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

08 November 2023

TTRA News: MRFF funding boost targets First Nations health and wellbeing
MTPConnect, the Minister for Health and Aged Care, Hon. Mark Butler MP, and the Assistant Minister for Indigenous Health, Senator the Hon. Malarndirri McCarthy, announced $6 million in funding for new 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. The funding from the Targeted Translation Research Accelerator (TTRA) program delivered by MTPConnect, will support six projects in the Northern Territory, South Australia, Queensland, New South Wales and Victoria. Congratulations to The Australian National University (ACT/SA), Menzies School of Health Research (NT), Nunyara Aboriginal Health Service Inc (SA), The Peter Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity (VIC/NT), The University of Queensland, School of Public Health (QLD/NSW), and the Victorian Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisation Inc. (VIC).

Team Australia Networks with Los Angeles Healthcare Market at The Medtech Conference
As thousands in the medical technology sector headed to Anaheim, California for The MedTech 2023 Conference, MTPConnect was making sure that 20 companies joining the Australian delegation were given multiple pre-conference opportunities to showcase their capabilities and make valuable US and international connections during their visit to Los Angeles. The group met with ScaleHealth in LA, BioscienceLA, Edwards Lifesciences, UCLA Technology Development Group, BiVACOR Inc ahead of the conference. A special episode of the MTPConnect Podcast from Anaheim is coming in November so watch this space!

REDI Fellowship Networking & Bridge Symposium in Brisbane
We welcomed the REDI Fellows based in Queensland to our REDI Fellowship Networking series of events around Australia. This event celebrated everyone integral to the success of the REDI Fellowship program, acknowledging the importance of building industry and research connections! The REDI team were also there to support QUT’s Bridge Program’s 3-day Symposium which is helping to connect biotech entrepreneurs and global pharmaceutical industry leaders.

MTPConnect Supports Australian Delegation to BIO Japan
Our REDI Director Jarrod Belcher was proud to join 16 Australian companies at the #BioJapan Conference and make a presentation about the Australia’s life sciences and medtech landscape and doing business with the sector. MTPConnect partnered with Austrade to support the Australian Pavilion which showcased Australia’s strengths in clinical trials and why it was a great destination for companies looking to collaborate.

CTCM Symposium Connects Medtech Awardees in Sydney
We brought together for the first time the 11 promising medtech projects receiving funding through the Clinical Translation and Commercialisation Medtech program at the inaugural CTCM Symposium in Sydney, which was supported by involvement from our program partners including MDPP, Cicada Innovations and MTAA. Keynote speakers included SpeeDx’s Colin Denver and MedTech International’s Warren Bingham. The event was designed as a satellite meeting adjacent to the MTAA’s MedTech Conference and the Medtech Industry Awards, giving awardees the opportunity to connect with the sector in more depth. And an episode of the MTPConnect Podcast episode is coming soon so you can hear more about these innovative medical devices being developed here in Australia!

Celebrating South Australian Healthtech Champions
In October, we welcomed more than 25 South Australian CEOs and industry leaders to a dinner to discuss and celebrate the contribution of the healthtech sector to SA’s economy. LBT Innovations CEO Brent Barnes was our MC for the evening, and we were delighted to host special guests including the South Australian Deputy Premier, Hon Dr Susan Close, and Central Adelaide/Zen Energy Chair Raymond Spencer. The Deputy Premier shared the Government’s future focused vision in the areas of advanced manufacturing, strengthening commercialisation, and supporting workforce development.

Register for the ACADI Annual Partnering Summit (November)
It’s the final call for registrations to attend the Australian Centre for Accelerating Diabetes Innovations’ 2nd Annual Partnering Summit’ on 14 November. Join us on World Diabetes Day for a fantastic day of learning, inspiration and innovation in diabetes and its complications. Co-hosted by MTPConnect, the themes this year are "Innovation, Inclusion and Impact". The event is hosting a stellar line up of speakers, with esteemed Professor Brendan Murphy AC delivering the keynote speech and MTPConnect Chair Hon Jaala Pulford factiliating a panel session on Innovation. Registrations close Tuesday 7th November (in-person and online event).

Announcing Winners of AustTechComp 2023
Congratulations to ARIA Research, overall Winner of 2023 Australian Technology Company of the Year Award. The Sydney based startup also took out the top spot in the MTPConnect-sponsored Medtech and Pharma Award Category. ARIA is developing the world-first non-invasive bionic vision system that will enable life-changing agency and independence for 338 million people living with blindness and low vision. Congratulations to another standout from the sector, Coviu, for winning the Alumni Achievement Award, first winning back in 2021.

New Podcasts on Innovation
Check out our new episodes! We feature a two-part podcast special recorded at the BioMedTech Horizons Finale in Melbourne showcasing Australian medical devices of the future awarded funding through our program. In part 1, we chat to ARIA Research, Neuromersiv, 3DMorphic, Bionic Vision Technologies and Inventia and in part 2, we catch up with Cyban, ResusRight, Seer Medical, WearOptimo, Atmo Biosciences, Cortical Dynamics, Bionics Institute and Artrya. We also launched the first episode of a series on medical entrepreneurship in Australia featuring Dr Brandon Carp, Co-founder of the Australian Society for Medical Entrepreneurship and Innovation, Australia’s first home for clinicians wishing to make an impact at scale in healthcare.

