Qantas Magazine feature on Neo-Bionica
Bionics Institute CEO Robert Klupacs was interviewed by Jane Nicholls for the September issue of Qantas Magazine on the founding of Neo-Bionica.
The article, in the Innovation section of the magazine (pg 156), details how Neo-Bionica was founded out of ‘frustration that medical device innovation was stalling in Australia’ because the development of medical device prototypes previously had to be done offshore.
The article goes on to report that Klupacs made the case that building the capability to make and test medical devices for in-human trials onshore would shave off millions of dollars and years of time.
He says the capacity to make complex devices in Australia is a game-changer and is hopeful Neo-Bionica will attract a “reverse brain drain” of bioengineers, scientists and researchers.
“Neurotechnology is our sweet spot. We’re primarily working on implantable medical devices that stimulate or record the central nervous system or the peripheral nervous system. We’re known for that – we have four United States customers and others from around the world approaching us.”
Neo-Bionica is a joint initiative of the Bionics Institute and the University of Melbourne located on the St Vincent’s Hospital Melbourne campus.
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The Bionics Institute hosted an online webinar in October 2022 to show how magnetic stimulation of the brain could improve cognition in Alzheimer’s disease.
The Bionics Institute are developing a new treatment to improve memory function in people with Alzheimer’s disease.
Developed by Bionics Institute researcher, Professor Kate Hoy, this new treatment, called Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS), uses magnetic pulses to alter brain activity.
View a recording of the webinar below to hear:
- Lead research Professor Kate Hoy, explain how magnetic brain stimulation could be key to fighting memory loss in Alzheimer’s disease.
- Clinician Dr Renata Lemke, give an overview of dementia and the limitations of current treatment.
- The personal experience of Cheryl Conway, who is caring for a family member with Alzheimer’s disease.
How TMS aims to help in Alzheimer’s disease
Alzheimer’s disease has been shown to interfere with important networks in the brain and this disruption in neural communication is linked to the cognitive difficulties experienced.
Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS) aims to improve brain function in people with Alzheimer’s disease by using magnetic pulses to alter brain activity.
This non-invasive approach has shown potential to restore healthy neural network function and improve memory in Alzheimer’s disease.
Our research team now aims to evaluate TMS in a larger clinical sample using a personalised treatment approach.
Event highlights
Professor James Fallon introduces the Bionics Institute.
Cheryl Conway discusses the personal experience of someone who is caring for a family member with Alzheimer’s disease.
Professor Kate Hoy explains how magnetic brain stimulation could be key to fighting memory loss in Alzheimer’s disease.
Clinician Dr Renata Lemke gives an overview of dementia and the limitations of current treatment options.
Qantas Magazine feature on Neo-Bionica
Bionics Institute CEO Robert Klupacs was interviewed by Jane Nicholls for the September issue of Qantas Magazine on the founding of Neo-Bionica.
The article, in the Innovation section of the magazine (pg 156), details how Neo-Bionica was founded out of ‘frustration that medical device innovation was stalling in Australia’ because the development of medical device prototypes previously had to be done offshore.
The article goes on to report that Klupacs made the case that building the capability to make and test medical devices for in-human trials onshore would shave off millions of dollars and years of time.
He says the capacity to make complex devices in Australia is a game-changer and is hopeful Neo-Bionica will attract a “reverse brain drain” of bioengineers, scientists and researchers.
“Neurotechnology is our sweet spot. We’re primarily working on implantable medical devices that stimulate or record the central nervous system or the peripheral nervous system. We’re known for that – we have four United States customers and others from around the world approaching us.”
Neo-Bionica is a joint initiative of the Bionics Institute and the University of Melbourne located on the St Vincent’s Hospital Melbourne campus.
Watch the Innovation Lecture video
Our speakers and panel
Keynote speaker Dr Andrew Nash, Chief Scientific Officer, CSL spoke about Building Australia from Innovation
Keynote speaker A/Prof Tom Oxley, CEO, Synchron talked about Med Tech Start-Ups: The Highs and Lows
Panel members
Dr Andrew Nash, Chief Scientific Officer, CSL
Professor Michelle McIntosh, Director Medicines Manufacturing Innovation Centre and Theme Leader at the Monash Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences.
