The MedTech Actuator and Menzies Foundation are thrilled to announce the second cohort of MedTech Actuator Menzies Scholarships.

After an overwhelming response to our call for applications – we were three times oversubscribed – MedTech Actuator and the Menzies Foundation have narrowed it down to an inspiring cohort of researchers and scientists who are ready to transform their impact.

Embarking on a two-month scholarship, recipients will gain insight from industry experts, learn alongside Australia’s best emerging entrepreneurs, access exclusive industry events and network with a dynamic cohort of innovators. The scholarship supports emerging scientists and researchers on their pathway to an impact-driven career fusing science, research, and entrepreneurship.

Introducing the new scholars

The MedTech Actuator Menzies Scholarship cohort are passionate about developing healthcare solutions that improve and save lives. Their diverse expertise spans diabetes, cancer treatments, precision medicine, wellbeing devices, gene therapy, neonatal care and more. 

Scholarship recipients include:

Dr Sebastian Corlette, Anaesthetist, Royal Children’s Hospital and PhD Candidate, Murdoch Children’s Research Institute and the University of Melbourne.

Project: Developing a new sensor for high-quality, long-term electroencephalogram (EEG) measurement in young babies.

Darcy Dunn-Lawless, Master of Engineering (Biomedical), Flinders University.

Project: Developing a new medical implant for cancer patients who have had orthopaedic surgery.

Adaeze Ekwe, PhD Candidate, QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute and Queensland University of Technology.

Project: Developing a novel cellular therapy for graft-versus-host disease using genetically modified regulatory T cells.

Erin Humphries, Research Assistant at Children’s Medical Research Institute and Masters by Research Student at the University of Sydney.

Project: Discovering new biological insights into cancer.

Ismat Kabbara, Co-founder, Synbiote and Master of Science in Anatomy, University of NSW.

Project: Making biological materials for pharmaceuticals more efficient to manufacture and affordable.

Marta Orlowska, PhD Candidate, QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute and Queensland University of Technology.

Project: Investigating metabolic shifts at a cellular level, through time of day dependent influencing factors.

Dr Rowan Page, Lecturer and Industrial Design Program Director, Monash University.

Project: Developing a wearable light sensing device to guide people toward healthier light exposure patterns.

Dr Anushi Rajapaksa, Senior Research Officer, Murdoch Children’s Research Institute and Founder, Think Project Global.

Project: Developing rapid, life-saving drug delivery for children with infectious respiratory disease.

Rance Brennan B. Tino, PhD Candidate, Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre and RMIT Centre for Additive Manufacturing, RMIT University.

Project: 3D Printing of bespoke phantoms for treatment planning verifications in radiotherapy

April Van Der Kamp, PhD Candidate, Flinders University.

Project: Developing novel diabetic foot ulcer treatments.

The MedTech Actuator Menzies Scholarship Experience

Joining MedTech Actuator Origin, scholars will be exposed to the world of entrepreneurship and see what it takes to commercialise successful healthcare ventures. Topics covered across workshops and an industry-led intensive sprint will include intellectual property, pitching, business modelling, pathways-to-market, regulatory strategies, market analysis and more.

MedTech Actuator Menzies Scholarships will provide recipients with a $1,000 stipend and a pivotal learning experience to amplify their careers as champions for impact-driven healthcare innovation.

Follow their journey – or get ready to become a scholar

Sign up to our newsletter below and connect with us on Twitter and LinkedIn to follow the journey of scholars – and to find out how to be a 2022 MedTech Actuator Menzies Scholar.

The MedTech Actuator Menzies Scholarship is supported by the Menzies Foundation as part of their Entrepreneurship in Science mission in partnership with the MedTech Actuator.