Te Titoki Mataora MedTech Seminar Series #2

Real stories. Real impact. Real pathways from research to MedTech innovation.

Proudly hosted by the Te Tītoki Mataora Future Leaders Module, this national seminar series spotlights emerging and established MedTech leaders who are turning academic research into real-world health solutions. This session is for PhD students, postdocs, clinician-scientists, engineers, and anyone curious about translating research into impact.

Date: 4 May Monday 12:00 – 13:30 pm

Locations: Auckland, Christchurch, Wellington & Online (Hybrid)

Programme

12:00 – 12:10: Welcome + housekeeping

12:10 – 12:40: Keynote presentation Dist. Prof Maggie-Lee Huckabee

"Integrity or Impact? Navigating Conflict of Interest in MedTech Translation 

Motivated by clinical need, Prof Maggie-Lee Huckabee naively pursued commercialisation as a pathway to patient impact. The move exposed a fundamental tension: while translation was essential, it effectively strangled her academic career. The result was a journey of progress, pushback, and hard questions about conflict of interest. This talk explores what academics risk—and gain—when evidence is translated into products. 

12:40 – 12:50: ECR speaker #1  Dr Prashanna Khwaounjoo

“Beating Heart Disease - Developing a Non-Invasive, Contact-Free Diagnostic Device for Cardiovascular Health”

Prash is a Research Fellow at the Auckland Bioengineering Institute, University of Auckland. He is developing a non-contact cardiovascular monitoring and decision support platform that uses video-based sensing and advanced signal processing to detect and monitor heart conditions. The technology is aimed at enabling earlier identification of disease, supporting clinical decision-making, and providing scalable, low-cost tools for screening, diagnosis, and longitudinal monitoring across healthcare and community settings.

12:50 – 13:00: ECR speaker #2 Dr Zene Krige

"Clinicians + Designers: Building Fundable MedTech Together"

Design is often the missing link between a good clinical idea or need and real-world impact. This talk explores the value of engaging with design early translating insights from practice into solutions that are usable, safe, and meaningful for patients and clinicians alike. We will discuss how clinicians and designers can work together effectively, translating each other's professional jargons to shape innovations that are fit for purpose. Through practical examples from projects worked on, the session highlights how thoughtful design can accelerate development, reduce risk, and ultimately bring better healthcare solutions to life.

13:00 – 13:20: Hybrid discussion

Register here: https://forms.monday.com/forms/8c39c8118871a847063e32354fbc3a59?r=apse2 (details will be sent after registration)

EOI of being a speaker here

Save the dates - 2026 upcoming seminar series:

• 3rd Seminar: Monday 13 July, 12:00–1:30 pm

• 4th Seminar: Monday 7 September, 12:00–1:30 pm

• 5th Seminar: Monday 19 October, 12:00–1:30 pm

• 6th Seminar: Monday 16 November, 12:00–1:30 pm