Innovation

Groundbreaking research making a difference

RMIT medtech invention goes to market

3 July 2025

An ingestible gas-sensing capsule invented at RMIT to provide real-time insights into gut health has been cleared for use in the United States. The Atmo Gas Capsule – which helps diagnose gut disorders from gases it measures while travelling through the digestive system – has just received regulatory clearance from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. […]

Tech4Endo project shares in €23million Research Ireland funding

3 July 2025

A University College Dublin initiative aiming to develop technology to support women with endometriosis will share in the new €23 million Research Ireland funding for early-career researchers. The Tech4Endo project is fostering the co-creation of technological solutions to address patients’ unmet needs and enhance their quality of life. Currently available commercial technologies for endometriosis primarily […]

Virtual reality to understand childhood disease

2 July 2025

New cutting-edge software developed in Melbourne can help uncover how the most common heart tumour in children forms and changes. And the technology has the potential to further our understanding of other childhood diseases, according to a new study. The research, led by Murdoch Children’s Research Institute (MCRI) and published in Genome Biology, found the software, VR-Omics, can […]

WA FHRI strategy to guide investments in research, innovation

2 July 2025

The State Government has released an ambitious focus for Western Australia’s health and medical research sector with the release of the Future Health Research and Innovation (FHRI) Fund Strategy 2025-30. The FHRI Fund was first established in 2020, as a unique, long-term investment of $1.8 billion, dedicated to supporting health and medical research and innovation […]

BlinkLab trials moving ahead

30 June 2025

BlinkLab a digital health company developing AI-powered smartphone-based diagnostic technology for autism and ADHD, has achieved a major regulatory milestone. It has received Institutional Review Board (IRB) ethics approval from the WIRB-Copernicus Group (WCG) for commencing the main phase of its United States FDA 510(k) clinical trial. BlinkLab’s strategy is to bring “accessible, scalable autism […]

Harnessing GenAI for good in professional health education

26 June 2025

Students in health-related fields are benefiting from generative artificial intelligence (GenAI), but concerns have arisen about critical thinking ability and reduced peer interaction. A systematic review led by researchers from Monash University’s Faculty of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences (FPPS) surveyed the prevalence of GenAI use across six learning types in health profession education and found […]

Next generation digital platform will fast-track research

25 June 2025

An Australian-first data partnership has set a new benchmark for medical research, with the establishment of a next-generation digital platform that aims to fast-track breakthroughs in immune health research. The landmark partnership between the Snow Centre for Immune Health – co led by WEHI and the Royal Melbourne Hospital (RMH) in partnership with Snow Medical Research […]

AI breakthrough for blood vessel calcification screening

23 June 2025

Artificial intelligence may be used to help detect hidden calcium in arteries, saving lives with earlier intervention in heart disease. Early signs of heart diseases are easily missed. However, a person’s heart attack risk can be indicated by the level of calcium built up in the blood vessel walls. A team from Edith Cowan University’s […]

AI tool developed to ensure correct chemo dosing

20 June 2025

University of Melbourne and Western Health researchers have developed a new artificial intelligence tool to prevent cancer patients from receiving incorrect doses of chemotherapy. Chemotherapy is typically dosed by calculating the patient’s body surface area using their height and weight, but researchers said this method was “highly inaccurate” as it doesn’t factor in body composition. […]

Multilingual chatbot to support triage

19 June 2025

A multilingual chatbot could lead to better triage assessments at hospitals in multicultural areas and better outcomes for linguistically diverse patients across Australia. In areas like south-western Sydney more than half of the local population – or 55% according to the South Western Sydney Local Health District – speaks a language other than English at home. Dr […]

AI will help deliver equitable maternal care

16 June 2025

The Digital Health Cooperative Research Centre (DHCRC) has announced a collaborative research project with ASX-listed HeraMED and RMIT University focused on improving maternal health outcomes for culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) women through AI-enabled predictive care. Under the project, AI models to assess the risk of pre-term delivery linked to socio-economic factors, HeraMED’s proprietary HeraCARE […]

CSIRO has the next step for innovators

16 June 2025

Applications are open for CSIRO’s eight-week Innovate to Grow program, helping Australian small-to-medium enterprises (SMEs) transform healthcare innovation ideas into research and development (R&D) projects.  The program is open to SMEs working in the following sub-sectors: Digital health; Biomedical devices; Multi-omics, biostatistics and bioinformatics; Medical imaging and genomics; Drug discovery, vaccines and therapeutics; Advanced cell models; […]

