Transforming lives Summer 2019 Bionic connections On Friday 11th October 2019, the United Nation’s International Day of the Girl, the Honourable Jenny Mikakos, Victorian Minister for Health and Ambulance Services, presented awards to the first graduates of the Bionics Institute and Ivanhoe Girls’ Grammar School “Mentoring Girls in STEMM Program”. Minister Mikakos said strong role models and early engagement were crucial to how girls and women think about STEMM careers, which is why initiatives such as mentoring programs are vital in overcoming the gender disparity in the field. In 2016 in Australia, women made up only 27 percent of the STEMM workforce, which is why the Institute partnered with Ivanhoe Girls’ Grammar School to initiate a mentoring program. The Bionics Institute identified the need to engage with female students at the high school level to provide a sample of the opportunities and rewards a career in STEMM can bring. The model created saw leading female research scientists of the Bionics Institute mentor selected Year 11 students. The unique learning experience has been designed for students to become more engaged, educated and excited about a potential career in STEMM. The Ivanhoe Girls’ Grammar School mentees, Emma Nguyen and Tara Stewardson were presented with an award at a ceremony at the Bionics Institute in front of Bionics Institute staff, parents, teachers and school colleagues. Emma and Tara gave an oral presentation of their research findings in the areas of ‘Next Generation Cochlear Implants’ and ‘New Bionic Treatments of Inflammatory Bowel Disease’. Dr Deborah Priest, Principal of Ivanhoe Girls’ Grammar School said “It is wonderful for our students to be working with strong female role models in an industry that will help them make informed decisions about their future pathway and career”. The Institute is looking forward to significantly expanding our activity across further schools in 2020. In the news Mentoring Girls in STEMM All things Bionics on Einstein-a-go-go On Sunday 6th October, three researchers from the Bionics Institute were guests on the 3RRR Einstein-a-Go-Go Program. Research Director Associate Professor James Fallon introduced the work being done in Deep Brain Stimulation, followed by Dr Sophie Payne, who explained the amazing research she is involved in relating to the stimulation of the vagal nerve for the treatment of Inflammatory Bowel Disease. Associate Professor Andrew Wise closed out the program with an overview of his work on delivering drugs to the inner ear in order to protect against progressive hearing loss. Creating a new formula The Bionics Institute was featured in the Herald Sun on 16 November 2019 highlighting our partnership with Ivanhoe Girls’ Grammar School in a mentoring program to encourage the development of girls into STEMM. To review the full article please refer to bionicsinstitute.org/in-the-news L-R: A/Prof Rachael Richardson (Bionics Institute Researcher), The Hon Jenny Mikakos (Minister for Health and Minister for Ambulance Services), Emma Nguyen (Student, Ivanhoe Girls’ Grammar School), Tara Stewardson (Student, Ivanhoe Girls’ Grammar School), Dr Sophie Payne, (Bionics Institute Researcher), Dr Deborah Priest (Principal, Ivanhoe Girls’ Grammar School). Emma Nguyen presenting her research findings.
Transcript
Transforming livesSummer 2019
Bionic connections
On Friday 11th October 2019, the United Nation’s International Day of the Girl, the Honourable Jenny Mikakos, Victorian Minister for Health and Ambulance Services, presented awards to the first graduates of the Bionics Institute and Ivanhoe Girls’ Grammar School “Mentoring Girls in STEMM Program”.
Minister Mikakos said strong role models and early engagement were crucial to how girls and women think about STEMM careers, which is why initiatives such as mentoring programs are vital in overcoming the gender disparity in the field.
In 2016 in Australia, women made up only 27 percent of the STEMM workforce, which is why the Institute partnered with Ivanhoe Girls’ Grammar School to initiate a mentoring program. The Bionics Institute identified the need to engage with female students at the high school level to provide a sample of the opportunities and rewards a career in STEMM can bring. The model created saw leading female research scientists of the Bionics Institute mentor selected Year 11 students. The unique learning experience has been designed for students to become more engaged, educated and excited about a potential career in STEMM.
