News
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For people with reduced mobility who spend extended periods seated, pressure injuries aren’t just uncomfortable - they can be painful, life‑altering, and even life‑threatening.
Adelaide innovator Mossa Medical is tackling this challenge through the ARIIA x MDPP Ideas Incubator, coordinated by Aged Care Research & Industry Innovation Australia (ARIIA), with technical support from Flinders University’s Medical Device Partnering Program (MDPP).
Together, they’ve developed an Automatic Smart Pressure Cushion prototype that monitors and adjusts pressure in selectively inflatable cells to protect users’ skin, comfort, and independence.
Pressure injuries are a serious and largely preventable issue, impacting 5.5% of people in residential aged care (over 10,500 cases annually) and costing up to AU$98,489 per case to treat. In hospitals, prevalence is 12.9%, with costs estimated at $9.11 billion each year - highlighting an urgent need for effective solutions.
Mossa Medical combines cutting edge technology with a patient-centred approach to create effective, sustainable solutions that prioritise healing, prevention, and overall well-being.
Their smart cushion uses sensors and adaptive air cells to deliver tailored, dynamic pressure relief in real time, reducing damaging pressure points and enabling longer, more comfortable sitting without compromising skin health.
Founder Andrew Mencel said the expert guidance and tailored support they received through the ARIIA x MDPP Ideas Incubator was invaluable.
“ARIIA’s deep understanding of the aged care market and strategic landscape combined with MDPP’s technical expertise in product prototyping have been crucial in positioning us strongly for the next stages of growth.”
ARIIA coordinated the program and provided a detailed market report with industry insights, while MDPP led product prototyping to create a functional proof-of-concept, delivering Mossa Medical both technical validation and market confidence.
Joanne-Lee Tan said ARIIA brings robust sector knowledge, market insight, and strategic guidance that ensure innovations align with real world needs in aged care.
“We offer a comprehensive support system - helping to bridge market opportunities and technical development.”
MDPP Director, Professor Karen Reynolds, said the combination of her team’s technical skills and engineering capabilities with ARIIA’s market insights and real user needs has helped move this product closer to making a real difference for people with mobility issues.
“Collaborative partnerships like this accelerate innovation and help ensure new technologies achieve genuine impact for users and the sector as a whole,” said Professor Reynolds.
With a proven prototype and a clear pathway forward, Mossa Medical is now seeking investment to build a full-scale clinical testing model and advance manufacturing plans.
This innovation holds tremendous promise for the health and aged care sectors - offering a powerful way to reduce largely preventable pressure injuries, enhance comfort, protect mobility, and dramatically improve the quality of life for some of the most vulnerable members of our community.
By transforming how pressure care is managed, this smart cushion could redefine aged care standards and bring greater independence and dignity to those who need it most.
Please be alert to a scam email currently circulating that falsely claims to be from the Medical Device Partnering Program (MDPP). These emails may request personal information or attempt to get you to click on suspicious links.
Please note that any legitimate communication from MDPP will not ask you to reply to another address or request any personal information. In particular any emails from Dr Zain Hammad claiming to be Chairman of MDPP are false!
If you receive any unexpected or unusual emails claiming to be from MDPP — especially those asking for personal details, financial information, or payments — do not respond, click any links, or open attachments.
If you’re unsure about the legitimacy of any message, please feel free to forward it to us at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. so we can verify it for you.
Thank you for your vigilance in helping us protect your information.
Turn your MedTech idea into reality with Venture Dorm: Medical Device Edition!
Venture Dorm is Flinders New Venture Institute’s award-winning pre-accelerator program, designed to fast-track innovation. The 2025 Medical Device Edition helps MedTech founders validate their ideas, understand industry challenges, and build sustainable business models.
Across 8 weeks, you’ll:
- Define and refine your idea with industry insights
- Validate market opportunities and industry fit
- Gain mentorship from MedTech experts
- Connect with like-minded founders and key industry players
Program Details:
📍 Flinders University at Tonsley
⏰ Tuesdays, 5:30 PM – 8:30 PM
🎓 Scholarships available for Flinders University alumni and students
Join a thriving MedTech startup community and take your venture to the next level.
Apply Now: https://www.nviflinders.com.au/venture-dorm-pre-accelerator/
Fantastic news for Medical Device Partnering Program, Medical Device Research Institute and South Australia’s health and medical research sector! 🎉
We’re proud to share that our Director, Prof Karen Reynolds, has been appointed to the National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) - MRFF Industry, Philanthropy and Commercialisation Committee (2024-2027)!
Karen joins an outstanding group of leaders, including A/Prof Jiawen Li and Kylie Sproston FTSE GAICD, in shaping the future of Australian medical research and industry collaboration.
This is a well-deserved recognition of Karen’s leadership in bridging research, industry, and healthcare to drive real-world impact.
Congratulations, Karen! 👏
Read more here: bit.ly/4gNmWNs
An Australian clinical surgeon has collaborated with the Medical Device Partnering Program (MDPP) at Flinders University to develop a novel catheter for safely navigating the intricate curves and contours of the male urinary tract.
Urological surgeon Associate Professor Ian Middleton developed "DeflectaCath," a silicone catheter equipped with a unique deflection mechanism in its tip, to simplify the insertion procedure for clinicians and improve the health outcomes for patients.
DeflectaCath provides a safe and comfortable catheterisation solution for men managing health conditions or undergoing medical procedures. It allows practitioners to manoeuvre the catheter through the length and curvature of the urethra, effectively minimising the risk of potential complications.
A/Prof Middleton said it was exciting working with the MDPP team to prototype a standout medical device that improves the catheterisation experience for both healthcare professionals and their patients.
“Working closely with the MDPP team has allowed us to concentrate on innovating the design of DeflectaCath, ensuring an easy and intuitive insertion and placement for medical staff while reducing the associated health risks of urethral trauma for patients,” said A/Prof Middleton.
The unique deflection mechanism in DeflectaCath's tip enhances device maneuverability, minimising the chances of urethral damage or the formation of false passages that can occur from urethral wall perforation. This advancement is especially critical with studies reporting that catheterisation poses challenges in around one in five cases.
“We’re extremely excited to have developed an efficient and effective catheterisation alternative which is unlike any of the current catheters being used by clinicians,” said A/Prof Middleton. “Thanks to the MDPP team, DeflectaCath now includes manual control, allowing medical practitioners to navigate a patient's anatomy throughout the entire procedure. This capability represents a game-changing advancement for both practitioners and patients,”
Professor Karen Reynolds, director of MDPP, highlighted that DeflectaCath's potential transformative impact on healthcare delivery marks a new era of enhanced patient outcomes and improved quality of care in urology.
“Our team takes pride in supporting innovators like Ian to find novel solutions and DeflectaCath represents a significant breakthrough in urological procedures,” said Prof Reynolds. “Helping to revolutionise the catheterisation process reflects our steadfast commitment to innovation and advancing patient care and outcomes.”
This project involved resources from the Medical Device Research Institute (MDRI) at Flinders University, the Australian National Fabrication Facility (ANFF) and the team at MDPP provided 250 hours towards proof-of-concept research, prototyping and product validation. Fostering collaborations between researchers, industry, end-users, and government to develop medical technologies with global market potential, the MDPP is an ideas incubator. Do you have an innovative medtech idea? Submit your idea through our website and a member of the team will get in touch. For any other questions please contact us on 08 8201 5029 or email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..
Photo: A transparent model of the urethral anatomy has been produced to demonstrate how the deflection mechanism can allow the catheter to bypass a false passage and prevent new trauma to the urethra.
We are happy to announce that the SA State Government will continue to support the Medical Device Partnering Program so we can keep supporting early-stage medtech innovators in Australia. The South Australian Government is investing a further $900,000 to support the continuation of the Medical Device Partnering Program (MDPP).
An initiative of Flinders University's Medical Device Research Institute, the MDPP works to foster collaboration between researchers, industry and end-users to create medical technologies where there is both identified clinical need and viable market opportunity.
Read the news release in full here: https://lnkd.in/gNXUYEvR
Established in 2008, the MDPP supports companies with up to 250 hours of technical expertise, fast-tracking their research and development process and allowing participants to explore opportunities and resolve technical problems.
We're hiring!
We’re looking for a new Innovations Manager at Medical Device Partnering Program!
The Innovations Manager will work with applicants to the Medical Device Partnering Program, assessing the viability of new ideas and connecting them with the right expertise. Perfect for anyone who has an interest in medtech commercialisation, a scientific background and enjoys learning about things they never expected to need to know! You get to work with a great team and an amazing array of innovators from around the country, help create new start up companies and help them in their journey!
Applications close: 19 May 2024.
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Fixed term until June 2025 | Full-Time (Part-Time Considered)
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Higher Education Officer Level 8| $106,842 - $118,281 p.a.
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Location: Tonsley / Kaurna Country
For more information and to apply visit -
https://flinders.wd3.myworkdayjobs.com/en-US/flindersemployment/details/Innovations-ManagerJR0000010626