High stakes for data in health apps

13 June 2025

Popular apps used to track menstrual cycles can hold years of data on users’ health and private lives, however users remained largely unconcerned about how that data is used, according to a New Zealand study. New Zealand researchers asked app users about their views of the risks, finding about half considered their data to be […]

Patients support AI in healthcare – but prefer doctors’ decisions

11 June 2025

An international peer-reviewed survey that included Australia has found 57 per cent of people are supportive of the use of AI in healthcare facilities – however those attitudes varied significantly based on social demographics and how familiar people were with the technology. People also preferred explainable AI systems and doctor-led decision-making, which the study’s authors […]

AI-powered head start on skin cancer diagnosis with PanDerm

10 June 2025

Detection of melanoma and other skin diseases will be faster and more accurate with a new artificial intelligence (AI)-powered tool that analyses multiple imaging types simultaneously. Developed by an international team of researchers led by Monash University and featured in Nature Medicine, PanDerm is one of the first AI models built specifically to assist with […]

Research looks at virtual reality games for physical rehab

6 June 2025

New research from the University of Queensland is using virtual reality games to make physical rehab more enjoyable and effective for patients. UQ School of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science PhD scholar Achintha Abayasiri is undertaking the study into how virtual reality (VR) games using headsets could influence the standing balance of both young and […]

Hospital genomics initiative tackles dangerous superbug

5 June 2025

Australian researchers are using real-time genome sequencing in routine hospital care for patients with severe Staphylococcus aureus infections – otherwise known as ‘golden staph’, a superbug responsible for more than one million deaths globally each year. In partnership with seven major Victorian hospitals, researchers from the Peter Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity (Doherty Institute), […]

Brain-training game could offer pain relief

4 June 2025

An interactive game that trains people to alter their brain waves has shown promise as a treatment for nerve pain. The PainWaive technology, developed by UNSW Sydney researchers, teaches users how to regulate abnormal brain activity linked to chronic nerve pain, offering a potential in-home, non-invasive alternative to opioids. A recent trial of the technology, led […]

New AI pen to detect Parkinson’s

3 June 2025

A pen loaded with magnetic ink can be used to help detect early onset Parkinson’s disease. Neural network assisted data analysis in the device can identify differences in the handwriting of people with and without the disease and could potentially allow for earlier diagnoses. Parkinson’s disease is estimated to affect nearly 10 million people around […]

La Trobe advances medical AI innovation with supercomputer

2 June 2025

The supercomputer behind Australia’s first artificial intelligence-powered medical innovation centre has officially been switched on. La Trobe University’s deployment of NVIDIA DGX H200 systems are the first to be commissioned at a university in Australia, giving scientists the ability to push the boundaries of AI-driven medical and biotech research. The supercomputer’s arrival follows the launch […]

Better detection of dementia using AI

20 May 2025

Researchers from the National Centre for Healthy Ageing (NCHA) have utilised artificial intelligence to develop a new method to improve dementia detection in hospitals. NCHA is a partnership between Monash University and Peninsula Health, and their study involved more than 1,000 individuals aged 60 and above in Frankston-Mornington Peninsula. Currently, dementia is recorded in hospitals […]

Consumer-driven research grant

19 May 2025

Up to $16 million in competitive grand funding has been made available for consumer-driven research aligned to the government’s preventive and public health research initiative. The 2025 Incorporating Patient Data in Health Technology Assessment Decision Making grant opportunity closes on 23 July 2025. The grants provide financial assistance to support medical research and medical innovation […]

Biggest study into OCD unlocks new genes

16 May 2025

QIMR Berghofer researchers have found the genes linked to Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) for the first time, after identifying 30 regions on the human genome associated with this debilitating yet often misunderstood mental health condition. The global research (published in Nature Genetics) involved more than 50,000 people with OCD and 2 million people who did not have […]

Wearable X-rays for children, powered by UQ-developed technology

6 May 2025

Respiratory scans are set to become more comfortable for young children with the development of wearable X-ray devices – including hoodies and blankets – which feature light conversion technology developed by the University of Queensland. Associate Professor Jingwei Hou from UQ’s School of Chemical Engineering has been awarded a $1.6 million Investigator grant from the […]

