The AUScelerate Podcast

A South Australian start-up biotech company, Sementis Limited, has joined the global quest to develop a second-generation COVID-19 vaccine using their proprietary viral-vector vaccine platform technology, in partnership with the University of South Australia.  The vaccine candidate is anticipated to be effective against mutant strains of COVID-19. The team is led  by Chief Executive Officer Leanne...

GSK Australia has developed the GSK Graduate Researcher Program, with support from MTPConnect’s Researcher Exchange and Development within Industry (REDI) initiative. The multinational pharmaceutical company gives PhD postgraduates a 12-month placement assigning them to lead on core projects in areas such as early product development, medical affairs and regulatory affairs. The idea is to build In...

Australian company Synchron has developed a brain chip called the Stentrode that helps people with paralysis communicate by controlling digital devices with their thoughts.  The groundbreaking medical device is implanted into the motor cortex without open brain surgery. It has been trialed successfully with several Australian patients and is the first device to be approved by the FDA for a US clin...

Australian MedTech startup, Vantari VR , has developed a virtual reality technology-based on flight simulation for medical training.  It’s already being used to teach life-saving medical procedures in several Australian hospitals. The technology is so good it’s attracted funding from one of the world’s largest video game developers! Dr Nishanth (Nish) Krishnananthan and Dr Vijay Paul , are clinici...

Strep A is a highly contagious bacteria responsible for more than half a million deaths every year and is developing resistance to antibiotics. In Australia, diseases caused by Strep A, such as rheumatic fever and rheumatic heart disease, disproportionately affect Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities. The good news is an Australian led global initiative supported by the Medical Resear...

In this episode, we take you to our recent Collaboration and Skills Summit where we brought together a panel of industry experts to share their tips and experiences on how to maximise virtual partnering success at biotech conferences and meetings.  You will hear from Colin Denver , CEO of SpeeDx Pty Ltd ,  an Australian diagnostics company developing tests for infectious diseases including COVID-1...

In this episode, we take you to the launch of our new report into Australia’s Clinical Trials sector held on International Clinical Trials Day in Melbourne.  MTPConnect brought together a panel of thought leaders to discuss the importance of clinical trials. Hear insights from our esteemed panel chaired by Dr Dan Grant, MTPConnect's Managing Director and CEO. Carrie Bloomfield, Co-Chair,  R&a...

In this episode we take you to our recent Collaboration and Skills Summit where we brought together a panel of industry experts to share their tips and experiences on how to maximise virtual partnering success at biotech conferences and meetings.  You will hear from Dr Nina Webster, the Managing Director & CEO of Dimerix Limited who shares the highs and lows of forming relationships and doing...

This week’s edition of the MTPConnect podcast checks in with the Australian Technology Competition - Australia's national Competition, late-stage accelerator and partnerships program designed to identify and accelerate homegrown scaleups with global potential. Last year, Electrogenics Laboratories won the Australian Technology Company of the Year and also took out the Medtech and Pharma Award...

Tune in for part 2 of our 100th episode special, following our chat with Professor Kate Schroder, head of the Inflammasome Laboratory and Director of the Centre for Inflammation and Disease Research at the Institute for Molecular Bioscience (IMB), University of Queensland and Professor Ian Henderson, the Director of IMB. We explore the story behind the milestone research discovery that could lead...

Happy 100th episode subscribers! We bring you part 1 of a special double episode following our chat with Professor Kate Schroder, head of the Inflammasome Laboratory and Director of the Centre for Inflammation and Disease Research at the Institute for Molecular Bioscience (IMB), University of Queensland and Professor Ian Henderson, the Director of IMB. We explore the story behind the milestone res...

In this week’s episode, we chat to WA-based digital health company Artrya’s Co-Founders - CEO John Konstantopoulos and Chairman John Barrington AM - about developing their heart disease detection application, which uses radiology and Artificial Intelligence to more accurately identify patients at risk of Coronary Artery Disease without invasive surgery in a matter of minutes. The ‘software as a se...

For this episode, we take you to our monthly seminar which is hosted by MTPConnect’s Andrew Bowskill and facilitated by Dr Lisette Pregelj (The University of Queensland). We bring together an expert panel to discuss the opportunities and challenges of embracing Australia’s adaptive regulation process when developing digital health technologies. Hear from Tracey Duffy (Therapeutic Goods Administrat...

