The Targeted Translation Research Accelerator (TTRA) initiative, a Medical Research Future Fund initiative delivered by MTPConnect, is rolling out a $38 million funding opportunity to improve the prevention, diagnosis, management and treatment of diabetes, cardiovascular disease and their related complications in Australia.

Expressions of Interest (EOI) for two new Research Centres and the first round of Research Projects funding are now open.

Research Projects

$18 million to support translational Research Projects that have the potential to transform diabetes and cardiovascular disease outcomes and reduce the burden of disease on patients, families and the community – with up to $6 million available in this first round. 

The TTRA Research Projects must develop innovative preventative, diagnostic, therapeutic and/or disease management products/solutions to address one of the following Priority Areas:

• Priority 1: Mental health conditions in people living with at least two of the following: Type 1 diabetes, Type 2 diabetes and/or cardiovascular disease; or
• Priority 2: Chronic kidney disease in people living with at least two of the following: Type 1 diabetes, Type 2 diabetes and/or cardiovascular disease; or
• Priority 3: Cardiac and vascular complications arising in people living with diabetes (Type 1 or Type 2) and cardiovascular disease; OR Cardiovascular disease in people living with Type 1 diabetes and insulin resistance (double diabetes).

Submissions for the first round of Research Projects funding close on 22 February 2021.

Research Centres

$20 million to support the establishment of two new Research Centres; one focused on diabetes-associated complications and the other on cardiovascular disease-associated complications and each funded for up to $10 million over four years.     

The Diabetes Research Centre’s translational research, development and implementation science activities will address the following Priority Areas:

• Priority 1: Diabetic kidney disease;
• Priority 2: Peripheral neuropathy and diabetic foot syndrome;
• Priority 3: Short-term complications of hypoglycaemia and/or hyperglycaemic hyperosmolar syndrome (HHS) and ketoacidosis.

The Cardiovascular Disease Research Centre’s translational research, development and implementation science activities will address the following Priority Areas:

• Priority 1: Coronary artery disease (including angina and MACE);
• Priority 2: Cardiomyopathy / heart failure;
• Priority 3: Transient ischaemic attack (TIA) / stroke (ischaemic and haemorrhagic).

Submissions for Research Centres funding close on 15 March 2021.

TTRA for Diabetes and Cardiovascular Disease Announces TTRA for Diabetes and Cardiovascular Disease Announces Research Plans and Partners

MTPConnect’s Targeted Translation Research Accelerator (TTRA) initiative for diabetes and MTPConnect’s Targeted Translation Research Accelerator (TTRA) initiative for diabetes and cardiovascular disease (D&CVD) will soon call for expressions of interest to establish two Research Centres and open the first round of Research Project funding.

The $47 million TTRA initiative, supported by the Medical Research Future Fund (MRFF), is providing a new integrated research program to improve the prevention, management and treatment of diabetes and cardiovascular disease (D&CVD) in Australia. Research efforts will focus on the most pressing areas of unmet clinical and research needs in D&CVD, which are leading causes of death and disability in Australia.

The TTRA program is designed to support and incentivise translation as a natural course of activity for those applying and receiving funding.

MTPConnect is pleased to announce partnerships with ANDHealth, Medical Device PartneringProgram (MDPP) and UniQuest to provide advice and mentoring for funding recipients.

MTPConnect Managing Director & CEO, Dr Dan Grant, has welcomed the TTRA partners, citing their credentials as preeminent organisations specialising in translation and commercialisation of digital health, medical technology, medical devices, biotechnology and pharmaceuticals.

“We are delighted to announce our partnerships with ANDHealth, MDPP and UniQuest for the TTRA as we embark on a mission to improve the prevention, diagnosis, treatment and management of diabetes and cardiovascular disease in Australia,” Dr Grant said.

“Our experience leading a number of Medical Research Future Fund programs has proven the value of building in a component for guidance and support for research applicants,” he said.

UniQuest is Australia’s leading technology transfer company, whose innovation portfolio includes Australia’s first blockbuster vaccine Gardasil®. UniQuest’s Executive Director of Commercialisation, Dr Mark Ashton says bringing commercialisation experience to early stage research will transform ideas to impact.

”We are looking forward to drawing on the industry expertise of our team at the Queensland Emory Drug Discovery Initiative (QEDDI) and our 35 years’ experience in commercialisation to support applicants in the translation of their research, with the view to improving the outlook for patients with diabetes and cardiovascular disease around the world,” Dr Ashton said.

MDPP Executive Director, Professor Karen Reynolds leads the ideas incubator to support the development of novel medical devices and assistive technologies.

