Fueling the future of life sciences innovation
The Early-Stage Innovation Forum (ESIF) is the premier platform for emerging innovators in life sciences to take the next step in their journey. Here you can get a sneak peek at who is going to be on stage at AusBiotech 2025 and
what they will be impressing the judging panel with.
ESIF will take place on Wednesday, 22 October at Melbourne Convention & Exhibition Centre.
ESIF is sponsored by:
Pioneering a new frontier in cancer treatment, a novel precision-guided CAR T cell therapy has been developed. By using CRISPR to “armour” immune cells, this approach delivers cancer-fighting agents directly into tumours, aiming to overcome the challenges of treating solid cancers and reduce harmful side effects.
Presented by:
Dr. Anna Cifuentes-Rius,
Business Development Manager,
Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre
Creating an oral drug (PBT2) that restores the effectiveness of antibiotics against resistant bacterial pneumonia, using zinc to disrupt bacterial defences and enable outpatient treatment.
Presented by:
Dr. Bliss Cunningham,
Research Fellow,
Elemental Therapeutics, The University of Melbourne
An Australian bioengineering company creating the world’s first complete bioengineered cornea, enabling one donor cornea to treat up to 30 patients and expanding access to sight-restoring surgery worldwide.
Presented by:
Ms. Danielle Fisher,
CEO (interim),
BIENCO Vision Pty. Ltd.
Develops a first-in-class antibody therapy that targets and dismantles E. coli biofilms, aiming to prevent and treat recurrent urinary tract infections and reduce antibiotic resistance.
Presented by:
Prof. Begoña Heras,
Professor,
La Trobe University
A Korean biotech firm discovering novel ANO6 inhibitors as next-generation anticoagulants, aiming to prevent blood clots with reduced bleeding risk compared to current therapies.
Presented by:
Dr. Chulho Lee,
Research Director,
S2Cbio, Inc.
Uses AI and quantum mechanics to develop new therapies for muscle diseases by mimicking the beneficial effects of exercise at the molecular level, targeting muscle wasting from various causes.
Presented by:
A/Prof. Sean McGee,
CSO,
Imitex Pty Ltd
Transforms drug development by providing AI-powered 3D human tissue models, replacing animal testing and improving the speed and accuracy of preclinical drug discovery.
Presented by:
Dr. Christoph Meinert,
CEO and Co-Founder,
Gelomics Pty Ltd
Develops a novel antibody-drug conjugate targeting a cancer-specific antigen for hard-to-treat solid tumours, aiming for selective tumour killing with minimal impact on healthy tissue.
Presented by:
Dr. Kay Myo Min,
Research Associate / Project Manager,
University of South Australia, DesmoX Pty Ltd
Engineers a new biologic drug (IL-38Fc) to treat autoimmune diseases by suppressing key inflammatory pathways, offering a potential first-in-class therapy for conditions like lupus and systemic sclerosis.
Presented by:
Prof. Claudia Nold,
Group Head: Interventional Immunology,
Monash University and Hudson Institute of Medical Research
Advances a repurposed drug for severe, drug-resistant epilepsies caused by KCNT1 gene mutations, aiming to reduce seizures and improve outcomes for affected children.
Presented by:
Mr. Pradeep Sadasivan Pillai,
Senior Manager, Commercialisation
University of South Australia
Develops a first-in-class troponin modulator (TL01) for hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, fine-tuning heart contractility without compromising adaptability.
Presented by:
Dr. Adam Stephenson,
Associate,
Uniquest Pty Limited
Discovers small molecule inhibitors that block the spread of tau protein in Alzheimer’s and related diseases, offering a new disease-modifying approach beyond current amyloid-targeted therapies.
Presented by:
Dr. Travis Stiles,
CEO & CSO,
Novoroo Bioscience
Develops a novel brain-targeted peptide therapy for metabolic diseases, acting via a newly identified receptor to induce weight loss and improve metabolic health, independent of current GLP-1-based drugs.
Presented by:
Dr. Adam Stephenson,
Associate,
Uniquest Pty Limited
By targeting a novel brain receptor, our drug has successfully reversed metabolic dysfunction in preclinical studies, promising to deliver the lasting, sustainable outcomes that current therapies lack.
Presented by:
Dr. Christina Sparbier,
Business Development Manager,
The Florey
ESIF expert judging panel
We are thrilled to welcome a distinguished panel of judges, leaders from industry, research, investment and entrepreneurship who are ready to challenge, guide and celebrate Australia’s brightest early-stage innovators.