After completing a BSc in chemistry, Mehdi Tavakoli obtained an MSc and PhD in polymer science and technology from the University of Aston. He continued his research on elastomers and polymer composites at Aston and later at the University of Bath before joining TWI in 1989 as a Principal Polymer Scientist. He became a technology manager and a consultant on polymers/adhesives with particular focus on the medical industry. He is a visiting professor of medical materials at the Department of Materials, Queen Mary, University of London. He is also a visiting professor of medical devices at the Bio-engineering Unit, University of Strathclyde. Currently he is the Programme Manager of the Health Technologies Knowledge Transfer Network. In addition, he is a member of EPSRC Peer Review College as well as a member of the technical advisory boards of a number of scientific journals and committees.
Sue Dunkerton manages TWI's Advanced Materials and Processes Group covering polymers, ceramics and microtechnology, for which many applications lie in the medical sector. Sue has many years experience at TWI in a broad range of materials processing, and is a graduate of UMIST. Sue is also Director of the UK's Health Technologies Knowledge Transfer Network and sits on the ABHI's Research and Innovation Policy Group.
The Health Technologies Knowledge Transfer Network (HealthTech KTN), previously known as the Medical Devices Faraday Partnership (MDFP) was first created in September 2002 to establish a national framework of industry, academia, clinicians, and research and technology and funding organisations. As Mehdi Tavakoli and Sue Dunkerton report it has been sponsored primarily by the UK's Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) with funding and support also from the Engineering Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) and the Biotechnology and Biology Sciences Research Council (BBSRC).
The network covers most aspects of healthcare systems, particularly medical devices, diagnostics and imaging. It gives support to develop clinically and industrially relevant research and assists industry and academia in the translation of technology into new healthcare products. It does this by identifying funding sources and partners, facilitating the establishment of research consortia, helping with new intellectual property and commercialisation through links with national and international networks.
Over the last three years, the Medical Devices Faraday Partnership (MDFP) has established itself as an inclusive and comprehensive network providing value to the Medical Devices community in the UK. In recognition of both its achievements and the importance of this sector to the UK's health and economic standing, this Faraday partnership has been selected as one of the new DTI sponsored Knowledge Transfer Networks covering Health Technologies. The successful migration of MDFP to the Health Technologies KTN was officially announced by the DTI on 18 October 2005. These Knowledge Transfer Networks are a key initiative in the UK Government's 10-year Science and Innovation Investment Framework, and are targeted with boosting innovation by enabling businesses and public sector organisations to access new knowledge, expertise and partners to enhance the UK economy and, in our case, healthcare.
The Health Technologies sector is currently worth £6bn to the UK and £120bn globally and is growing at 7-12% a year and even higher in the growth economies such as China and India. The UK benefits from a strong scientific base, the world's largest healthcare provider is the NHS, which is restructuring itself to embrace new technologies and products, and an innovative industrial base, which addresses both the home and overseas markets. The challenges are huge but so are the opportunities, and the HealthTech KTN seeks to support all of these communities in creating an environment where needs can be identified and acted upon by the right collection of people and organisations at the right time.
Over the next three years and beyond, the HealthTech KTN will be using a range of mechanisms to engage the community, to develop strategic plans for future R&D investment, to support innovation and to stimulate new research and business collaborations.
Demand for the development of new-generation healthcare products has led many governments to support the healthcare sector around the world. The HealthTech KTN has been created to establish a collaborative network that will enhance the transfer of good ideas into new products and processes. The services it offers to the healthcare industry are described here. This article also explains its structure and current research activities and how to access the resources that are available, including potential national and international funding.
Research and training
Core research
The core research activities of HealthTech KTN/MDFP are based on five major research projects, which were awarded in a competitive process in 2002/3. The information generated in the projects will initially be confidential to the participating companies. However, it is planned that the new non-confidential findings will be released in the form of papers and presentations by the academics leading the projects. These projects and their participants are:
- Bone grafts for spinal fusion. Dr Serena Best (previously Professor Bill Bonfield) of Cambridge University, Queen Mary/University of London, Grampian University Hospital Trust and ApaTech Ltd ( www.msm.cam.ac.uk)
- Aluminium-free glass-ionomer bone cements. Professor Paul Hatton of Sheffield University and Corinthian Surgical Ltd. ( www.shef.ac.uktissue-engineering)
- Replication with hydrocolloids. Professor Gavin Pearson of Queen Mary/University of London, the Universities of Strathclyde and Brighton, Schottlander & David Ltd and Denfotex ( www.irc-biomed-materials.qmw.ac.uk)
- Tools to evaluate the pre-clinical performance of a novel knee hemiarthroplasty device. Professor John Fisher of Leeds University, University of Southampton and DePuy International Ltd. ( www.leeds.ac.uk/imbe)
- Adsorption enhanced filtration device for fat removal in cardiac surgery. Professor Terry Gourlay of University College London and Hammersmith Hospital, Mast Carbon Ltd. and University of Brighton ( www.imperial.ac.uk/medicine/about/divisions/nhli/cardio/bhfsurgery/taylor/default.html). This project was successfully completed last year. The result of this work has been of considerable public interest and has recently been released on the BBC News Online ( news.bbc.co.uk/go/em/fr/-/1/hi/health/4428320.stm). This is also the subject of a television programme to be shown later this year by the Channel Four in UK.
