Hosted by the Manchester Biomedical Research Centre the day was focussed on current research, successful application and some of the issues faced in applying regenerative medicine based techniques in a clinical setting.

A number of stimulating talks covered a broad range of clinical applications from vascular graft design to substitution of whole organs such as the kidney. The challenges of identifying the best cell types to use and how to provide those cells with the right architecture in which they could function appropriately were described. Also discussed were aspects of how such solutions could be commercially developed and the day was rounded off with considerations on how to deliver new solutions into the NHS to provide patient benefit.

MedTec 2010 held at the NEC on the 27th and 28th of April was a combination of trade show and conference. The first days’ talks on the ‘Regulatory Landscape’ was a great opportunity to hear from some high profile speakers and find out more on the ongoing challenges in regulatory affairs and views on how best to govern medical devices and technology in the future. The second day, covering the ‘Business Landscape’, proved to be very interesting with talks from NICE and NTAC giving insight into their respective roles and handy tips on making medical devices and technology attractive to the NHS.

NorthernNet, Daresbury Science and Innovation Campus and RTC North arranged a networking event to enable SMEs and organisations within the digital creative and healthcare fields to pitch to each other and find out more.

Our host Paul Treloar from Darebusry SIC galvanised the group and encouraged all present, to make a 90 second pitch. Through an intense but engrossing 60 minutes we heard from companies specialising the 3D media technologies through website marketing to development and manufacturing of printed circuit boards. Presentations from healthcare organisations included Paul Hanmer from TrusTECH and Penny Johnson from the Biomedical Research Centre (BRC) based at Central Manchester NHS Foundation Trust.

The buffet lunch was an excellent opportunity for people to follow up on common areas of interest based on the pitches made and provided MIMIT the chance to create and connect with new contacts, as well as gain more insight into the digital creative field.

Our Showcase event celebrated two successful years of operation for MIMIT, with project highlights illustrating solutions in development to address unmet clinical need.

It also marked the retirement of our founding chair Prof Sir Robert Boyd and introduction of Dr John Stageman, his successor.

To find out more about the event please see the MIMIT news item covering the event "Celebrating our Second Year of Success".

The CIMIT congress was held over two days (27th and 28th October 2009) in Boston, MA. We received an introduction and warm welcome from John Parrish, Executive Director of CIMIT followed by the keynote speakers and special guests, including our very own Prof. Sir Robert Boyd (Chairman of the MIMIT board), who highlighted the exciting progress MIMIT has made over its first 18 months.

We then had the opportunity to delve into the Exploratorium, the perfect place to mix with other delegates and see up-and-coming technology that addresses specific unmet clinical need.

The following day was full of sessions dedicated to three main areas of focus:

1. Transforming patient care through IT
2. Caring for the injured soldier
3. Introducing new technologies into clinical care

There were many interesting speakers and two particular highlights were Clay Christensen (innovator, author and Professor of Business Administration at Harvard Business School), discussing how best to address the issues in healthcare today, with particular reference to looking at ‘jobs to be done’ rather than the perceived desires of customers (healthcare professionals and/or patients).

Susan Axelrod, president and founder of CURE, gave a heart-rending account of her family’s struggle with epilepsy. Re-telling her and her daughter's experience, when treatments and medications could only give partial respite, emphasized the need to keep searching and developing healthcare improvements.

The day concluded with a series of stimulating short talk sessions and the knowledge that although the next CIMIT congress won’t be until October 2011, it will be eagerly anticipated.

The CIMIT Innovation Congress, held October 27-28, is the only conference where preeminent trailblazers of medical device technology join with national healthcare leaders to explore new ideas and build coalitions that facilitate solutions to our most critical healthtcare problems.

MIMIT is pleased to announce that we will be attending the Congress; key members of the team will be travelling to Boston to meet with industry and our CIMIT partners, forging stronger links with our US and international colleagues.

The MIMIT website is undergoing new development, and by the end of August we will have our MIMIT Blog up and running, keeping you informed with the latest news and activities direct from the MIMIT office.

Stay up-to-date with all MIMIT news right here - and for the latest information delivered directly to your inbox, simply register your email (at the bottom of any page of the main website).

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