Health & medical research
A meeting of minds: a NSW success • Bionic Ear, a multiple-channel cochlear implant, was invented in Sydney • Research institutions based at 11 universities • Around 500 biotech private and public companies and institutes • World-class medical research institutions include the Garvan Institute, the Lowy Research Centre and the Victor Chang Cardiac Research Institute. The Garvan Institute in Sydney is performing worldwide genetic and genomic research • NSW is the epicentre of Australia’s medical devices and pharmaceutical industry • More than 75 per cent of the multinational pharmaceutical companies in Australia have headquarters in NSW, and the State is home to 45 per cent of Australia’s medical devices industry • Pharma companies include Pfizer Australia, Merck Sharp & Dohme, Bayer, AstraZeneca, Aventis, Roche and Eli Lilly • AstraZeneca is investing A$80 million in its NSW manufacturing plant to meet a rise in demand for asthma medicine from China. Key medical conferences confirmed for Sydney’s new ICC Sydney • International Congress of Behavioural Optometry in 2018 • The World Self-Medication Industry (WSMI) Asia Pacific Regional Conference and General Assembly in 2017 • 20th International Congress of Cytology for 2019.
already been confirmed for ICC Sydney. One of these, the International Congress of Behavioural Optometry for 2018, was secured directly because of the NSW region’s particularly strong community of behavioural optometrists, says Lewis-Smith. Sydney is still drawing on the significant legacy of previous international medical events. The World Conference on Lung Cancer is the world’s largest meeting dedicated to lung cancer and other thoracic malignancies (see below). Clinical Professor Michael Boyer AM worked with BESydney to bring the conference to Sydney. “The World Conference for Lung Cancer was a huge success here in Sydney and there was a lot of exchange of knowledge,” says Boyer. “But going beyond the event, there have been lasting benefits. We have made all sorts of contacts with people from around the world, and that’s led to research studies and research collaborations. “I think it’s also raised the profile of lung cancer at an important time.”
With the success of the health and medical research sectors, NSW is supporting further growth in these areas as part of its economic priorities. This is reflected in the significant annual investment in health and medical research by the Government, which now exceeds A$200 million. So it’s yet another area that is attracting world-leading businesses and research bodies in these sectors to Sydney. Promoting national and international collaborations in science and medical research is also one of the priority objectives of the NSW Office of Science and Research in a bid to attract increased investment to this burgeoning sector. BESydney works on attracting international association events to bring a long-term legacy of enhanced Australian and global expertise and growth in a particular research area. “Collaboration in the fields of research and best practice are simply more effective with the meeting of minds in one city,” says Lewis-Smith. World-leading medical conferences have
World Conference on Lung Cancer (WCLC) 2013 The successful conference welcomed over 5,300 from 93 countries, including world- renowned surgeons, oncologists, radiation oncologists and epidemiologists to Sydney. Held at the Sydney Convention and Exhibition Centre, BESydney worked closely with the local organising committee, the host body IASLC and the professional congress organiser, International Conference Services (ICS), to host such an impressive event. As well as the long-term outcomes expected to create a legacy of new innovations and advances in global medicine and healthcare, some initial, direct outcomes were identified by BESydney: • Feedback from 900 delegates pointed to one of the most scientifically stimulating WCLCs • A record number of 2,316 abstracts were submitted and supported the scientific presentations at the conference • The IASLC expects further membership growth, especially in China and South America • Research collaborations fostered in meetings will help deliver important clinical trials • Australia as a leader in lung cancer research demonstrated importance in key areas, such as patient involvement and delivering care.
10 SYDNEY | 2014 | INTELLECTUAL CAPITALS
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