Flinders University plans to become a world leader in medical technologies and assisted living research and development with its new $120 million Flinders at Tonsley precinct.
The director of the University’s Medical Device Research Institute (MDRI), Professor Karen Reynolds, said Flinders at Tonsley provided “enormous scope” for the university’s centres of expertise to work alongside industry partners to develop, harness and direct technologies.
“Flinders at Tonsley also allows us to connect with the community, focus our research in areas of priority and create smart, high tech industry that will provide the jobs of the future,” said Professor Reynolds, an acclaimed biomedical engineer.
“Our collaborative approach also allows for the development and delivery of innovative solutions and services in the health sector.”
In addition to the MDRI, the six-storey state-of-the-art Flinders at Tonsley building also houses the University’s School of Computer Science, Engineering and Mathematics and the Centre for NanoScale Science and Technology, alongside some of Adelaide’s key businesses, bridging the gap between research and industry.
Professor Reynolds said that building on the strengths of the Institute’s highly successful Medical Device Partnering Program (MDPP), Flinders at Tonsley would allow the Institute to foster greater collaboration between researchers, industry and end-users to ensure clinical relevance and improved patient outcomes for industry-based projects.
She said this was increasingly important with Australia’s ageing population and higher expectations of quality of life.
“It’s an exciting time to work within the medical device and assisted living space, particularly in South Australia with Tonsley as a health innovation precinct,” Professor Reynolds said.
“As an integral partner in the Tonsley development, we have the opportunity to influence, grow and lead this sector to national excellence.
“I am privileged to be surrounded by talented and inspirational researchers who are making significant contributions to society, from developing new methods for breast cancer detection to creating assistive living devices to enable people to live in their own homes for longer.
“Collaboration and innovation has always been at the heart of what we do. Located at Tonsley we not only have the facilities, equipment and resources to make a difference but we are able to walk out the front door and interact with industry and the community on ‘common ground’ to ensure our research and development activities remain relevant and accessible.”
The Institute recently received a State Government grant to work with industry and health groups in designing and developing improved drug delivery systems for patients accessing home-based hospital care.
[article by Paula Brinkworth]