SABRE Alliance Workshop VITAL Report Released
Earlier this year, the SABRE Alliance held its inaugural 'Advancing the SABRE Alliance' workshop bringing together Academia, Government, and Industry, to engage in live-threat simulations showcasing the challenges and needs of the Defence and National Security sectors. The themes explored in these biosecurity vignettes, and the insights collected, are now available in the VITAL report (Vignette Trends Analysis and Learnings). Stay informed of Defence and National Security priorities, SABRE-related initiatives including funding opportunities, workshops and conferences, by signing up to the SABRE Alliance newsletter.

Calling Clinician Entrepreneurs to Join ASME
Are you a clinician wanting to transform healthcare through innovation - join the newly launched Australian Society for Medical Entrepreneurship & Innovation. Backed by a committee of 'medical entrepreneurs' with diverse skills and backgrounds, it's a home created for doctors & other healthcare professionals to connect with medical entrepreneurs & innovators. Check out all the details on ASME website, follow on LinkedIn and join as a member for free!

REDI-backed AUSCEP Celebrates Success for Australian Clinical Entrepreneurs
The Australian Clinical Entrepreneur Program (AUSCEP) recently published its first AUSCEP Impact Report 2023: Bridging the Gap for Healthcare Start-ups and is celebrating a year of success for its first cohort of clinical entrepreneurs. Launched in 2022, AUSCEP is delivered by the University of Melbourne and the University of Western Australia partnership and made possible under MTPConnect’s Researcher Exchange and Development with Industry (REDI) initiative supported by the Medical Research Future Fund (MRFF). Read the report.

SA Insights Series Wraps Up with Micro-X
Wow, what a way to end the final SA Insights event series for 2023! MTPConnect’s Jo Close hosted an epic fire-side chat at the Medical Device Research Institute with SA-based Micro-X leaders Founder Peter Rowland, CEO Kingsley Hall, COO Anthony Skeats and special international guest, Micro-X US CEO & CSO Brian Gonzales. The company's tech is driving the use and application of carbon nanotube technology currently with four key products which are used across health, defence, and airport security. More than 1,000 people have attended an SA Insight event this year and we can’t wait to kick the series off again in 2024.

BMTH Case Study: Miniprobes – Smart Brain Biopsy Needle to Provide Image Guidance to Neurosurgeons
Each year over 1,900 Australians are diagnosed with brain tumours – the leading cause of cancer-related death in children aged up to 14. Surgical complications can be debilitating, or fatal, and accurate diagnosis is essential to minimising collateral damage. Needle brain biopsies are a standard part of the diagnosis, with over 37,000 brain biopsies performed each year in the US and Europe. Find out more about the high-tech spin-out from The University of Adelaide, Miniprobes, that is developing a new brain biopsy needle for neurosurgeon, supported through MTPConnect's BioMedTech Horizons Program.

COMING UP: 

Join APPLAUSE23 Celebration in South Australia
Entrepreneurs, leaders, researchers, and changemakers are invited to attend South Australia’s Healthtech ecosystem’s annual gala celebration, #APPLAUSE23, to be held on Thursday 23 November 2023. Guest speakers include MTPConnect Chair, the Hon Jaala Pulford and Novartis ANZ Country President, Richard Tew. Come along to celebrate the SA Sector 2023 achievements and secure tickets here. Follow MTPConnect’s Adelaide Intermediary Program LinkedIn platform, and sign-up to receive SA Sector Updates.

Join the WA End of Year Spotlight Celebration
Join the WA Life Sciences Innovation Hub in celebrating the WA health and medical life sciences sector at its EOY event! It's time to celebrate the achievements and milestones of the WA health and medical lifesciences in 2023. Register to join us on 28 November 2023 in Perth.

WA: Join an Evening with ApiJect's Marc Koska OBE and Philip Leslie
Join the WA Life Sciences Innovation Hub for an evening of conversation with ApiJect Systems co-founder and Head of R&D Marc Koska OBE, a well-known social entrepreneur, and Senior Advisor of Manufacturing Philip Leslie. They will discuss developing innovative drug delivery devices for the global healthcare market and share US-based ApiJect's story. Register to attend on 23 November at 6:00pm at The Hub, Bentley Technology Park (2 Brodie-Hall Drive Bentley).

REDI: Medical Device Registration Bootcamp with TGA Experts
Are you ready to conquer the world of medical device registration in Australia? Join REDI for an exclusive Bootcamp with TGA experts designed to empower medical device companies looking to navigate the regulatory landscape with confidence. Workshops are tailored for those actively involved in the medical device industry, kicking off on 20 November in Adelaide, 21 November in Perth, 4 December in Sydney, 5 December in Melbourne and 6 December in Brisbane. Register now!

BioMelbourne Network's BioForum – New Frontiers: Rethinking Antimicrobial Resistance
AARMNet's co-chair, Andrew Bowskill joins an important discussion during World Antimicrobial Awareness Week on the rise of drug-resistant infections at BioMelbourne Network's BioForum - New Frontiers: Rethinking Antimicrobial Resistance. Explore this urgent threat to our health security and what can be done about it now and into the future. This hybrid event is on 21 November 2023, 12 pm - 2 pm in Melbourne over lunch, and online. Book your seat!