Dr Megan O’Connor, Managing Director, Kantara Consulting
George Kenley, Chief Operating Officer, Seer Medical
Attendees
Invitees from across the med tech ecosystem include:
- Government agencies and peak bodies
- Start-up founders and entrepreneurs
- Innovative companies and med tech thought leaders
- Impact investors, funds and VCs
- Healthcare and tertiary education leaders
- Trusts, foundations and philanthropists
- Business media
Our Major Sponsors
About our keynote speaker
Dr Andrew Nash, Chief Scientific Officer, CSL
Andrew Nash is the Chief Scientific Officer and Senior Vice President, Head of Research at CSL and is an Honorary Associate Professor at the University of Melbourne.
He completed his PhD in immunology at The University of Melbourne in 1988 and, after moving to the Centre for Animal Biotechnology in the Faculty of Veterinary Science, developed and led a research group focused on basic and applied aspects of cytokine biology.
He later joined the ASX listed biotechnology company Zenyth Therapeutics (then Amrad Corporation) as a senior scientist and subsequently held a number of positions including Director of Biologicals Research and Chief Scientific Officer.
In July of 2005 he was appointed Chief Executive Officer of Zenyth, a position which he held up until the acquisition of Zenyth by CSL Limited in November 2006.
Following the acquisition he was appointed as Senior Vice President, Research and is currently based at the Bio21 Institute where he leads a large global effort focused on the discovery and development of new protein, cell and gene-based medicines to treat serious human disease.
About our keynote speaker
A/Prof Tom Oxley MBBS BMedSc FRACP
Associate Professor Tom Oxley is an interventional neurologist at Mount Sinai Hospital in New York, and founder and CEO of Synchron,
A company specialising in neural interface technology, Synchron is located across both Melbourne and New York.
Synchron has raised investment funding to develop the Stentrode, an implantable medical device that can translate brain signals from the inside of blood vessels.
Thoughts captured from users of the Stentrode are translated wirelessly to digital devices designed to stimulate thought-controlled movement, which could transform the lives of people who are paralysed or have severely restricted movement.
A/Prof Tom Oxley completed his medical degree at Monash University in Melbourne.
He completed an internal medicine, neurology residency in 2013; a stroke fellowship in 2015 at The Alfred and Royal Melbourne Hospitals; and an interventional neurology fellowship in 2017 at Mount Sinai Hospital in New York.
A/Prof Oxley completed his PhD in neural engineering in 2016 at the University of Melbourne, where he established the Vascular Bionics Laboratory.
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Qantas Magazine feature on Neo-Bionica
Bionics Institute CEO Robert Klupacs was interviewed by Jane Nicholls for the September issue of Qantas Magazine on the founding of Neo-Bionica.
The article, in the Innovation section of the magazine (pg 156), details how Neo-Bionica was founded out of ‘frustration that medical device innovation was stalling in Australia’ because the development of medical device prototypes previously had to be done offshore.
The article goes on to report that Klupacs made the case that building the capability to make and test medical devices for in-human trials onshore would shave off millions of dollars and years of time.
He says the capacity to make complex devices in Australia is a game-changer and is hopeful Neo-Bionica will attract a “reverse brain drain” of bioengineers, scientists and researchers.
“Neurotechnology is our sweet spot. We’re primarily working on implantable medical devices that stimulate or record the central nervous system or the peripheral nervous system. We’re known for that – we have four United States customers and others from around the world approaching us.”
Neo-Bionica is a joint initiative of the Bionics Institute and the University of Melbourne located on the St Vincent’s Hospital Melbourne campus.
You might be interested in…
Qantas Magazine feature on Neo-Bionica
Bionics Institute CEO Robert Klupacs was interviewed by Jane Nicholls for the September issue of Qantas Magazine on the founding of Neo-Bionica.
The article, in the Innovation section of the magazine (pg 156), details how Neo-Bionica was founded out of ‘frustration that medical device innovation was stalling in Australia’ because the development of medical device prototypes previously had to be done offshore.
The article goes on to report that Klupacs made the case that building the capability to make and test medical devices for in-human trials onshore would shave off millions of dollars and years of time.
He says the capacity to make complex devices in Australia is a game-changer and is hopeful Neo-Bionica will attract a “reverse brain drain” of bioengineers, scientists and researchers.
