Multi-million-dollar MRFF grant awarded to take lifesaving artificial heart to market
Image courtesy Monash University / AHFP
Monash University’s Artificial Heart Frontiers Program (AHFP) has been awarded AUD$50 million to help bring life-saving technology to market, including BiVACOR
BiVACOR, a total artificial heart (TAH), is an implantable device designed to completely replace a failing human heart
The device was invented and designed in Brisbane by Dr Daniel Timms. Together, he and Professor John Fraser co-founded the company and subsequently CCRG’s Innovative Cardiovascular Engineering and Technology Laboratory (ICETLab).
AHFP is expected to contribute AUD$1.8billion in economic benefit to Australia and create thousands of jobs over the next 15 years
CCRG congratulates the Chief Investigators of AHFP Dr Shaun Gregory and Prof David Kaye, named as recipients of the third-largest grant in the history of the Medical Research Future Fund (MRFF). AHFP will deliver urgently needed long-term solutions for advanced forms of heart failure by bringing to market life-changing devices for patients, including BiVACOR, the TAH developed by Dr Daniel Timms.
“From humble beginnings here in Brisbane, BiVACOR has grown to become an internationally renowned network of scientists, clinicians and engineers dedicated to improving the lives of people with advanced heart failure,” said Prof Fraser.
“After years of R&D here in Queensland and at CCRG, Daniel and his team moved BiVACOR to the United States and have worked steadfastly there and at other international sites to progress this great device. We are excited for its potential and offer our heartfelt congratulations to Daniel and his team for their determination and drive, working tirelessly to give patients the possibility of a brighter tomorrow.
“From Dan’s BiVACOR, we came up with the ICETLab, a dedicated space where clinicians and engineers could work together to advance medtech innovations in a truly collaborative way. Then, realising how many brilliantly skilled people were working in silos across Australia, we were successful in being awarded one of the first NHMRC Centres For Research Excellence, bringing together for the first time the clinicians, engineers, scientists from three major cardiac centres. It’s great to see Shaun and David take this to the next level with this huge grant.
“What BiVACOR and Daniel started in our labs all those years ago continues to grow and grow in the numerous other heart and lung devices currently being developed within the CCRG. I am confident that many other life-saving devices will emerges from our work here, working with Shaun, David and our other great colleagues who are essential to the AHFP grant.
“As CCRG approaches its 20th anniversary, our focus remains on translating great mechanical ideas into life-saving technologies for patients with end stage heart and lung disease,” said Prof Fraser.
CCRG’s ICETLab, based at Metro North’s Prince Charles Hospital, is a world leader in the design and translation of devices that play an important role in treating advanced cardiovascular diseases, the prevalence of which is expected to rise exponentially over the next 20 years.
Between 2007 and 2018, Associate Professor Shaun Gregory, Co-Chief Investigator of the AHFP grant, completed his Masters, PhD and post-doctoral research with CCRG, before leading the ICETLab when it became the first Centre for Research Excellence (CRE) in Advanced Mechanical Heart and Lung Support Therapies. A/Prof Gregory then moved to Monash University where he co-wrote the AHFP grant with Professor David Kaye.
(L-R) AHFP Chief Investigators Dr Shaun Gregory and Prof David Kaye with Australian Minister for Health and Aged Care, The Hon. Mark Burtler MP. Image courtesy Prof Sharon Pickering, Vice-Chancellor and President, Monash University.
“I’m an equally proud of Shaun to see how seamlessly he has worked on this huge grant and brought together some of the brightest minds from across Australia and New Zealand. He has become a world leader in his field, and I’m honoured CCRG could be even a wee part of his formative years,” said Prof Fraser.
“As well as the obvious health benefits, this is an incredible story of Australian ingenuity and sovereign manufacturing, with collaboration across universities, clinical hospitals and industry to develop the world’s most advanced artificial heart,” said The Hon Mark Butler MP, Australian Minister for Health and Aged Care.
“The $50 million provided by the Albanese Government makes this the third-largest grant in the nearly ten-year history of the MRFF.
“This will give hope to the half a million Australians who suffer from heart failure. The Australian technology has the potential to halve deaths from heart failure, create thousands of jobs, and contribute $1.8 billion to Australia and Australian society.”
Visit BiVACOR to learn more about the device.
CCRG Director Prof John Fraser pictured with an artificial heart mould from his collection. Image originally appeared in The Weekend Australian Magazine, March 2015.
FURTHER INFORMATION
CCRG’s Innovative Cardiovascular Engineering and Technology Laboratory (ICETLab) is one of several purpose-built CCRG labs and aims to facilitate the transition of cardiovascular technologies from idea to clinical implementation, whilst also investigating the clinical challenges facing existing technology.
The AHFP comprises an unrivalled team of experts, including clinicians with internationally acknowledged skills in the care of complex patients with advanced heart failure, and engineers with a proven record of the successful research translation. The team includes:
Professor David Kaye, Alfred Hospital
Dr Shaun Gregory, Monash University
Dr Daniel Timms, BiVACOR Pty Ltd and BiVACOR Inc
Professor John Fraser, Critical Care Research Group, The Prince Charles Hospital and University of Queensland
Scientia Professor Nigel Lovell, Tyree Institute of Health Engineering (IHealthE), University of New South Wales
Professor Christopher Hayward, St Vincent's Hospital, Sydney
A/Professor Michael Simmonds, Menzies Health Institute Queensland, Griffith University
Dr Michael Stevens, University of New South Wales
Professor Cara Wrigley, University of Queensland
Professor Matthew Dargusch, University of Queensland
Professor David McGiffin, Critical Care Research Group and Alfred Health
Dr Thomas Vassiliades, BiVACOR Inc
Professor Kurt Dasse, University of Louisville Medical School, Louisville, USA