Question Time

Medical Technology Commercialisation

The Hon. J.M. GAZZOLA (14:51): I seek leave to make a brief explanation before asking the Minister for Employment, Higher Education and Skills a question about commercialisation of medical technology.

Leave granted.

The Hon. J.M. GAZZOLA: Far too often in the past our science and research facilities have developed brilliant ideas which have not been capitalised upon in this state. This is despite there being a substantial public investment in both the people and the educational and research infrastructure that have given birth to these ideas. Minister, will you inform the council about what action is being taken to ensure that more of our medical research is being captured locally and transformed into commercial products here in South Australia?

The Hon. G.E. GAGO (Minister for Employment, Higher Education and Skills, Minister for Science and Information Economy, Minister for the Status of Women, Minister for Business Services and Consumers) (14:52): I thank the honourable member for his most important question. One of the central principles of South Australia's action plan for investing in science is to more closely link our wealth of science, research and ideas to industry and business, creating more valuable products and services. A great example of putting this principle into action is the Flinders University's Medical Device Partnering Program.

This program was established in 2008 to streamline the commercialisation of cutting-edge medical devices and assistive technologies, from early stage concepts right through to manufactured products. Directed by Professor Karen Reynolds, the 2012 South Australian Scientist of the Year, the program has pioneered a new model for collaboration between researchers, end users and commercial partners to develop products with an identified clinical need, a sound technical solution and a viable marketing opportunity.

Since 2008, the Medical Device Partnering Program has been approached by approximately 250 companies and inventors and has, to date, designed 24 prototype medical devices and been involved in 28 proof of concept/validation studies. In addition, 34 companies have been provided with expert technical consultation and advice; 45 companies have been provided with input from end users or market advice; and 46 introductions have been made for product commercialisation.

Coming from a very wide range of research expertise, from biomechanics and implants to health informatics and robotics, MDPP participants are provided with services and advice in business development, design and manufacture, government grants, intellectual property and regulatory matters. Projects also receive up to 250 hours of professional expertise in commercial advice, proof of concept research, prototyping and clinical evaluation. This is provided through the Department of State Development's Medical Technologies Program (MTP), a $750,000 program under the state government's manufacturing works strategy.

The Medical Device Partnering Program has worked with some very interesting projects. The handheld magnetometer probe, developed by Associate Professor Benjamin Thierry and Aidan Cousins from the University of South Australia, is used to determine whether cancer has disseminated through the body by detecting small amounts of clinically-introduced magnetic material in lymph nodes. This was announced by minister Close in August this year.

Another example is a pillow for epileptic suffers designed to reduce the risk of suffocation, which can sometimes occur as a result of an epileptic seizure, developed by a research team from the Repatriation General Hospital at Flinders. There is also another pillow for chronic snorers which has been road-tested under the program.

Sleep researchers from Flinders and the Adelaide Institute for Sleep Health are working with the inventor, the Adelaide-based pillow manufacturer TVS Foam Products. The TVS Snore No More pillow is specially designed to reduce the volume and frequency of snoring for chronic snorers who primarily sleep on their back. I would imagine members opposite may wish to apply a test of that last product; it has been my observation that they bring some very real expertise on sleeping to this research.

The program has also worked with Adelaide-based vision rehabilitation company Neuro Vision Technology to develop an innovative vision therapy tool that will be used to evaluate and train people with a vision deficit caused by a brain injury or dysfunction.

Our health and biosciences fields here in South Australia are rich with opportunity, and I have outlined only a very small example. One only has to recall the success of the cochlear implant, a ground-breaking Australian innovation which went on to spawn a global business. If another project with the impact of the cochlear implant is developing in the mind or laboratory of one of our research scientists, then the Medical Device Partnering Program will be here to help them take the next step. Without programs such as these we risk seeing some of our best and brightest ideas leave our shores.