“Neurotechnology is our sweet spot. We’re primarily working on implantable medical devices that stimulate or record the central nervous system or the peripheral nervous system. We’re known for that – we have four United States customers and others from around the world approaching us.”
Neo-Bionica is a joint initiative of the Bionics Institute and the University of Melbourne located on the St Vincent’s Hospital Melbourne campus.
You might be interested in…
Qantas Magazine feature on Neo-Bionica
Bionics Institute CEO Robert Klupacs was interviewed by Jane Nicholls for the September issue of Qantas Magazine on the founding of Neo-Bionica.
The article, in the Innovation section of the magazine (pg 156), details how Neo-Bionica was founded out of ‘frustration that medical device innovation was stalling in Australia’ because the development of medical device prototypes previously had to be done offshore.
The article goes on to report that Klupacs made the case that building the capability to make and test medical devices for in-human trials onshore would shave off millions of dollars and years of time.
He says the capacity to make complex devices in Australia is a game-changer and is hopeful Neo-Bionica will attract a “reverse brain drain” of bioengineers, scientists and researchers.
“Neurotechnology is our sweet spot. We’re primarily working on implantable medical devices that stimulate or record the central nervous system or the peripheral nervous system. We’re known for that – we have four United States customers and others from around the world approaching us.”
Neo-Bionica is a joint initiative of the Bionics Institute and the University of Melbourne located on the St Vincent’s Hospital Melbourne campus.
Women in STEMM Lunch
The Women in STEMM Lunch is a feature of the Graeme Clark Oration event program.
Guests from across the STEMM sector came together to network and engage in a Q&A with Professor Natalia Trayanova (Johns Hopkins University) and Professor Nilmini Wickramasinghe (Swinburne University of Technology).
The lunch fostered insightful conversations about overcoming career barriers and advancing advance gender diversity in science.
The Bionics Institute 2022 Award for Excellence in Medical Device Innovation
The winner of the 2022 Bionics Institute Award for Excellence in Medical Device Innovation was Professor Rodney Lane.
Professor Lane is a Senior Vascular Surgeon at Royal North Shore Hospital and is recognised for his numerous vascular research projects over the past 25 plus years, with the majority focusing on novel Bioengineering approaches
The annual Bionics Institute Award for Excellence in Medical Device Innovation recognises an Australian individual who, through innovation, has made a significant impact on the medical device ecosystem with the aim of improving human health.
To celebrate the achievements of Professor Lane, the Innovation award was presented at the Bionics Institute 2022 Graeme Clark Oration Dinner in Melbourne on 12 July, with a $5000 prize and associated publicity.
You might be interested in…
Qantas Magazine feature on Neo-Bionica
Bionics Institute CEO Robert Klupacs was interviewed by Jane Nicholls for the September issue of Qantas Magazine on the founding of Neo-Bionica.
The article, in the Innovation section of the magazine (pg 156), details how Neo-Bionica was founded out of ‘frustration that medical device innovation was stalling in Australia’ because the development of medical device prototypes previously had to be done offshore.
The article goes on to report that Klupacs made the case that building the capability to make and test medical devices for in-human trials onshore would shave off millions of dollars and years of time.
He says the capacity to make complex devices in Australia is a game-changer and is hopeful Neo-Bionica will attract a “reverse brain drain” of bioengineers, scientists and researchers.
“Neurotechnology is our sweet spot. We’re primarily working on implantable medical devices that stimulate or record the central nervous system or the peripheral nervous system. We’re known for that – we have four United States customers and others from around the world approaching us.”
Neo-Bionica is a joint initiative of the Bionics Institute and the University of Melbourne located on the St Vincent’s Hospital Melbourne campus.
You might be interested in…
Qantas Magazine feature on Neo-Bionica
Bionics Institute CEO Robert Klupacs was interviewed by Jane Nicholls for the September issue of Qantas Magazine on the founding of Neo-Bionica.
The article, in the Innovation section of the magazine (pg 156), details how Neo-Bionica was founded out of ‘frustration that medical device innovation was stalling in Australia’ because the development of medical device prototypes previously had to be done offshore.
The article goes on to report that Klupacs made the case that building the capability to make and test medical devices for in-human trials onshore would shave off millions of dollars and years of time.
