The MTPConnect Podcast

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:

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 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.

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.

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.