Medical Devices

Medical devices research occurs at the interface of biological, chemical, physical and manufacturing sciences. It utilises biological properties, processes and systems to develop new and clever materials, faster and more precise techniques, diagnoses and treatments.

CSIRO develops medical and biomedical textiles for applications in healthcare, regenerative medicine and tissue repair.

CSIRO today welcomed the launch of the Australian e-Health Research Centre (AEHRC) as a national venture, supported by A$20 million in funding from the Federal and Queensland governments.

The question of how the food we eat influences the behaviour of our cells – including our genes – is the focus of a major international conference that starts today in Melbourne.

Information obtained during clinical treatment can be valuable for clinical and medical research, but accessing and querying it is complicated by the different ways it is collected and stored. CSIRO is creating software tools to solve these problems.

Healthcare researchers are flooded with data. They need help to retrieve, organise and analyse it. CSIRO information and communication technologies (ICT) scientists are providing new tools for the task.

CSIRO scientists are using textile support structures as templates for the growth of new tissues for use in maintaining, restoring or improving the function of damaged tissues and organs.

Our researchers are testing injury prevention limb covers to prevent or reduce skin tears and other injuries. We are also developing advanced textiles with integrated sensing and response technologies to promote healing of burns, scars and ulcers.

A video clip illustrating the process of growing fibroblast cells on to carbon nanotube yarns for possible applications in tissue engineering. (0:30)

A video showing how improving x-ray technology has made them safer and will allow doctors to see more detailed images. The video reveals how the new x-ray technology works. (2:00)

CSIRO is developing textile arm and leg sleeves for preventing skin tears in the elderly and bed-ridden. Nearly 15 per cent of people in high-care nursing homes have a skin tear at any one time, according to research at the Victorian College of Pharmacy.

A Postdoctoral scientist at CSIRO’s textile laboratory in Geelong, Victoria, Australia, Dr Edwards is investigating medical applications of textiles, in particular, the use of textiles to support cell growth and tissue regeneration, healing damaged tissues, such as nerves.

A program for an exciting conference that will bring together international world leaders in polymer sciences and industry leaders to share perspectives and work towards producing superior products for the marketplace into the future. (4 pages)

The ICT Centre has a range of information and communication technologies available for commercialisation.

AAHL includes a high-biocontainment facility to safely fulfil its major role of diagnosing potentially exotic (foreign) animal disease outbreaks.