InnoScot Health will be proudly supporting an exclusive event organised by one of its key partners, uniting experts from industry, NHS and academia who are working together to drive life sciences and healthcare innovation

The annual conference of Heriot-Watt University’s Medical Device Manufacturing Centre (MDMC) will be taking place on Thursday 23 May at Glasgow University Union.

Amid a diverse programme, the event’s third year will include “discussions on the cutting-edge services shaping the life sciences and healthcare sector”.

The conference will also be an opportunity to “explore unique insights into NHS and Scottish government initiatives, discover the innovative services offered by MDMC, and stay ahead with the latest advancements from industry leaders”.

Head of Regulatory Affairs at InnoScot Health Elaine Gemmell – last year awarded the title of Honorary Professor in the School of Engineering and Physical Sciences at Heriot-Watt University – will be chairing the event’s morning session from 10am.

She said: “I look forward to contributing to this gathering of the like-minded within the life sciences and healthcare community, including NHS Scotland innovators, MedTech companies, medical device engineers and manufacturers, as well as academics and researchers.

“It is the perfect platform for not only underlining MDMC’s key aim of helping Scotland's SMEs translate medical device concepts into commercial products, but also showcasing the country’s deep wellspring of expertise, while forging the collaborative ties needed to progress its huge ambitions.

“Furthermore, the conference represents an excellent occasion to debate the wider challenges and opportunities inherent in our collective aim of fast-tracking innovation in medical and healthcare technologies, including building networks and collaborations.

“InnoScot Health is delighted to be part of such a vibrant, pioneering landscape.”

The conference includes a keynote video presentation from Professor Anna Dominiczak, Chief Scientist (Health) for the Scottish Government and Regius Professor of Medicine at the University of Glasgow.

It will further feature a morning session on ‘Challenges and Opportunities for NHS Collaboration in Medical Devices’ from Dr Stuart Parks, Head of Clinical Engineering, NHS Greater Glasgow & Clyde, and Head of the Medical Devices Unit, as well as an afternoon session on ‘Manufacturing of Medical Devices: possible routes to funding for companies’ from MDMC Manager Professor Marc Desmulliez.

Organisers also say there will be opportunity for attendees to participate in lab tours and view a range of equipment which can be accessed through the MDMC, including state-of-the-art technologies in large analytical facilities and individual items in research laboratories.

InnoScot Health signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with MDMC in 2022, leveraging significant expertise to accelerate medical and healthcare opportunities as part of a five-year agreement.

Announcing the MoU, Dr Gillian Murray, deputy principal for business and enterprise at Heriot-Watt University, said that “combining InnoScot Health's extensive background in commercialisation and regulation with the expert manufacturing engineering guidance of the MDMC will allow us to accelerate medical device innovation across Scotland and beyond”.