The Perth Biodesign Team is pleased to welcome the 15 enthusiastic participants with diverse backgrounds across engineering, clinical, business and research that make up our three multi-disciplinary teams for the 2023 Perth Biodesign Course.
The course kicked-off with a half-day bootcamp at the fabulous UWA EZONE facility on Saturday 27 May. Course Leads, Oliver Bazzani and Chloe Goodred said the energy in the room was fantastic as the participants connected as a cohort and formed their teams followed by a crash course in Biodesign process and what to expect over the next seven months!
Throughout June the teams undertook clinical observation placements in hospitals around Perth. We are so grateful to the amazing clinicians at Fremantle Hospital, Fiona Stanley Hospital, Perth Children’s Hospital, Rockingham General Hospital and Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital who volunteered to host the PBD students:
Clinical Professional Dominic Mallon, Clinical Immunologist, Fiona Stanley Hospital and Immunopathologist Pathwest Laboratory Medicine; Coordinating Principal Investigator of the Western Australian Covid-19 Immunity Collaborative (WACIC) Study.
Dr Ashu Gupta, Consultant Radiologist, Fiona Stanley and Fremantle Hospitals Group and Rockingham General Hospital. Clinical Lead – Implementation of Artificial Intelligence in the SMHS Radiology Department; Adjunct Senior Lecturer – Curtin Medical School; Research Mentor – W.A. Inter-hospital Radiology Training Program.
Dr Charles (Yan) Ho, Consultant Anaesthetist, Regional Anaesthesia Lead, Welfare Officer, Rockingham General Hospital, Royal Perth Hospital; WA ANZCA CME Committee Chair.
Dr Chris Mitchell, Specialist Anaesthetist Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital, private practice; medical device inventor – Sonoplex II.
Dr David Janmaat, Specialist Anaesthetist Fiona Stanley and Fremantle Hospitals Group, Royal Flying Doctor Service, private practice.
Dr Ravi Sonawane, Head of Department Intensive Care, Rockingham General Hospital.
Dr Robert Swart, Consultant Anaesthesiologist, Innovation Lead for the Department of Anaesthesia, Perioperative & Pain Medicine Fiona Stanley and Fremantle Hospitals Group.
The Rare Care Team at Perth Children’s Hospital led by Medical Director Professor Gareth Baynam, Clinical Geneticist; Head of the Western Australian Register of Developmental Anomalies; Program Director of the Undiagnosed Diseases Program WA; Foundation Board Member of the Undiagnosed Diseases Network International; Founder Project Y and Lyfe Languages.
The teams are now deep into the Biodesign IDENTIFY phase, supported by Chloe and Oliver and the fantastic guest presenters who have shared their wisdom and insights to inspire the participants and supercharge their learning journey:
Dr James Chen, Gastroenterology Training Registrar, Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital
Dr Matthew Oldakowski, CTO/Founder REX Ortho, Earflo & ChinUp, Director, Perth Biodesign & Biodesign Australia
Hazel Hudson, Innovation Lead, South Metropolitan Health Service
Nicholas Buckley, Co-Founder, VeinTech
Dr Carlo Bellini, Director and Founder, Health Innovation Performance Consulting
We cannot wait to see what unmet clinical needs the students find and INVENT solutions for. Like every cohort before them, their hard work will culminate in a presentation night to a room full of industry leaders and subject matter experts, giving the teams every opportunity to continue their healthtech innovation journey beyond the 2023 Perth Biodesign Course.
A huge thank you to all our supporters and funding partners, especially the Government of Western Australia – we couldn’t do it without you!
