Ground Breaking Project Aims For World First Bionic Vision

Why it matters:

The primary goal of the project is to restore vision. However, it has become clear that there are many other applications for this technology.

The project aims to explore these potential new applications:

  • Moderation of epilepsy and depression
  • Brain-controlled prosthetics
  • Restoration of vital senses beyond vision

How it works:

A brain-computer interface (BCI) is a direct communication pathway between an enhanced or wired brain and an external device.

BCI’s are directed at researching, mapping, assisting, augmenting, or repairing human cognitive or sensory-motor functions.

Ask the expert:

Professor Arthur Lowery, Director of the Monash Vision Group

“My team and I have developed wireless-connected electronic implants that sit on the surfaces of the brain, creating long-term brain-machine interfaces.”

The details:

Federal Minister for Health, Greg Hunt, has pledged almost $1 million to the University led project under the new Frontier Health and Medical Research Program.

The research program will invest $240 million over four years to support innovative ideas and discoveries with great potential for transformative impact on health care.

To find out more or how to apply for the program go to www.business.gov.au/assistance/frontier-health-and-medical-research

‘Tumour-Tracking’ to Allow for More Accurate Radiotherapy With Less Side-Effects

How it works:

The study is aiming to develop a more accurate way to track tumours, so treatments can be delivered directly to cancer cells. Currently, radiotherapy treats a single area that is larger than it needs to be, to try and account for any movement.

But if the cancer moves and the beam is static (hitting the same area for each dose), the cancer cells at some point, might not receive the intended radiation. If normal tissues come into the beam line as the cancer moves out of the way, they will be hit by a large radiation dose that was not intended for them.

By tracking tumours at all times and directing the beam at the cancer, the study could offer better outcomes for people with cancer.

Ask the expert:

Dr Doan Trang Nguyen

“High precision therapy uses the multi-modal adaptive tumour tracking (MATT) system to track the cancer at all times during the treatment,”

“The position of the cancer will be sent to a motor control unit that will direct the treatment beam at the current position of the cancer.”

The details:

Dr Nguyen is also supported by an early career fellowship from the National Health and Medical Research Council to study low-cost, high-precision radiotherapy.

Find out more about Dr Doan Trang Nguyen and her work with the University of Sydney at www.sydney.edu.au/medicine/people/academics/profiles/d.nguyen.php

Hope For Spinal Cord Injury Cure Boosted by Research Investment

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Facts and figures:

Nationally, around 12,000 Australians are living with a spinal cord injury (SCI).

Around 80 per cent of newly reported cases are accident related.

Car accidents are the leading cause of spinal cord injury, followed by falls, being struck or colliding with a person or object, water-related activities and other sporting injuries.

Why it matters:

In 2018, a breakthrough study by NeuRA’s Associate Professor Sylvia Gustin found that half of all people suffering from a complete spinal cord injury still have surviving somatosensory pathways at the level of the spine.

The study also found that the brains of people with paraplegia registered a signal when their toes were stimulated, despite not being able to feel them.

Since then recently worked with international researchers to develop the world’s first virtual reality walking interface – called the AVATAR Project – which allows people with a spinal cord injury to move in a virtual environment.

What the minister had to say:

NSW Health Minister Brad Hazzard

“The allocation of the $15 million will be merit-based and researchers will need to demonstrate how their work will benefit patients in NSW.”

“This investment will allow SCI researchers from a variety of disciplines to collaborate and deliver their benchtop research to the bedside and beyond.”

NeuRA’s Associate Professor Sylvia Gustin

“The finding has received significant attention from researchers and medical professionals around the world.  For the first time, individuals who thought they could not move or feel below the site of their spinal injury have the potential to feel again.”

“New funding from the NSW Government will enable Australia to take a leading role in the development of new methods of treatment like the AVATAR Project to dramatically improve the quality of life for people with spinal cord injury.”

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Lack of Affordable Heating Linked to Rise in Hypothermia Deaths

Facts and figures:

In only two of Victoria’s Emergency Departments, 217 people presented with hypothermia between 2009 and 2016.

Nearly 80 per cent of those patients were found indoors.

Of those, 11 per cent died.

The majority of cases (72 per cent) occurred during the colder months (late autumn to early spring) but notably, 12 per cent occurred during summer.

The research paper, published in Internal Medicine Journal, raised the issue of fuel poverty, topical given rising energy bills.

Ask the expert:

Dr Ananda-Rajah, a general medicine physician at Victoria’s The Alfred Hospital

“Questions must be asked as to why these people are developing this condition, particularly the elderly who are indoors,”

“The elderly seem to be particularly vulnerable. Do they have adequate heating and homes that are well-insulated? Are they wearing adequate clothing? Are they able to afford heating?”

The details:

The full report can be found at www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/30963670

Voluntary Assisted Dying Comes Into Effect in Victoria

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The list:

These guiding principles are all of equal importance and are designed to sit alongside legislation (if applicable), organisational ethical frameworks or professional codes of conduct. Underpinning these principles are the following fundamental elements of palliative care.

  1. People living with a life-limiting illness are supported
    and respected whether or not they choose to explore
    or access voluntary assisted dying.
  2. People exploring voluntary assisted dying will not be
    abandoned
  3. Respectful and professional behaviour towards
    colleagues and co-workers regardless of their views
    on voluntary assisted dying
  4. Effective communication is an important part of
    quality care
  5. Ongoing development of knowledge, skill and
    confidence is required to provide competent and safe
    care to people living with a life–limiting illness
  6. Self-care practice is a shared responsibility between
    individuals, colleagues and organisations
  7. Continue to learn from evidence and evolving
    practice to drive quality improvement in voluntary
    assisted dying

The Details:

Palliative Care Australia is the national peak body for palliative care in Australia. PCA provides leadership on palliative care policy and community engagement. Working closely with consumers, its Member Organisations and the palliative care and broader health workforce, PCA aims to improve the quality of life and death for people with a life-limiting illness, their families and carers

For further details on these guiding principles can be found at www.palliativecare.org.au[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]

BioMedTech Horizons Program Now Open!