He says the capacity to make complex devices in Australia is a game-changer and is hopeful Neo-Bionica will attract a “reverse brain drain” of bioengineers, scientists and researchers.
“Neurotechnology is our sweet spot. We’re primarily working on implantable medical devices that stimulate or record the central nervous system or the peripheral nervous system. We’re known for that – we have four United States customers and others from around the world approaching us.”
Neo-Bionica is a joint initiative of the Bionics Institute and the University of Melbourne located on the St Vincent’s Hospital Melbourne campus.
About the Girls in STEM program.
The Bionics Institute is passionate about inspiring young women to choose a career in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM).
Recent government research shows that the proportion of women working across all STEM-qualified industries has increased from 24% in 2016 to 28% in 2020.
While this is a great improvement, the report says significantly more change is needed to achieve gender equity in STEM in Australia by 2030.
Following the success of our inaugural Girls in STEM Mentoring Program in partnership with Ivanhoe Girls’ Grammar School, which has been running since 2019, Bionics Institute CEO Robert Klupacs aims to expand this program across more schools over the next few years.
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Measuring tinnitus – detecting an invisible condition Event
Our 2022 ‘Measuring tinnitus – detecting an invisible condition’ event gave an insight into our ground-breaking research into a new device to assist in the detection of tinnitus; information about the disease and the experiences of a patient with severe tinnitus.
Speakers
Professor James Fallon: Chief Technology Officer and Head of Research Operations at the Bionics Institute
Dr Mehrnaz Shoushtarian: Research Fellow at the Bionics Institute
Dr Sol Marghzar: Doctor of audiology and clinical director of ‘The Hearing Doctor’ in California
Ms Victoria Didenko: Patient who shares her experience of being diagnosed and living with tinnitus.
Our new diagnostic tool for tinnitus
The Bionics Institute are developing an objective test of tinnitus, to aid diagnosis; facilitate more accurate symptom monitoring, and accelerate development of new treatments.
The test uses technology called functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) to track changes in brain activity and a special cap is used to shine near-infrared light over the head while listening to sounds
Measurements of the light reflected back into sensors in the cap indicate variations in blood oxygen which are analysed using software.
The results of research studies have shown measurable differences between people with and without tinnitus, and distinguishing between subjective severities.
Find out more about our device to establish an objective measure of tinnitus
Watch our ‘Measuring tinnitus- detecting an invisible condition’ event
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Rethinking Rheumatoid Arthritis Event
Our 2021 Rethinking Rheumatoid Arthritis Event gave an insight into our ground-breaking research into a new device to reduce inflammation in rheumatoid arthritis; information about the disease; and tips from a hand therapist.
Speakers
Professor James Fallon: Chief Technology Officer and Head of Research Operations at the Bionics Institute
Dr Sophie Payne: Research Fellow at the Bionics Institute
Associate Professor Evange Romas: Director of Rheumatology at St Vincent’s Hospital Melbourne
Mr Nick Antoniou: Hand Therapist who treats patients with rheumatoid arthritis
Our device to treat rheumatoid arthritis
Bionics Institute researchers have developed a small electrical device that stimulates the vagus nerve to reduce inflammation caused by rheumatoid arthritis.
The vagus nerve runs from the brain to the gut with branches to several organs, including the lungs and the heart. Among many other functions, it controls the body’s natural anti-inflammatory response.
Powered by a battery that sits under the skin at hip level, the groundbreaking device has been designed to stimulate the vagus nerve, as needed, to dampen the body’s overactive immune response and prevent long-term damage.
Currently in the early stages of development, the device will eventually be implanted into people with drug-resistant rheumatoid arthritis using key-hole surgery.
Unlike devices under development elsewhere the device is implanted at abdominal level, rather than at the neck level, which means there are no effects on the lungs or the heart.
As the stimulation kickstarts the body’s natural mechanisms, people with rheumatoid arthritis will not experience the side effects associated with current drug therapies.
Find out more about our rheumatoid arthritis device here
Event highlights
Dr Sophie Payne introduces the drug-free treatment being developed
Dr Evange Romas looks in detail at the current treatments available for rheumatoid arthritis
Professor James Fallon explains how the Bionics Institute became involved in arthritis research
Nick Antoniou shares his insights into how hand therapy can play a part in managing rheumatoid arthritis