Bridging The Gap From Discovery To Care
Keynote · 11:30am – 12:00pm · Learn stage
Too much world-class health research stays in the lab. Jennifer Holland knows what it takes to move it further — she's spent 15 years building and commercialising medical devices, from inventing Throat Scope to taking products through Shark Tank and into global markets.
Now leading research translation at HMRI, she shares practical lessons on closing the gap between discovery and real-world use. Expect a clear-eyed look at what actually works when turning regional health research into products, systems and care that reach patients.
Speaker: Jennifer Holland, Head of Research Translation, Hunter Medical Research Institute
Ancestral Knowledge Meets Modern AI
What happens when tens of thousands of years of Indigenous knowledge systems meet artificial intelligence? In this session, Nathan Towney explores how ancestral ways of knowing — connection to Country, relational thinking, and deep observation — can shape more grounded, ethical and useful AI.
Rather than treating AI as purely technical, he looks at the opportunity (and responsibility) of building systems that listen to place, people and long-term thinking. A timely conversation for anyone interested in innovation that is both future-facing and culturally grounded.