“MDPP is honoured to once again partner with MTPConnect and support the development of novel preventive, diagnostic and therapeutic approaches and products to improve outcomes for diabetes and cardiovascular disease. With the rapid changes within the community, health and business environments, the TTRA will provide a strategic and coordinated effort to translate cutting-edge research to knowledge for two disease states that affect millions of Australians each year,” Professor Karen Reynolds said.

Read more

The MDPP were very proud to be named a finalist in the 2020 SA Science Excellence and Innovation Awards in the 2020 Excellence in Sciene and Industry Collaboration category.

The team were presented with a finalist plaque by Hon David Pisoni and Chief Scientist Prof Caroline McMillen. 

Unfortunately the awards ceremony was postponed due to restrictions but we look forward to celebrating early next year.

Click here for the finalist video

Click here for the Science Excellence Awards webpage

The Medical Device Partnering Program (MDPP) Ideas Incubator is a proven tool for developing world-class medical devices and helping innovators in their first steps through research, clinical and industry partnerships.

• Are you a clinician or researcher with an idea for a medical device but need some expert help in developing a prototype or proof-of-concept?
• Are you a medical device company looking to develop a new product and would benefit from some of the expert advice available through the MDPP?
• Is your business looking to move into medical devices from an adjacent sector but not sure what it takes?

Learn more about what the MDPP does and how you can be a part of it, by joining the free Building Healthcare Innovations with the Medical Device Partnering Program webinar

Sorry you missed the webinar but you can watch the recording here.  Passcode 7gQ.M4u^

New directory connecting Australia’s medical device sector launched to drive innovation

The Medical Device Partnering Program today launches the first dedicated online Capability Directory for the medical device sector, to boost innovation and development of cutting-edge medical devices and technologies in Australia.

Funded by MTPConnect, the Capability Directory incorporates details of more than 2,600 Australian organisations relevant to the medical device industry, bringing together expert research, clinical and manufacturing capabilities of Australian organisations.

The directory will help innovators to connect with organisations so they can develop their idea ready for market. It can be used by businesses to identify research organisations who can help to develop new products, or by start-up enterprises looking for advanced manufacturers who can build new products.

The MDPP is an ideas incubator, fostering collaborations between researchers, industry, end-users and government to develop new medical devices and technologies with global market potential. Led by Professor Karen Reynolds of Flinders University, the Program provides a mechanism to develop proof of concept, prototyping, clinical evaluation and commercialisation planning.

“Our aim is to build on the current research and manufacturing capability across the nation and develop Australia’s position as a global leader in the growing medical devices market. Our new Capability Directory is going to make it a lot easier for innovators to tap into the rich sovereign ecosystem that exists here and get the support they need to develop, commercialise and locally manufacture a new medical device,” said MDPP Director Professor Karen Reynolds.

“As we move into a new era of adaptation and flexibility, driven by extraordinary challenges such as the COVID-19 pandemic, manufacturers can pivot into new markets when given the opportunity and connections to do so and our Capability Directory can help.

“We experienced this firsthand when setting up a PPE testing facility with UniSA to support COVID-19 face mask testing facility for Australia. The connections to experts in materials science, medical device research, clinical validation and therapeutic product regulation in the directory made it possible to do so rapidly” said Professor Reynolds.

MTPConnect Managing Director and CEO, Dr Dan Grant, explained the Directory had been commissioned because there was a need for a central repository of stakeholders in the medical technology sector.

“We need to integrate and connect the expertise we have across our nation to promote industry growth, and the MDPP’s Capability Directory represents a valuable resource for the medical innovation community who are creating high-tech medical devices to improve health and wellbeing,” said Dr Dan Grant.

The MDPP has been named a finalist in the Excellence in Science and Industry Collaboration section of the South Australian Science Excellence Awards, for the work it does with inventors from research, industry and clinical settings by facilitating the design, patenting and development of new medical technologies and products - including the ‘Ezy-Aim’ orthopaedic surgery device by Austofix and Ferronova’s early stage cancer diagnostics device.

The Capability Directory is now online at the MDPP website: https://mdpp.org.au/capability

We are hiring!

We are looking for an Innovations Officer (MDPP) to join our South Australian team based at Flinders University. The Innovations Officer (MDPP) will support the Innovations Manager (MDPP) in managing client liaison, assessing viability of proposals and preparing detailed commercial reports for the Medical Device Partnering Program (MDPP).  The position will work alongside like-minded colleagues committed to growing Australia's medtech sector, who value innovation and have exceptional capabilities in research, commercialisation and partnership.

Applications close Thursday 17th September at 11am ACST. 
 

• Flinders University, Tonsley Innovation District
• Available on a fixed-term, full-time basis until 31 December 2021 
• For application enquiries, contact This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or phone +61 8 8201 7761

For more information and to apply visit - https://jobs.flinders.edu.au/en/job/497414/innovations-officer

 APPLY NOW!