FTSE, FAHMS, HonFIEAust, PhD, MSc, MA, BA(Hons)

Professor Karen Reynolds is Director of the Medical Device Research Institute (MDRI) and the Medical Device Partnering Program (MDPP)  at Flinders University.  Bridging the divide between research and industry, Karen is considered as one of Australia’s leading researchers in biomedical engineering and has been recognised for her outstanding contributions.  She became an Honorary Fellow of Engineers Australia in 2017, awarded Engineers Australia David Dewhurst award in 2016, South Australian Scientist of the Year 2012, elected Fellow of the Australian Academy of Technological Sciences (2011), and awarded Australian Professional Engineer of the Year (2010).  Karen holds a number of external roles including Member, Australian Medical Research Advisory Board and Director, Academy of Technological Sciences & Engineering Board.

Olivia joined the MDPP team in July 2019 as the National Program Manager, responsible for expansion and sustainable operations of MDPP across Australia.

She is the Research Translation Lead for the Medical Device Research Institute at Flinders University and a key driver of strategy for MDPP, ensuring continuous improvement of the programs major initiatives: (i) the Ideas Incubator, and (ii) MedTech Ventures.

In her role as a MedTech Venture Partner Olivia leads all aspects of Flinders University’s involvement in the Targeted Translation Research Accelerator (TTRA) Program. The TTRA initiative aims to improve the prevention, diagnosis, management and treatment of diabetes, cardiovascular disease and their related complications in Australia.

MedTech Ventures is supported through three separate program grants from the Medical Research Future Fund, each supporting early stage translation and commercialisation of medical devices through grant funding, project management and mentoring of applicants and awardees.

Olivia brings a wealth of experience to the team. In her previous position as Regional Sales Manager for industry giant Stryker, Olivia was responsible for developing, maintaining and growing value based partnerships within the healthcare industry across SA, NT and WA.

Stephen joined the Medical Device Partnering Program as Innovations Manager in 2019. Prior to this he held roles within the Health and Medical team at the Department for Trade and Investment at the Government of South Australia and medical device cluster organisation MedTEC South Australia. Stephen led a South Australian Health and Life Sciences trade mission to China in 2018. Stephen started his career a mechanical design engineer and has previously worked for medical device companies in Australia and the UK, on a variety of devices from Deep Brain Stimulation to ophthalmic devices and laparoscopic surgical equipment so he brings a great breadth of experience to the role.

Stephen is the first point of contact for MDPP applicants, assessing the viability of new ideas and connecting them with the right expertise. 

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BSc BEng (Biomed) (Hons)

Research and Development Manager Jodie Hobbs is a Biomedical Engineer with over 16 years’ experience in medical device design and prototyping.  Working with medical practitioners, researchers and allied health she has developed many technology solutions incorporating sensing, measurement, electronics, software, data analysis and wireless communications.  Jodie has been involved across all stages of the research and development process from literature review and project scoping to assembly and user trials.  She enjoys the challenge of problem solving with the aim to improve patient outcomes and quality of life.

Debbie is the Research Support Officer with the Medical Device Research Institute and Medical Device Partnering Program at Flinders University. Debbie joined the team in 2012 and provides research, project and administrative support. Debbie’s role involves co-ordinating network functions and events, overseeing MDPP finances, assisting with grant submissions, responsible for website and social platform updates, and database management.

Debbie is also Personal Assistant to Professor Karen Reynolds, managing her diary and administrative needs.

PhD BEng BSci (hons)

Angus is a biomedical engineer who specialises in all things data. He is interested in the design of robust and resilient systems to collect and organise data and from it inform decision-making processes, whether interactive or automatic. He has wide experience in data science, and has analysed/modelled systems from many sectors, including biomedical, power electric, agricultural, and genomic, and runs the gamut from linear models to machine learning.

Angus also has experience in the design and building of embedded systems and the software architectures that are needed to support them.

