Australian Stroke and Heart Research Accelerator (ASHRA)


Vision: The Australian Stroke and Heart Research Accelerator (ASHRA), will transform the field of cardiovascular research in Australia by bringing a new sector-wide focus on clinical impact and entrepreneurship. ASHRA will deliver major health, social and economic benefits that will be clearly apparent within four years and sustained into the future. ASHRA will achieve this by building a culture of collaboration, commercialisation, and translation.

The goal of the ASHRA is to transform Australia's global competitiveness in heart disease and stroke research. Too often, Australian researchers lead the world with their discoveries, but they fall short in translating these findings into treatments and policies. Our Centre will address this gap by bringing together researchers from across the country and making deep and sustainable new connections with business leaders and industry investors. These collaborations will drive greater investment in research, accelerate the translation of research ideas into clinical products, and will deliver nationwide social, economic and health gains.

The Centre brings together a team of internationally renowned Australian researchers and institutions. Its focus is to identify Australian projects at the cusp of commercialisation and with real potential to drive health gains through better treatment and prevention of heart disease and stroke. Numerous high-potential innovations have been identified for initial funding that will accelerate projects towards large-scale investment, commercialisation and health impact.

The Centre will also implement a training and capacity building program that integrates entrepreneurship and commercialisation into the fabric of every Australian heart disease and stoke research group. By reframing the way researchers think about developing their discoveries and building sustainable commercial linkages, the Centre will have a major impact on the Australian research landscape.

Researchers will be at the core of Centre activities, but investment and strategy decisions will be made in partnership with industry, investors, government and consumers. The Centre will prioritise projects that are feasible, aligned with end-user needs and that have great commercial potential. Recognising that people in remote and rural Australia, those living below the poverty line and Indigenous communities are disproportionally burdened by heart disease and stroke, a focus for the Centre will be solutions that reduce health inequities.


ASHRA

ASHRA Centre Director:  Professor Clara Chow

ASHRA Centre Deputy Director:  Professor Steve Nicholls

Website: ASHRA  |   Twitter:  @ASHRAccelerator  #ASHRA


Research Centre Partners

Core Academic Partners: 

Partners and Supporting Organisations: Advanced ECG Systems Pty Ltd; BiVACOR Pty Ltd; BIOTRONIK Australia Pty Ltd; Cicada Innovations; CSIRO Health and Biosecurity (Victoria); CSL Limited; Digital Health CRC Limited; ESN Cleer; Google Australia Pty Ltd; ID&E Pty Ltd; IP Group Australia; Telstra Health Pty Ltd; Medical Research Commercialisation Fund; Brandon Capital Partners Pty Ltd; Planet Innovation Pty Ltd; Siemens Healthcare Pty Ltd; LifeHeathcare Distribution Pty Ltd; University of Western Australia; Australian Cardiovascular Alliance; Sydney Partnership for Health, Education, Research and Enterprise (SPHERE); Monash Health; Sydney Health Partners; Monash Partners Academic Health Science Centre; Melbourne Brain Centre, Royal Melbourne Hospital; Victorian Government.