Understanding Parkinson’s disease
Parkinson’s disease (PD) is a chronic, progressive movement disorder that occurs when nerve cells essential for normal movement and coordination stop working properly. These nerve cells communicate through a chemical messenger called dopamine, and when dopamine levels decline, the characteristic symptoms of Parkinson’s appear. PD affects over six million people worldwide.
Walking difficulties in PD
Walking disturbances in PD are very common and can result in increased falls and injury. Walking impairments include reduced walking speed and step length, impaired rhythm of walking, inability to initiate walking and ‘freezing of gait’- the inability to move feet forward despite the intention to walk. Walking impairments worsen as the disease progresses and markedly affect an individual’s independence and quality of life.
The need for new treatments
Despite the prominence of walking impairments in PD, few therapeutic options are available. Medication can help but often does not return walking to where it should be. Similarly, deep brain stimulation (DBS), a form of surgery, can improve some gait disturbances but can also cause worsening of others.
Walking difficulties and the risk of falls remain major obstacles to independence, highlighting the urgent need for new interventions that improve walking and quality of life.
Innovative research at the Bionics Institute
At the Bionics Institute, A/Prof Mehrnaz Shoushtarian and her collaborators (Prof Robert Iansek and Dr Anna Murphy) at Kingston Centre, Monash Health are exploring peripheral sensory stimulation as a novel approach to Parkinson’s gait. This method involves delivering stimulation in the form of mild electrical pulses or vibration to the feet, aiming to disrupt abnormal brain activity associated with PD and help better regulate walking.
A/Prof Shoushtarian and her team have begun a clinical trial to assess the effect of stimulation on walking impairments in PD. By combining clinical expertise with cutting-edge technology, the Institute seeks to develop practical, evidence-based solutions that enhance mobility, independence, and overall quality of life for people living with this condition.
Our aim is to develop a stimulation device that is easy to use for patients and can transform the management of walking disorders in PD. Associate Professor Mehrnaz Shoushtarian
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Bionic eye research at the University of Melbourne, carried out in collaboration with Bionics Institute researchers and featured in a recent paper published in the journal Brain Stimulation, demonstrated how hybrid nerve stimulation enhances electrical stimulation, not just for the bionic eye, but also for other implants.
Electrical stimulation has been used for decades in medical devices such as the cochlear implant, but the electrical current spreads out from the stimulating site and reduces the precision of the device.
Stimulating nerves with light gives more precision, but nerves don’t naturally respond to light, so a technique called optogenetics must be used. Optogenetics is a technology to genetically modify nerves to allow them to be activated with light.
In this study, combined electrical and light stimulation (termed hybrid stimulation) was used for optimal precision, timing, and reliability of nerve activation in the eye. The highlights of the research detailed in this paper are:
- Hybrid stimulation needs less light intensity and electrical current compared to either method alone, enhancing safety.
- Hybrid stimulation improves the response reliability to high-frequency stimulation compared to methods that use light alone.
- Hybrid stimulation maintains precision, surpassing conventional electrical-only methods.
- Hybrid stimulation is effective with electrodes as far as 3 mm away from the retina, providing an avenue for less-invasive vision restoration.
Bionics Institute’s Professor Rachael Richardson, a world leader in optogenetics and co-senior author on this publication, says: ” Bionic eyes currently in clinical trials are predominantly electrical-only devices. Hybrid stimulation could be a missing piece which greatly improves the level of vision restored.
“There are also many other devices that could benefit from this technique, such as nerve stimulation to curb chronic pain, cardiac devices and bionic limbs.”
Dr Wei Tong, a researcher at the University of Melbourne and the corresponding/co-senior author on the publication, says: “The goal is not just to activate nerves, but to do so reliably, precisely, and with minimal invasiveness. Hybrid stimulation brings us closer to restoring meaningful function for patients.”
Read the publication here: https://www.brainstimjrnl.com/article/S1935-861X(25)00414-0/fulltext
Read more about Professor Richardson’s chronic pain research here: https://www.bionicsinstitute.org/our-research/autoimmune-and-chronic-disease/a-drug-free-approach-to-relieve-chronic-pain/
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We’re excited to share a major new publication from the Bionics Institute, now published in the prestigious journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS).
This study offers fresh insight into how the brain adapts after cochlear implantation and why some people benefit more than others.
The research team, led by Jamal Esmaelpoor with Tommy Peng, Beth Jelfs, Darren Mao, Maureen Shader, and Colette McKay, studied brain activity in 29 people who received cochlear implants. Using a non-invasive brain imaging technique called functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS), the team measured how participants’ brain networks changed one month and one year after implantation.
