Pushing boundaries Brisbane is pushing boundaries for medtech and health and the list of innovations developed in the field include needle-free vaccine delivery, the widespread use of robotics in orthopaedics and ultrasound technology that removes the plaques that characterise Alzheimer’ s Disease.

Such breakthroughs have come thanks to the city’ s more than 100 health and biotech facilities: the biomedical sector alone employs over 12,000 people in Queensland.

Academia is pioneering research, with the Translational Research Institute( TRI) just one institution leading the way in biopharmaceutcal production, testing and treatments. The city also hosts one of the largest health and hospital clusters in the Southern Hemisphere and this critical mass is further strengthened by a‘ knowledge corridor’ that spans five kilometres in the city and comprises hospital, research institutes and university precincts. All of which makes Brisbane“ an unmatched destination for healthcare business events,” according to Chittick.

This environment has attracted many of the world’ s brightest medical researchers and scientifc minds as well as a ton of investment. Notable names breaking through to new medtech frontiers include professor Ian Frazer, who developed the first vaccine for cervical cancer and lends his name to the Centre for Children’ s Immunotherapy Research; professor David Johnson, a pioneer of kidney disease research and Dr Kiarah Khosrotchrani, a leading experimental dermatologist and expert in skin cancer.

Young researchers and entrepreneurs are also attracted to the city by the lifestyle and climate, which means a whole new innovative generation of talent is well rooted for the future.

Cluster concept It is not just the academics and

researchers blazing a trail; the cluster concept embraced in Brisbane brings in the best of corporate innovation and start-ups to work alongside and take on some of the inventions and innovations through to production and commercial realisation.

David Hoey, the CEO of Vaxxas, Australia-based specialists in commercialising vaccine technology, identified three things that he feels position Brisbane as a destination for building a successful biotech company:“ Infrastructure, talent and opportunities for growth.” His company is heavily invested in its city facility and in March secured a US patent for its needle-free vaccination manufacturing technology.

Brisbane-based start-ups have also led to breakthroughs in telehealth delivery and in artificial heart technology.

Start-ups have benefitted greatly from BEDA support in linking ideas and talent with investment. BEDA has played a pivotal role in supporting early-stage ventures in the city to scale globally and attract investment. It’ s Global MedTech Accelerator, launched in 2022, has helped more than 30 Brisbane businesses fasttrack international partnerships, funding and distribution deals.

Technologies and products being rolled out thanks to this start-up cohort include smart patches for painless delivery of drugs and non-opioid pain therapies.

For organisers and delegates after an impactful healthcare or medtech event experience, it is clear that Brisbane has the full conference care package. n

Left: Brisbane ' s labs have led the way on several medical breakthroughs

Right: Queensland: fertile ground for agriculture, research and events

Brisbane’ s firm farming roots nourishing ground for agri events

positioned at the centre of a 360-degree food bowl, which provides unrivalled access to agriculture commodities and an enviable pipeline of world class ingredients.

Eighty per cent of Queensland land is used for agricultural production and beef cattle represent the state’ s largest agricultural export valued at AUD $ 7.1bn, and nearly half( 49 %) of Australia’ s national herd grazes in the state. Brisbane is also a global leader in research into tropical and subtropical agriculture and agrifood education. According to macroeconomic forecasts, Brisbane’ s food and beverage exports are expected to grow 43 % in real terms over the period to 2031.

Brisbane’ s Lockyer Valley, an hour from the city, is renowned as‘ Australia’ s Salad Bowl’ and has been feted as one of the top ten most fertile farming areas in the world. It encompasses approximately 2,200sq. km and grows the most diverse range of commercial fruit and vegetables of any area in Australia.

Brisbane is also fertile ground for some of the world’ s brightest agricultural and scientific minds and institutions. These include the University of Queensland( UQ) which is at the forefront of agricultural research.