Industrial case studentships
During 2003 to 2005 several industrial studentships were awarded each year in a scheme called Industrial Case, which is designed to encourage academics and industry to collaborate with each other. It enables companies to take a lead in defining and setting up projects with an academic partner of their choice. The company provides a financial contribution to the project and the student must spend at least three months during the period of the award at the company's premises. For more information about this scheme, visit www.epsrc.ac.uk/postgraduatetraining/industrialcase
There are currently 20 Case Studentships. The Case projects awarded during 2003-2005 are as follows:
2003-2004
- Improved plasticised poly(vinyl chloride), University of Strathclyde and Hydro Polymers
- Bioresorbable nanocomposites for implantable medical devices, University of Nottingham and Smith & Nephew
- Study of osteoblast response to modified phosphilipid polymers, University of Cambridge and Biocompatibles
- Simulation of wear in patella femoral compartment of total knee replacements, University of Leeds and DePuy International Ltd
- Organic-inorganic molecule interactions, University of Birmingham and Smith & Nephew plc
- Surface engineering of dental implants using a novel deposition of nanofeatures, University of Liverpool and Friadent GmbH
2004-2005
- Development of new ophthalmic biomaterials for intracular lenses, University of Aston and Vista Optics Ltd
- An in vitro assessment for the cochlear implant, Queen Mary/University of London and Cochlear Technology Center Europe
- New generation of pharmaceutical-containing medical devices, University of Cambridge and Pfizer
- Acetabular cup fixation, University of Leeds and DePuy International Ltd
- Development of lifetime methodologies for the predication of wear in total joint replacements, Queen Mary/University of London and Corin Medical
- Evaluation of biomechanical loading to direct fibroblast physiology and enhance tendon repair, University of Liverpool and DePuy Spine inc.
- Development of an analysis tool for the design of vascular stents, University of Strathclyde and Vascutek Terumo Ltd.
2005-2006
- Biomechanical evaluation of a novel polymeric artificial spinal disc prosthesis exhibiting a graduated hardness, Nottingham University and Ranier Technology
- Development of MIP sensors for clinical diagnostic applications, Sphere Medical Ltd and Cranfield University
- Tribology of conservative metal-on-metal hip resurfacing prostheses, University of Leeds and DePuy International
- Co-continuous resorbable composites for in-situ, time-dependent scaffold formation, University of Cambridge and Smith & Nephew
- Development of polymeric biomaterials to overcome blindness, University of Liverpool and Biomer Technology Ltd.
- Foamed hydrogel dressings: a new platform technology in wound care, University of Aston and First Water Ltd.
- Nanoscale multilayer coating for metal-on-metal hip joint prostheses, Queen Mary, University of London and Teer Coating Ltd
The HealthTech KTN Structure and Collaborating Networks Figure 1 shows the structure of the Health Technologies KTN, its management team, steering group and Research and Training and Advisory Group (RTAG). The KTN Director and Programme Manager are based at TWI Ltd. Industrial membership is organised through a network of regional support organisations that now covers 10 out of 12 UK regions as follows:
- Medical Devices in Scotland
- Medilink Yorkshire & Humberside
- MediWales
- Medilink North West
- RTC North
- Medilink West Midlands
- Medilink East
- South East Healthcare Technology Alliance
- Medilink East Midlands
- BioBusiness NI
This network has recently evolved to form its own national entity, Medilink UK, with a prime focus to provide business support to medical device and healthcare companies.
Technology translation
The HealthTech KTN has access to a number of Technology Translators (TT), who include the partners within the KTN and a pool of known consultants. They offer a rapid-response service to industry through a helpdesk that provides contacts to a growing network of solution providers (e-mail: helpdesk@healthtechktn.com). TT services include:
- technology roadmaps
- product, process and intellectual property reviews
- information on market trends
- events and networking opportunities
Funding sources
Several national and international funding sources are available to help UK industry, academics and clinicians. The HealthTech KTN receives regular updates on funding opportunities and is experienced in preparing bids to enhance the success rate of applications. Typical examples are funding schemes offered by the UK's DTI, which include:
- Grants for innovative ideas
- Grants for research and development (R&D) ( www.businesslink.org)
- Knowledge transfer partnerships ( www.ktponline.org.uk)
- Small firm loan guarantees
- Knowledge transfer networks
- Collaborative R&D
- Best-practice networks
- Small business investing companies
- Regional capital investment
Other sources of funding are available from organisations such as the Research Councils, charities, the European Commission and the UK Department of Health. Further links and associated programmes include:
The HealthTech KTN also supports a number of national and international research programmes. Support here is in the form of identifying partners, linking to the experts for technical supports and providing an effective mechanism for dissemination of information. A typical example of this is the European Healthy Aims project, which is involved in ambient intelligent microsystems for medical implants and ambulatory measurement systems. For more information on the technology being developed, go to www.healthyaims.org
The HealthTech KTN network extends across national and international organisations (see Fig.2). The main objective is to support and set up joint collaborations, which benefit the UK's industry, academics and clinicians involved in research and clinical trials of medical devices and medical materials.
Conclusions
Following considerable success during the last three years the HealthTech KTN now aims to expand its scope across health care systems and medical devices, diagnostics and imaging/equipment. One of the primary roles is to support new innovation and technological breakthroughs which could lead to new healthcare products and make the sector more competitive. The KTN aims to provide a voice for the UK healthcare community particularly to address key technology platforms that can make an impact on future economic performance and quality of life issues. In this regard, the KTN will support and make recommendations to UK government departments for future priority areas for public funding.
The HealthTech KTN welcomes contact from companies seeking assistance with developing technology. Contact from academics and clinicians is also encouraged with the aim of setting up new collaborations with industry and identifying new funding sources. Manufacturers can contact the KTN directly or through their regional support networks under the umbrella of Medilink UK.