What they found was exciting. The brain doesn’t adapt in a simple, fixed way during visual lipreading and speech listening. Instead, brain networks change dynamically over time, showing shifts in neural plasticity and communication between the left and right sides of the brain. Even more importantly, the researchers discovered that the stability of a person’s brain network shortly after implantation could predict how well they would understand speech in the future.
This finding is especially meaningful because nearly 30% of cochlear implant users currently experience limited benefit. Being able to predict outcomes early could help clinicians tailor rehabilitation programs to each individual, improving long-term results.
The study also highlights why it’s so important to look beyond static snapshots of the brain. By capturing how brain connectivity changes over time, this work provides a richer, more realistic picture of how the brain learns to process sound again after implantation.
Overall, this publication marks an exciting step forward in understanding brain adaptation and opens new possibilities for personalized care in cochlear implant rehabilitation.
Learn more about the study: https://www.growkudos.com/publications/10.1073%25252Fpnas.2505086122/reader
Read the full paper in PNAS: https://www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/pnas.2505086122
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The Bionics Institute is proud to welcome AFL great Neil Balme as an Ambassador, joining our community to help raise awareness of epilepsy and support groundbreaking neurological research ahead of Giving Day on March 10.
Neil Balme is one of football’s most respected leaders, with a career spanning elite competition, coaching, management and player welfare. Today, he brings that leadership to the Bionics Institute community, advocating for people living with epilepsy—including through his own lived experience with the condition.
He has been inspired by the Institute’s work in areas such as vagus nerve stimulation and its potential to transform lives. We are grateful for his support in advancing research that changes lives.
“If these drugs weren’t working, I’d try anything,” he says. “This research is sort of fantastic.” Neil Balme
As an Ambassador, Neil is committed to breaking down stigma, encouraging open conversations about epilepsy, and helping build a future where better treatments and greater understanding are available to all.
We are delighted to welcome Neil Balme to the Bionics Institute community and grateful for his support in advancing research that changes lives.
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Golf with an impact
The Bionics Institute invites you to take part in the 2026 Charity Golf Day to play 9 holes, all while raising vital funds for medical research at the Bionics Institute.
About the event:
Conveniently located 11km from the CBD in Melbourne’s south-eastern suburbs, Box Hill Golf Club is a Par 71, well-conditioned parkland course surrounded by lush vegetation and wildlife. You will enjoy nine challenging holes in this Ambrose competition followed by a BBQ buffet and drinks in the beautiful upper-level function room overlooking the course.
Date: Monday 30 March 2026
Venue: Box Hill Golf Club
Format: Nine Hole Ambrose Shotgun Start followed by BBQ buffet, drinks and networking in the club pavilion overlooking the course
Timings
Arrive: 3.00pm
Shotgun Start: 3.30pm
BBQ buffet and presentations: 6.00-8.00
Prizes
Nearest to the pin
Winning team
Sponsorship Opportunities Available
Golf and networking with an impact
The Bionics Institute invites your organisation to sponsor and take part in the 2026 Charity Golf Day to play 9 holes and network, all while raising vital funds for life-changing medical research at the Bionics Institute.
You will be helping our researchers transform the lives of people with a range of conditions, including Alzheimer’s disease, hearing impairment, Crohn’s disease, balance disorders, chronic pain, Parkinson’s disease and arthritis.
As an event sponsor your company will benefit from unique branding and networking opportunities that a partnership with the Bionics Institute, giving unique brand exposure to other businesses and corporations.
You and guests can socialise and have fun, whilst showing your organisation’s support for the community and giving your staff and guests of yours an opportunity to connect.
Contact Sam McLarty for more information or purchase a sponsorship package online.
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The bell has rung to celebrate the official listing on the Australian Securities Exchange (ASX) of Epiminder; a company set up to translate a medical device for epilepsy, invented at the Bionics Institute with founder Professor Mark Cook, into clinical reality.
Bionics Institute CEO Robert Klupacs says he hasn’t experienced many moments like this in his career in med tech, and he’s proud that the Institute has been a part of the story from the very beginning.
“As a world-renowned neurologist, Professor Mark Cook had a vision: to create a device that monitors seizures in people with epilepsy. He came to the Bionics Institute in 2011 to ask for help because we are world leaders in medical device engineering and product design,” Robert says.
Prof Cook worked closely with Bionics Institute engineers to develop the Minder® system, an implantable device designed to continuously monitor brain activity to provide accurate, long-term data on brain activity that could enable more accurate diagnosis and better-informed treatment decisions.
