Modern medicine has had a huge impact on increasing human longevity over the past 50 years. However, this had led to a new series of issues in health issues due to aging such as hearing loss, dementia, inflammatory diseases, degenerative diseases and increased likelihood of diseases associated with brain decline.
Bionic devices which include implantables, wearables and combinations utilising AI offer a unique opportunity to improve sensory perceptions, improve communication, monitor physiology remotely and to treat illness or injury. The talk will highlight some of the advances made to date in our focus areas of hearing, dementia, Parkinson’s Disease, epilepsy, chronic inflammatory disease and bionic vision and our plans to turn this early innovation into commercialised products for the benefit of all Australians.
Robert Klupacs
Mr Robert Klupacs was appointed Chief Executive Officer of the Bionics Institute on 1 May 2017. He has over 39 years of international corporate experience in technology development, mainly in the fields of medical technologies and biotechnology, with a particular focus on healthcare.
Robert is scientifically trained in pharmacology and biochemistry. He is also an Australian-registered patent attorney with extensive experience in private and publicly traded companies as well as academia.
Robert has been involved in the successful commercialisation of software, scientific instrumentation, food technologies and agricultural technology. He has unique skills in translating and commercialising early-stage intellectual property into products or investable corporate vehicles.
Robert’s broad career includes appointments as Director of Intellectual Property at AMRAD, COO of the Monash Institute of Reproduction and Development, CEO of Singapore-based ES Cell International, Managing Director and CEO of ASX-listed Circadian Technologies Ltd, Executive Chairman of Bionic Vision Technologies Pty Ltd and CEO and Chairman of ASX -listed Bio-Gene Technologies Ltd.
He has served as a Non-executive Director for many early-stage companies and Co-operative Research Centres.
Robert is a founder of 28 companies in Australia and Singapore and was previously a member of the Pharmaceutical Industry Group and the Victorian Biotechnology Advisory Committee.
Robert is especially regarded for his ability to bridge cultural divides and knowledge gaps between academics, corporations, and the investment community.
He is internationally recognised for his ability to lead start-up organisations to mature well-focused companies, his strong leadership, organizational and communication skills, and his track record of consistent and exceptional achievement.
