Improving lives through collaboration
We work across health, engineering, business and the arts with organisations whose strategic objectives align with ours. We're committed to long-term partnerships that are based on trust, openness and shared goals. As a partner, you’ll have access to the infrastructure and resources that translate ideas into impact.
From developing new medical devices through to enhancing treatments for widespread illnesses, we can partner on all things biomedical – bringing together multidisciplinary experts, healthcare centres and communities to ensure we create real impact.
Our partnership with Synchron is helping people with paralysis operate computers with their minds – potentially improving the lives of 30 million people.
Developing a world-first medical device together
Paralysis is an irreversible condition affecting over 30 million people with current treatment, via open brain surgery, posing multiple risks.
In collaboration with researchers from the University of Melbourne in partnership with the Royal Melbourne Hospital and the Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health, Synchron has developed the Stentrode – a tiny, fully implantable device that provides a means to bypass complex surgery and enable patients to regain functional mobility by translating neural information into on-screen commands, like click and drag. Synchron – which was established to commercialise the technology – is now a leader in implantable brain-computer interfaces (BCI).
- Impact: People with paralysis can control digital devices with their minds, bypassing the need for open brain surgery
- Innovation: The Stentrode – a motor neuroprosthesis (MNP) system
- Partners: Synchron, the University of Melbourne, the Royal Melbourne Hospital, the Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health
- Partnership approach: Start-up co-founded by University of Melbourne researchers leading to multi-partner project
Thanks to coordination from Professor O’Brien and an ecosystem of expertise and facilities, we were able to tap into some of the world’s best medical and engineering minds in one place. By bringing together neurointerventionalists and neurosurgeons, coders, engineers and other disciplines, the concept started to become a reality, and it was very exciting to see it all coming together.University of Melbourne Associate Professor Thomas Oxley, Neurointerventionist and CEO of Synchron
Our MedTech program provides the pathway to bring new technologies into real-world healthcare applications .
Whether you have a specific challenge to overcome, or you’re interested in finding out about potential opportunities for your organisation to collaborate with us, get in touch now to start a conversation.