BSc (Electrical Engineering), MSc (Medical Informatics), MTech (Software Engineering)

Denny joined the MDPP team in May 2021 as an Electronics Design Engineer, supporting medical device design and prototyping.

Denny previously worked for research institutions in Taiwan, where he was responsible for coordinating and advancing the process of innovative medical device design as well as developing technology solutions.

He has participated in all stages of the innovative medical device research and development process, from project initiation to technology transfer and patent application.

He has a strong interest in engineering craftsmanship in embedded hardware and software design, aiming to dedicate himself and constantly contribute to the field of medical devices. 

MDes (Industrial Design)

John joined the Medical Device Partnering Program in November 2021 as a Mechanical Design Engineer, bringing a background of knowledge from the field of Industrial Design to support medical device design and prototyping.

In the past John has worked as a freelance industrial designer and as a researcher, designing habitation spaces onboard submarines. Bringing 4 years of experience with human centred design processes at the Studio for Confined Human Environment Design (SCHED) at the university of South Australia, John looks to implement seamless interactions between users and medical device technology.

PhD BSc BHlthSc (Hons)

Alex joined the Medical Device Partnering Program as the Innovations Officer in May 2022. She previously worked as a Research Associate at the University of South Australia on an industry/CRC funded project to develop antimicrobial orthopaedic devices. She was responsible for developing and conducting preclinical models in addition to collaborating with industry partners and end-users. During this time, she undertook the BridgeTech Program where her desire in connecting industry with researchers to develop new innovations grew. Alex has 8 years of prior research experience that will bring a different perspective to the MDPP Team and clients.

Alex has a passion for collaboration and networking, and believes this is critical in helping to build a broader network that clients can utilise. 

Olivia joined the MDPP team in July 2019 as the National Program Manager, responsible for expansion and sustainable operations of MDPP across Australia.

She is the Research Translation Lead for the Medical Device Research Institute at Flinders University and a key driver of strategy for MDPP, ensuring continuous improvement of the programs major initiatives: (i) the Ideas Incubator, and (ii) MedTech Ventures.

In her role as a MedTech Venture Partner Olivia leads all aspects of Flinders University’s involvement in the Targeted Translation Research Accelerator (TTRA) Program. The TTRA initiative aims to improve the prevention, diagnosis, management and treatment of diabetes, cardiovascular disease and their related complications in Australia.

MedTech Ventures is supported through three separate program grants from the Medical Research Future Fund, each supporting early stage translation and commercialisation of medical devices through grant funding, project management and mentoring of applicants and awardees.

Olivia brings a wealth of experience to the team. In her previous position as Regional Sales Manager for industry giant Stryker, Olivia was responsible for developing, maintaining and growing value based partnerships within the healthcare industry across SA, NT and WA.

Andrew started as MedTech Venture Partner in July 2019, forging a new role for MDPP in the strategic deployment of MRFF funds to support early-stage translation and commercialisation of medical devices nationally. The Biomedical Translation Bridge (BTB) Program, which ended in 2022, saw 29 Australian medtech and pharma technologies invented or progressed, 7 new products launched, and more than $150M injected into the sector. The Clinical Translation and Commercialisation-Medtech (CTCM) Program, running to 2025, follows a similar model, providing SMEs with ongoing commercialisation advice and mentoring, and funding of up to $1.5M per project. In delivering these programs, Andrew has been a key facilitator of early-stage medical device research collaborations across Australia, and he is a strong advocate for medtech as a key enabler of Australian competitiveness in the coming decades. 

Before MDPP, Andrew worked in life sciences business development, commercialisation and industry development for over 15 years at a range of public and private sector organisations, including Adelaide University, spinout companies, a Cooperative Research Centre, and the SA State Government.

Andrew holds a PhD in biotechnology from the University of Reading in the UK and an MBA from the AIM Business School in Australia (where he was the recipient of the Sir Alwyn Barker Medal for most outstanding graduate). He is a Graduate Member of the Australian Institute of Company Directors, a Fellow of the Australian Institute of Management and a Certified Professional Manager.