ANU study to benefit treatment of genetic disease

2 May 2025

Scientists at Australian National University have used powerful AI technology to analyse genetic variations at an unprecedented scale. Researchers say it could lead to prioritising treatments and improving patient outcomes as genetic diseases are better diagnosed and treated. In a step forward for personalised medicine, they uncovered a hidden pattern which  revealed why less critical genes, […]

World-first clinical trial could change how cancer is treated

1 May 2025

In a breakthrough for the future of personalised medicines, a world-first clinical trial launched in Melbourne has the potential to revolutionise the way people with bowel cancer are treated. The trial, based on landmark WEHI research, is the first to look at whether a patient’s response to specific drugs can be accurately predicted, before they […]

New CRC to be the trailblazer for Australia’s ‘care economy’

24 April 2025

Australia will have its first Cooperative Research Centre for the rapidly growing care economy, following today’s announcement of a $35 million CRC federal grant. The Care Economy CRC will be located at La Trobe University and is projected to deliver more than $1.4 billion in direct benefits over the next 15 years. The Chair Elect is […]

Technology use might reduce risk of cognitive decline in later life

24 April 2025

Widespread use of digital technology may be associated with lower rates of cognitive decline and cognitive impairment in adults aged over 50 years, according to a meta-analysis published in Nature Human Behaviour. The findings appear to contradict the “digital dementia” hypothesis that everyday use of technology weakens cognitive ability. The first generation of people who grew […]

CSIRO research shows trust in virtual health services

23 April 2025

Healthdirect Australia’s national coronavirus helpline which received more than five million calls during the pandemic earned the trust of consumers who gave telehealth their tick of approval. Research conducted by CSIRO’s Australian e-Health Research Centre evaluated the effectiveness of the helpline, focusing on participant satisfaction and health system efficiency. The paper An evaluation of healthcare […]

Otago-led genomics research receives $25m Govt funding

23 April 2025

Genomics research aimed at improving health and economic wellbeing in New Zealand has received a new round of Strategic Science Investment Fund (SSIF) funding totalling $25million. Genomics Aotearoa, a collaborative research platform featuring a consortium of five New Zealand universities and five Crown Research Institutes, is led by the University of Otago and was established […]

Partnership accelerates research

22 April 2025

Researchers will be able to access cutting-edge tools to tackle society’s most pressing challenges across healthcare, manufacturing and sustainability, with a new partnership between the University of Melbourne and Thermo Fisher Scientific (Thermo Fisher). The Applications, Service and Knowledge Centre (A.S.K Centre) and related Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) will give researchers access to specialised expertise […]

Unlocking the promise of big data for genomics research

16 April 2025

A team at CSIRO has developed a tool – RAPpoet – to unlock the power of big data stored inside cloud biobanks –making genomic research faster and cheaper. CSIRO Genome Insights team leader Dr Natalie Twine said in its initial use case, RAPpoet reduced costs by 44% and analysis time by 94% compared to standard […]

Flinders’ Venture Dorm helps innovators to fast track

14 April 2025

Flinders University has called for applications before May 11 for a special Medical Device edition of Venture Dorm, a hands-on program designed for innovators with early-stage ideas in MedTech or medical devices. Venture Dorm will run its special Medical Device edition from June 3 to July 22, 2025, with sessions conducted each Tuesday from 5.30pm […]

Ulster University secures €9.1 million EU funding for innovation centre

10 April 2025

Ulster University has been awarded €9.1 million in EU funding to drive forward research and innovation in digital health and medical technologies. The funding will support the development of a Health Frontiers Technology Innovation Centre (HF-TIC), a multidisciplinary initiative focused on advancing medtech and digital health solutions. The initiative will bring together leading research organisations, […]

Feature: Do infectious diseases cause dementia?

4 April 2025

Working out the relationship between infectious diseases and dementia is a bit like the chicken and the egg problem. But artificial intelligence may help researchers decide which comes first. For decades, the medical profession has viewed dementia as a progressive cognitive decline that typically affects older adults. While there have been advances in diagnosing it […]

AI can help with medication safety

4 April 2025

A Macquarie University researcher has received more than $4.4 million for a five-year project to use artificial intelligence (AI) to reduce the unnecessary use of medication in residential care. Dr Nasir Wabe from the Australian Institute of Health Innovation has been awarded a Medical Research Future Fund Early to Mid-Career Researchers Grant Opportunity, with funding […]

