iPREP Biodesign Begins Round 2
The second round of iPREP Biodesign kicks off today with four local healthcare companies each taking on a team of PhD students to help them solve an unmet need. The program will see 11 PhD students spend 7 weeks working on an industry problem in the healthcare sector and will receive weekly mentorship by Perth Biodesign Directors on learning and applying the Biodesign process along the way.
The four companiestaking on iPREP teams include:
OncoRes Medical, a medical device company developing an imaging device to help surgeons identify tumours and healthy tissue with the aim of reducing re-operation.
VitalTrace, a local medtech company originating from the inaugural Biodesign medtech course, working to develop improved fetal monitoring during labour and delivery.
DiagNose, founded by another Perth Biodesign graduate, developing a point-of-care diagnostic for acute bacterial sinusitis.
South Metropolitan Health Services who will be running two innovation projects within Fiona Stanley Hospital.
Four iPREP Biodesign teams took part in the previous round in early 2020, engaging with industry groups including South Metropolitan Health Service, Child and Adolescent Health Service, IBN Group and Cervical ChinUp. Projects included researching and developing steps to prevent suicide in the Pilbara region, medical device market research, improving hospital pathways in metabolic health and designing an innovation hub. The round was met with excellent feedback by participants and partners and even resulted in a job offer for two participants who now work as Research Assistants for South Metropolitan Health Service.
iPREP Biodesign is a new partnership between iPREP WA and Perth Biodesign, funded by an XTEND WA grant. The program aims to support the training of PhD students in healthcare innovation using the Stanford Biodesign methodology. Participation in the program provides PhD candidates with excellent networks and contacts in industry plus skills in project management, team work, leadership and the Biodesign process as well as the opportunity to solve real problems in healthcare.
You can find out more about iPREP Biodesign here, including links to apply for future rounds as either an industry partner or participant!