For this episode, we explore the Australian Government’s focus on modern manufacturing and Medical Products. The Minister for Industry, Science and Technology, The Hon. Karen Andrews MP recently announced that funding is now available for Medical Products manufacturing under the $1.3 billion Modern Manufacturing Initiative (MMI) . The Minister also released the Medical Products road map which will...

For this episode, we explore and navigate the development pathway for emerging digital health entrepreneurs with our REDI partner, ANDHealth, Australia’s national digital health initiative.  Supported by MTPConnect’s REDI initiative, ANDHealth is providing a range of popular bespoke training programs to build commercialisation capabilities for founders, whether they are medical professionals, soft...

Melbourne based-Starpharma CEO Dr Jackie Fairley joins the MTPConnect Podcast this week to share the full story behind the fast track development of VIRALEZE™, an antiviral nasal spray for COVID-19 just registered in Europe and soon to be available in the EU and UK to complement vaccines and other preventative measures. Jackie shares how MRFF funding from MTPConnect’s Biomedical Translation Bridge...

We’re patching you into our first seminar series webinar for 2021 about the opportunity to access Round 11 of Cooperative Research Centres Projects (CRC-P) Grants which provides funding for short-term industry-led research collaborations. Our guests Martin Dent and Adrian March from the Department of Industry, Science, Energy and Resources (DISER) and Shay Chalmers from Strategic Engineering Austr...

In this week’s podcast, we travel to Perth to talk to regenerative medicine company Orthocell about gaining TGA, EU and US FDA approval to market its CelGro collagen membrane for dental and jaw bone surgeries. CelGro is a collagen scaffold that supports tissue reconstruction and repair. Orthocell CEO Paul Anderson discusses the regulatory approach for markets in Australia, Europe and the United St...

This week the podcast travels to the city of Newcastle to find out why a new regional medtech industry network has sprung up in the Hunter Central Coast Region, a location synonymous with coal. Trevor John, Director of Regional Development and Executive Officer and Kate O’Mara, Director Special Projects from the Regional Development Australia Hunter Committee join the podcast team to discuss the c...

Brisbane-based Ellume Health’s Founder and CEO Dr Sean Parsons joins the MTPConnect podcast this week to share the full story behind developing the first #COVID-19 Home Test to be given FDA Emergency Use Authorisation in the United States. Ellume recently signed a $300 million deal with the US government to supply the over-the-counter diagnostic which uses smart-device connectivity and ramping-up...

To stimulate collaboration across industry, research and clinical organisations we’re allocating $20 million to support the establishment of two new Research Centres through the Targeted Translation Research Accelerator (TTRA) initiative for diabetes and cardiovascular disease, supported by the Medical Research Future Fund. MTPConnect is calling for Expressions of Interest (EOI) to establish one c...

The Targeted Translation Research Accelerator (TTRA) initiative for diabetes and cardiovascular disease, supported by the Medical Research Future Fund, is calling for Expressions of Interest (EOI) for the first round of Research Projects funding. The program is making available $18 million to support translational Research Projects that have the potential to transform diabetes and cardiovascular d...

While Australia is getting on top of COVID-19 and Britain begins vaccinating frontline healthcare workers, the virus is still raging in the US, Europe, and many parts of the world. It all underscores the critical importance of ongoing pandemic preparedness – for policy makers, industry and the community.  To hear more about Australia’s efforts, we meet Dr Felicia Pradera who leads the DMTC Medical...

Digital evolution is the central enabling megatrend of the MTP sector. As healthcare incorporates more and more digital solutions, its important to get cybersecurity right.  Lives depend on it.  So how do we secure the digital safety and security of Australian medical technology and is the sector too complacent? MTPConnect’s Managing Director & CEO Dr Dan Grant tackled that question in his key...

We’re patching you into our November 2020 Seminar Series webinar about how to craft a successful commercialisation funding application. Hear valuable tips from communications specialist and grant writer Rebecca Colless from gemaker, experienced grant assessor Dr Andy Gearing from BioComm Squared and Professor Kevin Pfleger from UWA who shares his academic and commercial experience, highlighting ke...