Appointment of MIME Clinical Co-Director – Professor Patrick Kwan
We are delighted to announce that, following an extensive recruitment process, the Monash Institute of Medical Engineering (MIME) has appointed Professor Patrick Kwan as the incoming Clinical Co-Director.
Professor Kwan will commence in this leadership role on 14 March, 2022.
Patrick is a Professor of Neurology in the Department of Neuroscience within the Central Clinical School of Monash University, and Consultant Neurologist and Director of the Epilepsy Unit at Alfred Health. He is a medical specialist in neurology and an international authority in epileptology.
Professor Kwan’s research portfolio encompasses both applied basic science and clinical aspects to improve the treatment outcomes of epilepsy. His research is focused on understanding the long-term treatment outcomes, mechanisms of epileptogenesis and drug resistance, and genomics and pharmacogenomics of epilepsy. He has a particular interest in harnessing technologies to solve clinical problems, including machine learning and stem cell approaches for personalised medicine, and novel assays and biosensors for point-of-care in vitro diagnosis.
Some of his commercialised MedTech-related research includes the establishment of a start-up to develop point-of-care diagnostic devices, and use of a stem cell derived neural platform developed by his team for in vitro screening of medicinal compounds commercially.
Patrick takes on this leadership role within the Institute, vacated by Professor Helena Teede who is stepping down due to other commitments however will remain engaged in relevant MIME committees through her role as Executive Director of Monash Partners Academic Health Science Centre (MIME acts as Monash Partners’ clinical innovation platform and provides our connection to clinical networks).
Patrick, along with MIME Academic Co-Director Professor John Forsythe, will work in close partnership with industry and hospitals to accelerate the development of new technologies through development, trials, commercialisation and adoption; to improve the delivery of healthcare.
Professor Patrick Kwan: “I am most excited to take up this role and would like to thank Professor Teede for her outstanding leadership of MIME. I believe MIME has a vital role to play in realising the University’s Strategic Plan; to tackle nationally and globally significant medical challenges of our time through advances in engineering technologies. I look forward to working with my partner Co-Director Professor Forsythe and the rest of the team in achieving this goal.”
Please join us in congratulating Professor Kwan on his appointment.