma sector. He presented on the Australian clinical trials landscape and opportunities. He was joined by Austrade’s Julie Quinn and Southern Star Research’s David Lloyd, organised by Global Victoria. Stuart also announced the new REDI Fellow, Dr Alex Smith, Research Fellow at University of Queensland, who will travel to South Korea to work and learn with Cytiva. Stuart also appeared on Korean TV to discuss the announcement.

2023 Federal Budget’s Commitment to the MTP Sector
On budget eve, MTPConnect welcomed the commitment to the establishment of the new $392.4M Industry Growth Program to power development of priority sectors, including medtech, biotech and pharma. Our Chair, Jaala Pulford issued a statement, saying the new program, supported by substantial ongoing funding, will help turbocharge the commercialisation journey of medical science start-ups and SMEs.

Learnings from UK Uni Spin-off Investment Terms Shared at KCA event
Adelaide Intermediary Program’s Director of Translation and Innovation, Stephanie Morris, shared her extensive experience leading industry partnerships and translational activities at Imperial College's Faculty of Medicine, UK, at Knowledge Commercialisation Australasia’s May event in Sydney.

Supporting the ANDHealth Summit – Where Digital Meets Devices
Adelaide Intermediary Program’s Dana Bell joined an impressive line of speakers at ANDHealth’s ‘Where Digital Meets Devices’ Summit in Adelaide, a pre-conference event ahead of AusMedtech 2023. The full-day preconference event, supported by MTPConnect,was packed with industry experts and thought leaders, keynote presentations, panel discussions and networking opportunities.

2023 Australian Technologies Competition
MTPConnect is once again supporting the Medtech & Pharma Award category of The Australian Technologies Competition (ATC), a national growth and awards program showcasing and promoting innovative Australian technologies with global growth potential. Successful applicants will have access to investors, mentors and industry experts, enjoy networking opportunities and 1:1 mentoring, all to help scale and grow their business. Entries closed 4 June 2023.

The REDI Fellowship Network Event Kicks Off in Adelaide
The first REDI Fellowship Network Event kicked off in Adelaide with opening remarks by our CEO Stuart Dignam. It was a great opportunity for our REDI Fellows to connect with the South Australian cohort.

Adelaide Biomed City on Show
Our Adelaide Intermediary Program's Jo Close hosted a tour with WA Minister Stephen Dawson MP, John Van Der Wielen (FHRI Fund), and Dr Tracey Wilkinson to learn about Adelaide BioMed City and visit The Australian Bragg Centre – set to be a new home to leading cancer research institutes.

Panels and Keynote at AusMedtech 2023
We were delighted to support AusBiotech’s AusMedtech conference in Adelaide. Our CEO Stuart Dignam joined Lis Boyce, Michelle Goldsmith, Grace Lethlean and MRFF’s Dr Masha Somi in a panel to discuss the ins and outs of non-dilutive Government funding programs in Australia, sharing some tips on how best to navigate the funding environment. Our Diagnostics Industry Engagement Director Dr Dharmica Mistry joined Baxter International’s Steven Flynn, LBT Innovations Brent Barnes, and Alcolizer’s Roger Hunt to discuss key lessons learnt post pandemic and the need for sovereign manufacturing capability in Australia. Our Chair Jaala Pulford gave a keynote sharing her personal reflection and discussing how patients are at the heart of innovating and developing medtech solutions.

May Case Study: 3D-printed Implants Creating Better Outcomes for a Common Wrist Injury
BMTH Awardee GCORE developed a pioneering technique that designs personalised bone-ligament-bone grafts using 3D-printed biocompatible scaffolds. It’s set to help people with the most common wrist ligament injury, SLIL.

CTCM Team and Projects Tour Bosch Australia Manufacturing Solutions (BAMS)
The Clinical Translation and Commercialisation Medtech (CTCM) program team, Partners and project awardees toured BAMS Automation Centre for a showcase on their latest medtech robotics and automation projects and discussed how BAMS can supportr commercialisation phase and manufacture process planning.