The Ivanhoe Girls’ Grammar School mentees, Emma Nguyen and Tara Stewardson were presented with an award at a ceremony at the Bionics Institute in front of Bionics Institute staff, parents, teachers and school colleagues. Emma and Tara gave an oral presentation of their research findings in the areas of ‘Next Generation Cochlear Implants’ and ‘New Bionic Treatments of Inflammatory Bowel Disease’.
Dr Deborah Priest, Principal of Ivanhoe Girls’ Grammar School said “It is wonderful for our students to be working with strong female role models in an industry that will help them make informed decisions about their future pathway and career”.
The Institute is looking forward to significantly expanding our activity across further schools in 2020.
In the newsMentoring Girls in STEMM All things Bionics on Einstein-a-go-goOn Sunday 6th October, three researchers from the Bionics Institute were guests on the 3RRR Einstein-a-Go-Go Program. Research Director Associate Professor James Fallon introduced the work being done in Deep Brain Stimulation, followed by Dr Sophie Payne, who explained the amazing research she is involved in relating to the stimulation of the vagal nerve for the treatment of Inflammatory Bowel Disease. Associate Professor Andrew Wise closed out the program with an overview of his work on delivering drugs to the inner ear in order to protect against progressive hearing loss.
Creating a new formulaThe Bionics Institute was featured in the Herald Sun on 16 November 2019 highlighting our partnership with Ivanhoe Girls’ Grammar School in a mentoring program to encourage the development of girls into STEMM.
To review the full article please refer to bionicsinstitute.org/in-the-news
L-R: A/Prof Rachael Richardson (Bionics Institute Researcher), The Hon Jenny Mikakos (Minister for Health and Minister for Ambulance Services), Emma Nguyen (Student, Ivanhoe Girls’ Grammar School), Tara Stewardson (Student, Ivanhoe Girls’ Grammar School), Dr Sophie Payne, (Bionics Institute Researcher), Dr Deborah Priest (Principal, Ivanhoe Girls’ Grammar School).
The past six months has been a busy and rewarding time at the Bionics Institute, as we have welcomed several new talented post-doctoral researchers, engineers and PhD students to our growing research teams.
The calibre of the lead researchers at the Bionics Institute means we attract highly talented staff and clinicians who often relocate from overseas to have the opportunity to work with our respected research heads.
We recently interviewed some of the key clinicians who collaborate with our scientists and engineers to deliver tangible health outcomes. These stories are highlighted in this year’s Annual Report, and page 3 of this newsletter provides an insight into why neurologist, Prof Mark Cook, enjoys working with our epilepsy research team.
The Bionics Institute was proud to be the principal sponsor of the 2019 Graeme Clark Oration held in July and during the event I was proud to announce Mr Peter Single as the winner of the 2019 “Bionics Institute award for excellence in medical device innovation”. Mr Single has made an outstanding contribution to the Australian medical device start-up sector, micro-chip development and manufacture, cochlear implants and speech processors. Over the past 10 years he has played a key role in the development of a world-first neuromodulation device which promises to revolutionise the treatment of chronic pain. Congratulations Mr Peter Single!
In our last newsletter, I mentioned the Institute’s development of a nanotechnology-based treatment for hearing loss. This research is at an exciting stage as we are close to completing the first phase of preclinical testing in preparation for a clinical trial in the next few years. We are also very pleased with advancements of the EarGenie™ system, designed to improve clinical outcomes in babies with hearing loss.
Other areas of our research have continued to progress towards first-in-human clinical trials, including our world-first bionic solution to treat inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), our seizure monitoring device, called Minder™, and our work in improving deep brain stimulation therapy for Parkinson’s disease. All of these projects are on target to reach clinical trials within the next one to two years.
Thank you for your ongoing interest in the work of the Institute.