Digital twin research promises faster diagnosis and treatment

3 April 2025

Auckland University researchers and a team at Melbourne’s Alfred hospital are collaborating to use human digital twins for more timely diagnosis of patients. Digital twins are computerised models that replicate a structure or object, and are commonly used in engineering as a type of future-proofing to help predict various scenarios or potential problems. Auckland Bioengineering […]

Trust remains key to digital health uptake, UQ study finds

27 March 2025

A lack of trust in technologies such as telehealth, remote monitoring and mobile health apps remains a barrier to their uptake, research from the University of Queensland has found. In a study published in npj Digital Medicine, UQ Centre for Online Health researchers Dr Soraia de Camargo Catapan and Dr Jaimon Kelly analysed 49 studies, […]

Grant will fund preventive care in primary health

27 March 2025

Researchers with an innovative digital health solution for preventive care in primary health have until April 4 to apply for a $250,000 grant funded by Medibank and the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners (RACGP). The grant will fund up to two projects with a total combined value of $250,000 that focus on preventive care […]

AI-powered test to detect silicosis sooner

24 March 2025

A new diagnostic tool developed by physicians and scientists from UNSW Sydney that analyses a person’s breath for signs of silicosis has the potential to detect the disease earlier rather than wait for irreversible lung damage to appear. In a study published in the Journal of Breath Research by Professor William Alexander Donald and Conjoint Professor Deborah Yates, the researchers describe […]

Report challenges assumption health tech saves staff time

20 March 2025

A new report by UK charity the Health Foundation challenges the assumption that the procurement of technology will automatically lead to benefits for health services. The report – Tech to save time: how the NHS can realise the benefits – includes an analysis of 467 studies published between 2010 and 2023 that looked at whether […]

New app supports MS care strategies

20 March 2025

Trinity researchers have developed More Stamina, a gamified mobile health (mHealth) app designed to help people with multiple sclerosis (MS) manage fatigue and other MS-related symptoms. Fatigue is the most common symptom of MS, affecting approximately 80 per cent of patients, and can have a devastating impact on quality of life. More Stamina is a […]

Personalised medicine shaped by risk assessment

19 March 2025

Australian genomics technology leader AGRF is offering Polygenic Risk Scores (PRS) powered by the Allelica PREDICT module, a cutting-edge platform that translates genomic data into actionable risk assessments. AGRF says healthcare providers will be able to better stratify risk, identifying high-risk individuals earlier, and implement targeted interventions before potential disease onset. “Genomics is revolutionising healthcare, […]

AI detecting endometrial cancer with nearly 100% accuracy

18 March 2025

One of Australia’s most common gynaecological cancers could be detected sooner and more accurately using a specialised Artificial Intelligence (AI) model. Researchers from Charles Darwin University, the University of Calgary, Australian Catholic University and the Daffodil International University in Bangladesh developed an AI model which can detect endometrial cancer with 99.26 per cent accuracy. Endometrial […]

Online help for osteoarthritis

7 March 2025

Australians living with osteoarthritis can gain support from a new dedicated online platform designed to provide education and tools for better management of the condition. Data from the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW) says osteoarthritis affects more than 2.2 million Australians, impacting mobility, independence, and quality of life. Prevalence increases substantially with age, from […]

Shot of a Scientists in Sterile Suits Working with Computers, Analyzing Data form Modern Industrial Machinery in the Laboratory. Product Manufacturing Process: Pharmaceutics, Semiconductors, Biotechnology.

AI projects among $422m NHRMC grants

3 March 2025

Projects harnessing artificial intelligence are among more than 200 recipients sharing over $422 million in funding from this year’s National Health and Medical Research Council’s (NHMRC) Investigator Grants scheme. Announcing the latest round of grants, Minister for Health and Aged Care Mark Butler said 229 high-performing chief investigators and their teams would undertake researcher-led projects […]

The concept of diagnosis and treatment using X-rays.