“There are many people involved in the Epiminder journey, including the amazing research team at the Bionics Institute who developed the device, and Robert Klupacs, who provided the business and commercialisation acumen required to launch Epiminder in 2018 just after he was appointed as CEO of the Institute,” Prof Cook says.
Established in partnership with Cochlear Limited, The University of Melbourne, St Vincent’s Hospital Melbourne and private investors, Epiminder achieved the major milestone of FDA approval for the Minder® system in April 2025 under the leadership of Epiminder Board Chair Philip Binns, CEO Dr Rohan Hoare and Founder Prof Cook.
This latest milestone sees the company listed on the ASX at an opening market valuation of $325m after raising $125m in investment to fund a large clinical trial in the US to support the company’s reimbursement strategy.
Robert says this is a wonderful example of the Bionics Institute’s mission coming to life: creating cutting-edge medical devices that transform lives.
“Once our researchers have developed a device, establishment of a spin-off company staffed with experts in regulation, investment and marketing is a necessary step to ensure our innovation reaches patients in the clinic.”
“Everyone at the Bionics Institute is proud to see Epiminder poised to make an impact on the lives of people with epilepsy around the world and motivated to develop new devices for many other conditions in the future,” he says.
More information
Read more about our impact through translation of medical research and commercialisation pipeline here.
“There are many people involved in the Epiminder journey, including the amazing research team at the Bionics Institute who developed the device, and Robert Klupacs, who provided the business and commercialisation acumen required to launch Epiminder in 2018 just after he was appointed as CEO of the Institute,” Professor Mark Cook
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For more than 25 years, Bionics Institute researchers have been supported by a wonderful partnership with the Bertalli Family Foundation.
In November, Neville and Di Bertalli met with Bionics Institute researchers Professor James Fallon, A/Prof Sophie Payne and Dr Tomoko Hyakumura to mark a milestone in this partnership, which has significantly contributed to the development of the Bionics Institute’s abdominal vagus nerve stimulation device that is now in clinical trials for Crohn’s disease and rheumatoid arthritis, and now under investigation as a treatment for epilepsy and Parkinson’s disease.
“When we first met James over a decade ago the Institute was embarking on this groundbreaking research. We are delighted to support James, Sophie, Tomoko and the Bionics Institute team to progress their research through to clinical trials, and look forward to seeing many more to come,” he said.
Bionics Institute CEO Robert Klupacs said: “Neville and Di have seen the world benefit from the many leaps forward in medical research, like the cochlear implant. Their passion for ensuring the continued progression of innovative new treatments led to Neville spending many years sharing his extensive business knowledge as a member of the Bionics Institute Board, and their dedication has been instrumental in nurturing the next generation of brilliant minds to transform lives.”
Professor Fallon says: “Neville and Di’s inspiring commitment to helping others through their support of medical research has had a major impact on the Bionics Institute that will last for years to come, and we are very grateful for their support.”
Find out about plans to investigate many more diseases through the Bionics Institute Vagus Nerve Stimulation Centre of Excellence, featured in the video below.
Vagus Nerve Stimulation Centre of Excellence at the Bionics Institute
“Neville and Di’s inspiring commitment to helping others through their support of medical research has had a major impact on the Bionics Institute that will last for years to come, and we are very grateful for their support.” Professor James Fallon
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Swinburne and Bionics Institute announce strategic alliance to accelerate medical device research.
The Bionics Institute will partner with Swinburne University of Technology in a first-of-its-kind collaboration to accelerate the development of life-changing medical devices.
Swinburne and the Bionics Institute will combine their cutting-edge facilities, scientific expertise and resources to progress medical device innovation into the clinic for the benefit of patients worldwide.
The partnership builds on decades of experience across both organisations. The Bionics Institute (BI) is a world-leading medical research institute with 40 years’ experience in taking medical devices from concept to clinical reality, including the cochlear implant and the epilepsy seizure monitoring device Minder.
Swinburne is a technology and engineering-infused university that has spent a decade investing in medical technology and commercialisation. Swinburne Vice-Chancellor and President Professor Pascale Quester says the partnership exemplifies how collaboration can make meaningful change.
“Swinburne and the Bionics Institute are united by a bold vision: to transform lives through innovation,” Professor Quester says.
“The Institute’s pioneering work has already improved lives globally. At Swinburne, we harness technology for impact, and there is no greater impact than advancing patient outcomes through purposeful collaboration.”
BI will gain access to Swinburne’s fundamental research and next-generation facilities. This includes the only single-site human imaging facility in Australia and New Zealand to offer magnetoencephalography (MEG) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI).
Dr Werner van der Merwe, Swinburne Vice-President, Innovation and Enterprise says BI will also benefit from the opportunity to secure commercialisation funding from the university’s investment fund, Swinburne Ventures.
