Month: October 2025

Congratulations to Hub Chief Investigator Dr Javad Foroughi, alongside Hub Director Scientia Professor Chun Wang and collaborator Dr Liao (Leo) Wu, who have been awarded a $750,000 NSW Health Cardiovascular Collaborative Grant.

This significant funding supports the development of a soft-robotic artificial heart muscle, an innovative technology designed to provide more effective and adaptive cardiac support for patients living with end-stage heart failure. The project represents a powerful example of how multidisciplinary engineering research can translate into solutions for some of the most pressing challenges in healthcare.

Building on Dr Foroughi’s 2024 NSW Health Fellowship Project, the team is advancing the design of a soft-robotic ventricular assist sleeve that mimics the natural motion of heart muscle. Unlike conventional rigid mechanical devices, this soft, flexible system is designed to work in harmony with the heart, offering the potential for improved patient comfort, reduced complications, and more personalised support.

At the core of the project is the integration of advanced materials, soft robotics, and connected sensing technologies, enabling real-time monitoring and responsive actuation. By combining expertise across engineering, materials science, and clinical collaboration, the research aims to deliver a next-generation cardiac support technology that bridges the gap between laboratory innovation and clinical application.

This award recognises the strength of the team’s collaborative approach and the translational focus of the research. With support from NSW Health, the project moves a significant step closer to real-world impact, reinforcing the ARC Research Hub for Connected Sensors for Health’s mission to develop connected technologies that improve health outcomes and quality of life for patients.

The ARC Research Hub for Connected Sensors for Health is proud to celebrate Professor Madhu Bhaskaran, Deputy Director of Research, on being named one of Australia’s Top 100 Innovators for 2025 by The Australian. This prestigious recognition acknowledges her outstanding contributions to engineering, health technology, and innovation with real-world impact.

A multi-award-winning electronics engineer, Professor Bhaskaran is internationally recognised for her pioneering work in electronic skin and wearable and ‘nearable’ sensor technologies. Her research is transforming healthcare and aged care by enabling smart, non-invasive monitoring, advanced functional materials, and flexible electronics that can integrate seamlessly with the human body. These innovations are helping to address critical challenges in health monitoring, rehabilitation, and long-term care.

Professor Bhaskaran’s work has already paved the way for significant advances, including improved prosthetic technologies, better management of chronic infections, and continuous, non-invasive monitoring of vital health signals. By combining bold, creative ideas with rigorous engineering and translational focus, her research continues to bridge the gap between fundamental science and practical healthcare solutions that have the potential to improve—and save—lives.

Leadership, Advocacy and Impact Beyond the Lab

Beyond her technical leadership, Professor Bhaskaran is a passionate advocate for equity and inclusion in STEMM. As Co-Chair of Women in STEMM Australia, she works to connect, empower, and champion women and girls across science, technology, engineering, mathematics, and medicine. Through this role, she is helping to shape a more inclusive and diverse innovation ecosystem for future generations.

Reflecting on the recognition, Professor Bhaskaran emphasised the collective effort behind the achievement, crediting her Functional Materials and Microsystems Research Group and the many industry partners she collaborates with for their shared commitment to impactful research and innovation. The award highlights not only individual excellence, but also the power of collaboration in driving meaningful technological and societal change.

Congratulations, Madhu, on this outstanding and well-deserved achievement.