Research into developing new medical technologies and ways of improving patient care will receive a $1 million boost from MTPConnect (the Australian Government funded Medical Technologies and Pharmaceuticals Industry Growth Centre) which will be matched by $1 million from the medical sector.

The University of Western Australia is part of the Accelerating Australia project, which will receive the funding to advance vital medical research. The program includes researchers, universities, hospitals, research institutes and medical leaders from across the country.

Associate Professor Kevin Pfleger from UWA and the Harry Perkins Institute of Medical Research said the funding would help researchers develop medical inventions and technology to solve unmet needs of doctors, medical staff and patients.

“Through this project we are looking at speeding up the time it takes for the world-leading research coming out of our universities to have a practical application in hospitals and health care organisations,” Associate Professor Pfleger said.

“How many amazing ideas are locked inside universities because the researchers do not know how to convert them to benefit patients? Many problems encountered by doctors could be solved by talking to university and industry researchers and through collaboration.”

Associate Professor Pfleger said the research community across the country was incredibly grateful to MTPConnect and all the major collaborators involved in the project for their support.

“These are very exciting times, not just for the researchers, doctors and industry, but more importantly for the community that will benefit from healthcare advances,” he said.

The funding will be provided over two years. MTPConnect’s Project Fund Program is a competitive, dollar-for-dollar matched funding program investing in big, bold ideas to improve the productivity, competitiveness and innovative capacity of Australia’s medical technology, biotechnology and pharmaceutical sector. MTPConnect is supported by the Australian Government’s Industry Growth Centres Initiative.

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Media references

David Stacey (UWA Media and Public Relations Manager) (+61 8) 6488 3229 / (+61 4) 32 637 716
Kristen Houston (Project Officer, Accelerating Australia) (+61) 431 637 479
Zoe Stephenson (Corporate Communications Manager, MTPConnect) +61 417 267 739