On 14 November, members of our Hub convened in Sydney for the 2024 Annual Meeting. The event provided a vibrant platform for networking, bringing together our Hub members in person to learn about the ongoing projects. While it is impossible to capture all our discussions here, we will use this article to provide a peek into the day that emerged.

The day was graced with three guest speakers sharing their industry insights and scientific expertise. Ms Emma Hossack, from the Medical Software Industry Association, spoke about complex health connectivity and gave us a glimpse into that environment, which will lead to an improved ecosystem in future.

Professor Ray H. Baughman from the University of Texas at Dallas, gave us talk on the application of carbon nanotubes yarns for health uses. Carbon nanotube (CNT) yarns are useful for many applications including electrical energy storage, mechanical energy harvesting and strain sensing that requires no electrical energy input.

Dr Atsushi Otake from Keio University, Japan, focused on his contribution of diamond microelectrode for biomedical applications. Since 2021, he has been a member of Prof. Yasuaki Einaga’s group at Keio University, focusing on environmental and biomedical applications of diamond electrodes. His contributions are globally recognised in the field of diamond electrochemistry.

Project highlights across our research themes

A highlight of the meeting was the presentations from 15 research and industry partners, showcasing their work across our research themes, including Santevation, Vlepis, Nutromics, nthalmic, and NeuRA (Neuroscience Research Australia), among others. These presentations ignited a renewed excitement for ongoing research and emphasised the importance of working together to drive innovation.

Security, privacy and regulation: talks and Q&A

 The meeting also included invaluable insights from regulatory and industry experts. Our speakers Tracey Duffy, First Assistant Secretary, Medical Devices & Product Quality Division, Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA), Dr Katja Beitat, Group Executive, Health Incubators & Programs, Cicada Innovations, and Minta Chen, Head of Regulatory Affairs and Quality Assurance, Annalise.ai presented on the intricacies of developing wearable devices and software.

They highlighted the critical importance of identifying challenges early when dealing with security, privacy and regulation emphasising the necessity of engaging with stakeholders to foster meaningful innovations that can transform healthcare.

Poster session wrap-up

As the day progressed, we celebrated the dedication of our early career researchers through a series of poster presentations. Participants showcased their work in 1-minute thesis-style and our industry judges had the challenging task of selecting outstanding contributions.

Congratulations to our winners: 🥇 An Trương, 🥈 Essam Dief, and 🥉 Steven Phu. Their exceptional research stood out among many impressive submissions.

The 2024 Annual Meeting was a success, filled with inspiration, collaboration, and shared vision for the future. Thank you to everyone who participated and contributed to the spirit of  partnership that defines our Hub. We look forward to another year of progress and success as we continue our journey together.