Digital detection and AI offer better breast cancer screening

21 February 2025

Digital innovations including artificial intelligence could increase early diagnosis of breast cancer in New Zealand, according to new research. The peer reviewed study, titled Challenges and opportunities for Aotearoa-New Zealand’s breast screening programme, looks at potential uses of AI in assessing cancer risks – and improving the accuracy of mammography diagnosis through digital breast tomosynthesis […]

AI and human collaboration speeds diagnosis

18 February 2025

University of Adelaide researchers have identified a new approach for endometriosis classification, believed to be the first of its kind which combines both machine learning models and human knowledge. The IMAGENDO team from the University’s Robinson Research Institute and Australian Institute for Machine Learning (AIML) developed the system — Human-Artificial Intelligence Collaborative Multi-modal Multi-rater Learning […]

Retinal imaging doorway for disease detection

5 February 2025

New AI-powered research has created the most detailed maps of the retina ever produced, paving the way for routine eyecare as a disease screening tool. Researchers at the Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research (WEHI) have used the maps to link retinal thinning to a range of diseases as well as identifying new […]

Maintain Your Brain trial to prevent dementia

31 January 2025

A clinical trial has shown an internet-delivered lifestyle intervention has resulted in significantly better cognition in older adults. The team, led by Professor Henry Brodaty AO, Co-Director of UNSW’s Centre for Healthy Brain Ageing (CHeBA), calculated a global cognition score from online tests that measured memory, reasoning and speed of information processing, and published their findings […]

AVOID frailty web intervention study nears final phase

29 January 2025

University of Adelaide researchers are preparing for the third and final phase of an Australian-first study into a web-based behaviour change tool designed to prevent frailty in older people. The AVOID Frailty web intervention was first developed in Canada, and is being trialled in Adelaide through a $250,000 grant from The Hospital Research Foundation Group. […]

Artificial intelligence diagnosing lung diseases

29 January 2025

Researchers from Charles Darwin University (CDU), United International University, and Australian Catholic University (ACU) have developed and trained an AI model to analyse lung ultrasound videos and diagnose respiratory diseases. The model examined each video frame to find important features of the lungs and assessed the order of the video frames to understand the patterns […]

$5 million for WA digital health research

26 January 2025

An innovative Perth cardiologist is exploring the use of artificial intelligence in medicine to empower people to help them better understand their own health. Professor Girish Dwivedi’s team, which includes Dr Sara Sukudom, based at the Fiona Stanley Hospital, is one of 14 successful recipients who will share in almost $5 million through the WA […]

Innovation

Groundbreaking research making a difference

RMIT medtech invention goes to market

Tech4Endo project shares in €23million Research Ireland funding

Virtual reality to understand childhood disease

WA FHRI strategy to guide investments in research, innovation

BlinkLab trials moving ahead

Harnessing GenAI for good in professional health education

Next generation digital platform will fast-track research

AI breakthrough for blood vessel calcification screening

AI tool developed to ensure correct chemo dosing

Multilingual chatbot to support triage

AI will help deliver equitable maternal care

CSIRO has the next step for innovators

High stakes for data in health apps

Patients support AI in healthcare – but prefer doctors’ decisions

AI-powered head start on skin cancer diagnosis with PanDerm

Research looks at virtual reality games for physical rehab

Hospital genomics initiative tackles dangerous superbug

Brain-training game could offer pain relief

New AI pen to detect Parkinson’s

La Trobe advances medical AI innovation with supercomputer

Better detection of dementia using AI

Consumer-driven research grant

Biggest study into OCD unlocks new genes

Wearable X-rays for children, powered by UQ-developed technology

ANU study to benefit treatment of genetic disease

World-first clinical trial could change how cancer is treated

New CRC to be the trailblazer for Australia’s ‘care economy’

Technology use might reduce risk of cognitive decline in later life

CSIRO research shows trust in virtual health services

Otago-led genomics research receives $25m Govt funding

Partnership accelerates research

Unlocking the promise of big data for genomics research

Flinders’ Venture Dorm helps innovators to fast track

Ulster University secures €9.1 million EU funding for innovation centre

Feature: Do infectious diseases cause dementia?

AI can help with medication safety

Digital twin research promises faster diagnosis and treatment

Trust remains key to digital health uptake, UQ study finds

Grant will fund preventive care in primary health

AI-powered test to detect silicosis sooner

Report challenges assumption health tech saves staff time

New app supports MS care strategies

Personalised medicine shaped by risk assessment

AI detecting endometrial cancer with nearly 100% accuracy

Online help for osteoarthritis

AI projects among $422m NHRMC grants

Digital detection and AI offer better breast cancer screening

AI and human collaboration speeds diagnosis

Retinal imaging doorway for disease detection

Maintain Your Brain trial to prevent dementia

AVOID frailty web intervention study nears final phase

Artificial intelligence diagnosing lung diseases

$5 million for WA digital health research

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