Each successful project begins with a Kick-Off meeting where the Industry Partner, supervising Academic and PhD student meet with their Campus Plus Regional Director to officially commence their project. Here are a few of the recent “Kick-Offs”.
The first Round 3 Australian Government Department of Education National Industry PhD project has commenced. The University of Western Australia and Canopy Blue are collaborating to address key challenges in soil fertility in arid lands.
The project titled “Engineering seaweed products through water extraction to improve soil fertility of arid lands”.
Leveraging The University of Western Australia renowned expertise in engineering (Dongke Zhang) and Canopy Blue industry leadership in the field (Shireen McCarthy and Jon-paul Cox), this project embodies a collaborative approach that bridges the gap between academia and industry.
Industry Supervisor Shireen McCarthy said “We are immensely proud of Alison for her outstanding achievement in receiving the National Industry PhD scholarship. This recognition not only highlights her exceptional research and dedication but also underscores our company’s commitment to fostering innovation and academic excellence. We’re excited to see how her insights will continue to drive our industry forward.”
Academic Supervisor Dongke Zhang said “My children are the extension of my biological life; My students are the extension of my thoughts and wisdom. As a learned scholar and “can-do” engineer, I believe that the true value of academic research is best measured by its practical use. Knowledge belongs to the society and technology belongs to the industry. Having watched Alison progressing from an undergraduate chemical engineering student to a professional engineering leader with passion for a better world, I know that I always wanted Alison to be one of (my final few) PhD students and Alison always wanted to read for a meaningful PhD. We are both grateful to Canopy Blue, Maxima and the National Industry PhD program for contributing to our shared endeavour.”
PhD Candidate Alison Duguid “I have always wanted to be a part of bridging the gap between innovative university research and industry applications, so this program was perfect. I’m so grateful be supported by amazing organisations like Canopy Blue and Maxima and being mentored by the one and only Dongke Zhang from the The University of Western Australia is a true honour. I look forward to helping realise seaweed as a regenerative commodity for our future!”
Improvement of Hemp Meal Quality and Its Application in Food
We are excited to announce the collaboration of Elixinol Wellness Limited on an industry-focused PhD project aimed at addressing key challenges in the Hemp food industry sector.
The project is: “Improvement of Hemp Meal Quality and Its Application in Food” focuses on advanced techniques to enhance the hemp meal quality for broader food applications.
It seeks to improve hemp meal colour, increase protein content, increase soluble dietary fibre and investigate other functional by products enabling its broader use in food and industry. Consequently, this benefits the hemp industry, creates employment opportunities, and fosters economic growth.
Leveraging the University of Newcastle‘s renowned expertise in Food technology and Elixinol Wellness Limited Wellness’ position as an industry leader in the Australian hemp processing and food category, this project epitomises a collaborative approach that bridges the gap between academia and industry.
“We are excited to collaborate with the University of Newcastle and Kieren on their PhD journey. Their passion and expertise will undoubtedly drive meaningful advancements in our industry and support strategic growth for us in the plant based food and hemp sectors” is highlighting the value and impact of the project from the industry partner’s perspective.
“Entering this PhD program in Hemp meal and protein is not just an acceptance into a course of study; it’s an invitation to innovate, explore, and support real growth opportunities in the Australian hemp food an plant based industries” Kieren Brown Sharing the student’s enthusiasm and motivation for participating in the project.
This PhD aims to yield several significant outcomes and impacts for industry,
Resulting innovations could expand product offerings with novel hemp meal-based products, appealing to health-conscious consumers and supporting plant based food options.
Access to cutting-edge research will provide a competitive edge in the growing market for plant-based foods and sustainable agriculture.
We are aiming for the following outcomes:
– Recognition for pioneering research at UoN in food technology and sustainable agriculture, attracting future researchers and industry collaborations.
– Facilitating knowledge transfer between academia and industry in the nascent hemp food sector, fostering innovation and economic growth.
– Providing students with valuable research opportunities and industry connections, enhancing their educational experience.
– Stimulate growth in the hemp industry, creating jobs in agriculture, food processing, and research sectors.
– Contribute to improved public health outcomes through the development of nutritious and sustainable food options.
Hemp is known for its sustainability as a crop, requiring minimal water and pesticides. Research could highlight the environmental benefits of using hemp meal, promoting sustainable agricultural practices.
Transforming Sleep Apnoea Treatment
Flinders University and Mobius Medical are collaborating on a groundbreaking initiative to develop a new drug therapy for sleep apnoea. This project aims to generate foundational knowledge to support pivotal multi-centre clinical trials and expand treatment options for those with obstructive sleep apnoea.
Industry Insights:
Mobius Medical is delighted to be partnering with Flinders University on this project, with Technical Director Richard Brookes commenting, “At Mobius, our partnership in the National Industry PhD program exemplifies our commitment to pioneering research and fostering industry-academic collaboration for real-world challenges.”
University Contributions:
Professor Danny Eckert, Director of Sleep Health at Flinders University, highlights the project’s importance: “There are no approved medications to treat obstructive sleep apnoea, affecting over 1 million Australian adults, where current device-based therapies are often inadequate.”
Student Perspective:
PhD student Emma Thomas states, “This collaboration brings precision medicine techniques together with Mobius Medical to develop the first drug for sleep apnoea, potentially helping millions globally.”
Anticipated Outcomes:
Data from this project will be crucial in commercialising and making the first targeted therapy for sleep apnoea publicly accessible. Combining technologies from Flinders University and Mobius Medical aims to provide a safe, effective medication for the 1 billion people globally affected by sleep apnoea, positively impacting the wider Australian community.
Thank you to Nilla Wen at Flinders University for her support and facilitation.
Research Commercialisation in Public Research Organisations: Enhancing Success in Healthcare Innovation
We are thrilled to announce our collaboration with National Acoustic Laboratories on an industry-focused PhD project aimed at addressing key challenges in the translation of research into valuable solutions in healthcare.
Our project, titled “Research Commercialisation in Public Research Organisations: Enhancing Success in Healthcare Innovation,” focuses on understanding and improving the processes through which public research organisations like NAL translate scientific knowledge into commercial products. It seeks to develop clear managerial guidelines to enhance innovation success rates, set up strong healthcare innovation ecosystems, and increase R&D investment efficiency.
Leveraging the Macquarie Business School’s at Macquarie University renowned expertise in healthcare innovation and NAL’s industry leadership in Hearing healthcare and solutions, this project epitomises a collaborative approach that bridges the gap between academia and industry.
“This project will provide valuable insights and practical guidelines for public research organisations to effectively bring innovative healthcare solutions to market. The results will not only amplify the impact of our research commercialisation efforts at NAL but also bolster research translation for public research organisations both nationally and globally.” – Dr. Brent Edwards, Director of National Acoustic Laboratories.
“Australia has been home to many important innovations in the broader healthcare context, but as a country we have been relatively slow to embrace innovation, with policies struggling to connect individuals, organizations, and institutions of higher education and research. This is a major challenge as developing and implementing value-generating strategies to drive entrepreneurship and innovation are central for societal wealth, economic growth, and firm success. Therefore, it is exciting to connect with NAL to identify pathways to improve innovation success across the entire healthcare ecosystem, especially in public research organisations, and to ultimately increase their commercialization success” – Ralf Wilden.
“I am excited to be part of a research project that is marries my passion with my professional job and continuous learning. My job at NAL is translating research into valuable products with renowned science innovators, while this PhD project allows me to translate the collective lessons learnt back to academia for future science innovators who aspire to amplify the impact of their work through innovation.” – Xiaoyin Shang, PhD candidate and Head of Strategy and Innovation at NAL.
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