Sell out FHRI Fund Open Day celebrates connected WA innovation ecosystem
FHRI AC Member Professor Fiona Wood speaks at the July Open Day at the University Club of Western Australia.
The Future Health Research and Innovation (FHRI) Fund Open Day held on 18 July 2024 at the University Club of Western Australia was a celebration of Western Australia’s unique strengths and innovation success stories.
The event, themed around ‘a connected innovation ecosystem’, drew almost 150 in person and more than 50 online attendees and was co-hosted by the Department of Health Office of Medical Research and Innovation (OMRI) and the WA Life Sciences Innovation Hub (WALSIH).
WALSIH co-hosts Dr Tracey Wilkinson and Professor Kevin Pfleger led proceedings with Noongar elder Freda Ogilvie welcoming attendees to country and offering insights into Noongar language and the importance of teachers for children’s health.
Minister for Medical Research, the Hon. Stephen Dawson spoke about the essential role of innovation in research translation and emphasised the value of FHRI Fund Open Days in fostering sectorwide exchange. Attendees heard from new Advisory Council Chair Rebecca Tomkinson, who spoke about upcoming strategic activities for the FHRI Fund and new Advisory Council member Fiona Wood who recounted her innovation journey with spray on skin, sharing insights and challenges and a few jokes for good measure.
Keynote speaker Dr Simon Graindorge, OncoRes Chief Operating Officer, paid tribute to Australian innovators such as Professor Ian Frazer, Professor Barry Marshall and Dr Michael Lawrence-Brown, and their courage to persevere in the face of resistance, urging attendees to stay curious, share local success stories and seize the opportunities for innovation available in Western Australia. Attendees were also lucky to hear from four of Western Australia’s most exciting innovators who took to the stage for the Early-Stage Innovation Showcase – Dr Nikhilesh Bappoo from Veintech, Dr Arjun Kaushik from VitalTrace, Dr Liz Dallimore from Argenica Therapeutics, and Patrick Moase from Marine Biomedical.
OMRI A/Director, Dr Stacey Waters introduced the funding programs now open for applications and highlighted opportunities to get involved such as the online consultation to inform the development of a new WA Clinical Trials Roadmap and opportunities to participate on FHRI Fund and Department of Health grant review panels. Lived experience advocate Pip Brennan stressed the importance of consumer involvement in innovation, advocating for meaningful changes that benefit end-users.
A post-event ‘Innovation Marketplace’ allowed attendees to connect with innovation leaders from NovaCina, Inspiring Holdings, Liquim, EarFlo, Customa, Metabolic Health Solutions, Arthrolase and Navier Medical, as well as staff from OMRI and the Department of Jobs, Tourism, Science and Innovation (JTSI).
The following funding programs are open for applications in the July funding cycle:
• Targeted Call – Health System Solutions Program
• Research and Innovation Capacity and Capability Building Program
• Major Research and Innovation Application Support
• Co-Funding Partnerships program
• Early-Career Child Health Researcher Fellowships Program (ECCHRF)
Watch the full video here: