ARC Training Centre for Innovative BioEngineering

The ARC Training Centre for Innovative BioEngineering is a world-class facility dedicated to solving challenging problems at the intersection of biology and engineering.

For instance, the worldwide shortage of donor organs and drawbacks of surgical methods have created significant challenges in repairing and replacing diseased or damaged tissues and organs. Global healthcare spending is projected to increase at an annual rate of 4.1% in 2017-2021, up from just 1.3% in 2012-2016. For example, musculoskeletal conditions impacting bones, joints and tendons cost the Australian health system $5.7 billion each year.

To address what will be an unsustainable situation for healthcare systems, industry stakeholders need engineers who are trained in biomedical technology research to develop innovative and commercially viable technologies to deliver safer, more durable, and more effective clinical therapies.

In response to these needs, the ARC Training Centre for Innovative BioEngineering is established with the aim of producing:

• technologies that enable improved outcomes and cost-efficiencies in the clinical treatment of challenging medical conditions;
• a skilled workforce to further advance the breakthroughs we make in this field; and
• a framework to capture data for improving future generations of technologies and implants.

As the Director, Professor Hala Zreiqat works with a multidisciplinary team of world-class researchers, clinicians and industry partners to achieve the goals of the Centre.

The centre runs a collection of multidisciplinary projects spanning the following themes:

• Diagnostic technologies: to identify the required characteristics of the solution or implant,
• Innovative biomaterials: including materials design and fabrication technologies to meet patient-specific needs.
• Sensor and telemetry technologies: for continuous assessment and optimisation of the healing process while capturing data for refining the technology or implant.

We provide a world-class training environment for students and postdoctoral researchers to work with project leaders and industry. Our students and postdocs will be equipped with the ability to conduct research that is industry-ready, with a strong understanding of methods to commercialise and translate their research. They will possess a wide range of expertise in research, IP, project management, clinical trials, communication and regulatory processes.