The $47 million MTPConnect Targeted Translation Research Accelerator (TTRA) has partnered with the Flinders-led Medical Device Partnering Program (MDPP), as it prepares to call for expressions of interest to establish two research centres and open its first round of project funding.
The accelerator will focus research efforts on the most pressing areas of unmet clinical and research needs in diabetes and cardiovascular disease, which are the leading causes of death and disability in Australia.
Designed to support and incentivise translation, the TTRA will stimulate collaboration across clinical, research and industry organisations to produce novel preventative interventions, diagnostics, medical devices, therapeutics and digital health approaches and products aimed at reducing the burden on patients, families and communities.
The MDPP is partnering with MTPConnect to provide advice and mentoring for funding recipients, together with two other organisations involved with research commercialisation: ANDHealth and UniQuest.
MTPConnect Managing Director and CEO Dr Dan Grant said these partners were chosen for their specialist skills in the translation and commercialisation of digital health, medical technology, medical devices, biotechnology and pharmaceuticals.
“We are delighted to announce our partnerships with ANDHealth, MDPP and UniQuest for the TTRA as we embark on a mission to improve the prevention, diagnosis, treatment and management of diabetes and cardiovascular disease in Australia,” Dr Grant says.
MDPP Executive Director, Flinders University Professor Karen Reynolds, says: “MDPP is honoured to once again partner with MTPConnect and support the development of novel preventive, diagnostic and therapeutic approaches and products to improve outcomes for diabetes and cardiovascular disease.
“With the rapid changes within the community, health and business environments, the TTRA will provide a strategic and coordinated effort to translate cutting-edge research to knowledge for two disease states that affect millions of Australians each year.”
The TTRA is currently consulting with researchers, clinicians, consumers and end-users to complete a national health sector needs assessment in diabetes and cardiovascular disease, to ensure the initiative’s outcomes supplement existing initiatives and fill emerging research and clinical gaps.
Application dates for Expressions of Interest to establish the research centres and the first round of research project funding will be announced later this month.