Robert Klupacs CEO, Bionics Institute
The Governor of Victoria tours the Bionics InstituteThe Bionics Institute was proud to host Her Excellency the Honourable Linda Dessau AC, Governor of Victoria and Mr Anthony Howard AM QC on Friday 9th August 2019.
The Governor was accompanied by the “Mini-Governor” for the day, Lewis Francis.
We were thrilled to have the opportunity to showcase some of our research in three key areas – Parkinson’s disease, hearing and epilepsy.
Neurologist Professor Mark Cook with Senior Research Engineer Mr Owen Burns described Minder™ – a sub-scalp seizure detection device for epilepsy.
Research Fellow Dr Thushara Perera demonstrated devices to provide quantitative measurement of movement disorders such as Parkinson’s disease or essential tremor.
Audiologist Ms Emily Jeffreys introduced EarGenie™, a system which aims to improve language development in children born with hearing loss.
We would like to thank the Governor for taking time out of her busy schedule to show a keen interest in the work being done at the Bionics Institute.
ISO 9001: Quality sets the Bionics Institute apartThe Bionics Institute is excited to announce that we are the first and only Australian Medical Research Institute (MRI) to receive a comprehensive ISO 9001 accreditation covering all operations, research and development processes.
This accreditation reinforces our commitment to quality and generating real clinical impact from our research and differentiates us from other medical research Institute’s.
The Bionics Institute has built a Quality Management System that encompasses everything we do and has ensured we have a structured way to connect our objectives to our processes and we constantly check that we are meeting our objectives.
We are serious and committed in our endeavours to translate our research outcomes and this external certification in our Quality Management System confirms this.
L-R: Mr Owen Burns, Her Excellency the Honourable Linda Dessau AC, Governor of Victoria, Mr Anthony Howard AM QC, Mr Ross Thomas, Mr Robert Klupacs, Prof Mark Cook, Mr John Stanhope AM, front Mr Lewis Francis.
The Mini-Governor, Lewis Francis, showed his dexterity and gaming skills.
Our Quality Management team: Ms Kylie O’Neil, Dr Mehrnaz Shoushtarian, Dr Lyndal Borrell, Dr Erol Harvey.
Acknowledging our collaborative clinicians Translating our research into tangible results would not be possible without the collaboration our scientists and engineers have with the talented clinicians who specialise in our particular areas of research.
Here we share with you neurologist Professor Mark Cook’s thoughts on working with the Bionics Institute. Professor Cook and the epilepsy team at the Bionics Institute, led by A/Prof Chris Williams, hope to bring about a revolution to epilepsy management through the invention of the Minder™ device, in the same way as implantable loop recorders have transformed cardiology and the detection of abnormal heart rhythms.
Professor Mark Cook (MBBS, MD) is a leading neurologist at St Vincent’s Hospital Melbourne, Chair of Medicine at the University of Melbourne, and Director of the Graeme Clark Institute, who has been collaborating with our epilepsy team since 2002. Asked his thoughts on working with the Bionics Institute, Professor Cook said;
“Working with the research team at the Bionics Institute has been a life changing experience for me. Having the opportunity to collaborate with specialists in their respective fields, outside of biological science with expertise in medical technologies and materials, has been pivotal in the development of electric medicine.
The Institute is leading the way in medical bionics research in Australia, in fact the entire world, and has been in this space since the very start. The perspective that the team at the Institute provides is incredibly insightful and radically different.
It makes me think about how I look at things in a totally different way. As collaborators we have developed radical new therapies for complex neurological illnesses.
For a long time the institute has focussed on hearing, but now its reach has extended to many areas of human health, particularly in the area of brain disease. This is the most exciting period of development that I have come across or that I have lived through – it’s the start of a brand new era in medicine.”
Please refer to our 2019 Annual Report for more interviews with eminent clinicians who collaborate with our researchers, please log onto bionicsinstitute.org/biomedical-publications.
Open garden eventBionics Institute Ambassador, Suzanne de Pelsenaire, has been a generous supporter of the Institute for many years.