He said: “This opens the door to millions of dollars of investment into spin-off companies commercialising devices and therapies developed at BI, enabling us to create a seamless pathway together to turn breakthrough research into real-world solutions driving change on a global scale.”
BI’s Chief Executive Officer Robert Klupacs says the partnership with Swinburne will provide access to the vital resources and facilities needed to supercharge BI’s research and impact while ensuring BI retains its independence.
“We have long recognised that collaboration maximises our impact on patients’ lives. We’re incredibly excited to build on our existing work with Swinburne spanning optogenetics, neuroimaging and neuromodulation to change the lives of people with challenging medical conditions such as chronic pain, Alzheimer’s, Crohn’s disease and epilepsy,” he said.
The collaboration will also offer Swinburne’s biomedical engineering and other students real, hands-on experience at the forefront of research, development and innovation.
“We are excited to pair Swinburne’s undergraduate and graduate talent with work under the direction of focused medical research scientists. This will strengthen the pipeline of Australia’s STEM and med tech workforce, create new career opportunities, and ultimately increase the medical device concepts and products we can create,” Prof Quester said.
The partnership comes as Swinburne launches its new strategy, Ad Astra_2030, in which the university will co-create industries of the future through applied research and innovation.
Together, Swinburne and BI will lead and leverage technology to improve lives globally, starting on 1 January 2026.
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Corporate giving isn’t just about writing a cheque, it’s about creating meaningful engagement with customers, staff, and the broader community.
The Bionics Institute’s corporate partners are finding creative new ways to connect purpose with action, and RMS Australia recently delivered a standout example.
Fundraising with a twist
At the 2025 NoVacancy Hotel + Accommodation Industry Expo, RMS Australia turned their booth into more than a networking space and made it a hub for charitable giving.
Visitors to the RMS stand were invited to “check in for charity” by placing a button into one of several charity boxes, each representing a different cause. For every button dropped, RMS pledged a donation. It was a simple but powerful idea: empower attendees to direct corporate giving and make it interactive.
“Together, we raised $5,000 to support Bionics Institute, Foodbank Australia, Victorian Animal Aid Trust, and Orange Sky Australia, helping change lives (and wagging tails).” – RMS Australia via LinkedIn
This approach gave attendees a voice in the donation process, generated buzz around their booth, and showcased RMS’s commitment to making a real-world difference. From pioneering medical research to food relief, animal welfare, and mobile hygiene services.
How your business can get involved
Your organisation can make a difference too. Whether it’s:
- Hosting an interactive fundraiser like RMS
- Launching a staff giving program
- Sponsoring a specific research campaign
- Setting up workplace giving
The Bionics Institute makes it easy to align your company’s values with cutting-edge medical innovation.
Learn more or explore partnership options here:
bionicsinstitute.org/get-involved/corporate-giving-2025
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We are proud to share that Robert Klupacs, Chief Executive Officer of the Bionics Institute, has been selected as a finalist in the 2025 InnovationAus Innovation Leadership Awards.
These awards recognise leadership excellence in Australia’s innovation ecosystem — celebrating people who can bridge vision and execution, and who inspire teams across disciplines to turn ideas into impact.
Distinguished peer finalists
Robert is one of three finalists in the Innovation Leadership Award category. The other two are:
- Professor Andrew Dzurak (founder & CEO, Diraq) InnovationAus.com
- David Lewis (founder & Managing Director, Mentor List Group) InnovationAus.com
According to InnovationAus publisher Corrie McLeod,
“Innovation is a team game, but there is always an outstanding leader at the helm, driving the project and ensuring its success. Congratulations to each of our finalists in the Innovation Leadership Award category.” InnovationAus.com
Robert’s nomination recognises his unique model for accelerating Australian innovation: a blended approach combining philanthropy, impact investment, and commercial intellectual property licensing.
His nomination statement emphasises that his enduring contribution lies in reshaping thinking within the medical research sector: that commercialisation is not a sideline, but a central path to sustainability, societal benefit, and translational impact.
Dual recognition: Epiminder’s finalist status
Our pride is further amplified by the fact that Epiminder Pty Ltd, founded by Professor Mark Cook AO and developed through collaborative work at the Bionics Institute, is also a finalist in the Health Tech category, for its Minder device. This recognises the strength of our innovation pipeline and partnerships across academia, hospitals, and industry.
The winners of the 2025 InnovationAus Awards will be announced on 27 November.
We extend our heartfelt congratulations to Robert, the Epiminder team, and all fellow finalists. Their leadership and ingenuity are driving the future of medical technology in Australia, and we are honoured to be part of that journey.