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]MTPConnect has opened a call for Expressions of Interest to identify and select a number of biological and medical technology innovation initiatives that address one of the following four priority therapeutic areas:

  1. Cardiovascular;
  2. Orthopaedics;
  3. Emergency medicine/trauma; or
  4. Ophthalmology.

Up to $1 million of funding is offered for individual projects over a two-year period.[/vc_column_text][vc_separator][vc_row_inner][vc_column_inner width=”1/3″][/vc_column_inner][vc_column_inner width=”1/3″][vc_btn title=”Click Here To Apply” link=”url:https%3A%2F%2Fmtpconnect.smartygrants.com.au%2FBMTH20||target:%20_blank|”][/vc_column_inner][vc_column_inner width=”1/3″][/vc_column_inner][/vc_row_inner][vc_separator][vc_row_inner][vc_column_inner width=”1/3″][/vc_column_inner][vc_column_inner width=”1/3″][vc_btn title=”View the program guidelines” link=”url:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.mtpconnect.org.au%2Fimages%2FBMTH%25202.0%2520Guidelines.pdf||target:%20_blank|”][/vc_column_inner][vc_column_inner width=”1/3″][/vc_column_inner][/vc_row_inner][vc_column_text]The BioMedTech Horizons Program was one of the commitments delivered as part of the Medical Technology Association of Australia’s (MTAA) 2017 Agreement with the Commonwealth to promote the sustainability of privately insured health care through rebalancing the costs of medical devices to privately insured patients.

This funding is being delivered via the Medical Research Future Fund (MRFF), and administered by MTPConnect, the Medical Technology and Pharmaceutical Industry Growth Centre.

Investments from the program will be focused on funding proof-of-concept to commercial development of biomedical and medical technologies (biomedtech).[/vc_column_text][vc_separator][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][/vc_column][/vc_row]

MedTech’s Got Talent StartUp Event 2019 Sydney

Facts and figures:

When – 24 June 2019 8:30 am, 1:30 pm AEST

Where – Ernst & Young, Sydney, 200 George St, Sydney, NSW 2000

How Much – $25

The details:

The day will include, presentations and discussions with industry experts, where attendees can learn about key areas such as intellectual property, market positioning, capital raising and the art of pitching.

The bootcamp will also help to advise on how to succeed in the MedTech’s Got Talent competition – Australia’s largest medical and health technology entrepreneurship challenge – and a  leading market-driven, industry-led Accelerator program for MedTech and HealthTech startups.

Wrapping up at 12.30pm, the bootcamp will be followed by lunch and a chance to network with other emerging MedTech and HealthTech entrepreneurs and industry experts.

To purchase tickets go to – www.eventbrite.com.au/e/medtechs-got-talent-startup-bootcamp-2019-sydney-tickets-62298458366

Wearable MedTech to Assist in Vertigo Diagnose

Facts and figures:

For the first time, patients can use the miniature video goggles to capture episodes of vertigo in their home, by recording their own eye-movements through a small camera attached to the outside of a pair of rubber goggles.

Researchers are now able to use these recorded videos to identify eye-movements associated with different conditions.

Around 30% of people experience vertigo, a form of severe dizziness that can result in a loss of balance, a feeling of falling, trouble walking or standing, or nausea.

It is a common reason for visits to the GP or Emergency, particularly in older people, but is treatable in most cases.

Ask the expert:

Associate Professor Miriam Welgampola of Sydney University’s Faculty of Medicine and Health

“Vertigo can be a disabling condition, so an accurate diagnosis is important to effectively treat the underlying disorder,”

“Observing a person’s eye movements during an episode can help make the diagnosis, but people don’t always have an episode when they are at the doctor’s office.”

Healthier Population Eases Australia’s Disease Burden

Facts and figures:

The Good

  • Reductions in premature deaths from illnesses and injuries such as cardiovascular diseases, cancer, and infant and congenital conditions.
  • For the first time, living with illness or injury caused more total disease burden than premature death.
  • In 2015, the non-fatal share was 50.4% and the fatal share was 49.6% of the burden of disease.

The Bad

  • Australian’s lost 4.8 million years of healthy life due to living with or dying prematurely from disease and injury
  • Diseases of most burden, were cancer, cardiovascular diseases, musculoskeletal conditions, mental and substance use disorders and injuries.
  • The 5 risk factors that caused the most total burden in 2015 were tobacco use (9.3%), overweight & obesity (8.4%), dietary risks (7.3%), high blood pressure (5.8%) and high blood plasma glucose—including diabetes (4.7%).
  • 38% of the total burden of disease could have been prevented by reducing exposure to these five risk factors.

The details:

The full report can be found at www.aihw.gov.au/reports/burden-of-disease/australian-burden-disease-study-methods-2015/contents/table-of-contents

Leading Melbourne Hospital Follows in Digital Records Trend

What does it mean:

For patients

A mobile and website application will give patients access to their own information and from any location. Through the portal, patients will be able to see and manage any upcoming appointments, test results, and medications that have been prescribed.

For general practitioners

With consent, will be able to access and amended patient information from anywhere,

The details

The Royal Melbourne’s Emergency Department will be the first to move to the new EMR on 30 June this year. All other areas at RMH, Peter Mac and the Women’s will start using the new EMR on 2 May 2020.

Further details on the company Epic can be found at www.epic.com