Suzanne opened her garden to the public in October 2019, and over 200 visitors enjoyed the beautiful space that Suzanne has created. Suzanne was a recipient of a cochlear implant over ten years ago, and this is her way of giving back to the Bionics Institute. Suzanne sold plants on the day, in addition to serving morning and afternoon tea.
Money raised from Suzanne’s open garden provides funding for the BabiLab at the Bionics Institute, which is Australia’s first brain imaging lab specifically for hearing research, and is spearheading new methods to improve the quality of life for babies and young children who are hearing impaired.
We would like to acknowledge the support from Bakers Delight Pakenham for their donation of scones, and the Lions Club of Koo Wee Rup and District for providing volunteers on the day.
Are you the parent or guardian of a child under 12 months?
Suzanne is a great supporter of the work of Professor Colette McKay. We are seeking children under 12 months of age who have passed their newborn screening test to participate in a research project that aims to improve the early language development in children born with hearing loss.
If you would like more information about the project, please contact (03) 9667 7569 or email the hearing study team at [email protected]
Suzanne’s garden in bloom.
Suzanne De Pelsenaire in her beautiful garden at this year’s open garden event.
A/Prof Chris Williams and Prof Mark Cook.
The Bionics Institute Epilepsy Team (L–R) Back row: Prof Mark Cook, Graeme Rathbone, Alexia Saunders, Owen Burns, A/Prof Chris Williams, Mark Harrison. Front row: Dr Alan Lai, Dr Yuri Benovitski, Jenny Zhou.
Workplace giving The Bionics Institute is a registered charity of Good2Give. Good2Give workplace giving enables employees to make pre-tax donations to registered charities direct from their pay.
Thank youThe Institute would like to thank all of our donors for their support over the past year.Your donations and contributions are vital for helping us to transform lives.
Your gift will support our dedicated research teams with their projects, equipment purchases and research fellowships. If you would like to help, then please visit our website to make an online donation bionicsinstitute.org or contact us directly on (03) 9667 7500.
Call for research participantsAre you the parent or guardian of a child under 12 months? We are seeking children in this age group who have passed their newborn screening test to participate in a research project that aims to improve the early language development in children born with hearing loss.
If you would like more information about the project, please contact Professor Colette McKay on (03) 9667 7522 or email the hearing study team at [email protected].
Are you an adult with a cochlear implant and tinnitus?
Tinnitus, also known as ‘ringing in the ears’, involves the perception of sounds when there is no related acoustic source. We are currently seeking cochlear implant recipients over 18 with tinnitus to be involved in a study that is developing a way to objectively ‘measure’ tinnitus with a non-invasive brain imaging technique that uses light. Once we know how to measure tinnitus objectively, we can determine which treatments actually work.
To see if you are appropriate for the study or to find out more, please contact Nicola Horvath on 03 9667 7515 or [email protected].
Vale Mr Robert BulleyIt is with sadness that the staff and friends of the Bionics Institute learned of the passing of Mr Robert Bulley, who died in September 2019 after a short illness.
We pay tribute to Robert, who has been a long-time supporter of the scientific and medical research conducted at the Institute.
Robert was a great admirer of Professor Graeme Clark AC, who led the pioneering research that created the cochlear implant. Robert followed with interest the diversification of the Institute’s research, and he invested in the next generation of our young, talented researchers by funding a scholarship for PhD students.
Since 2011, when Robert established the Robert C Bulley Charitable Fund, he became one of the Institute’s major donors. A recent recipient of this support was Associate Professor Andrew Wise and Dr Sherryl Wagstaff. Mr Bulley showed a great interest in the research being conducted in hearing therapeutics, and enjoyed visits from Andrew to his home where they would discuss the latest findings over a cup of tea.
The Institute acknowledges Robert’s generosity with gratitude, and extends our deepest sympathy to his family and friends.
Mr Robert Bulley.A/Prof Andrew Wise and Dr Sherryl Wagstaff.
