Curtin's top researchers showcased at New Inventor Competition

More than 70 people from the scientific and related industries met on 10 July to celebrate the 2008 New Inventor Competition within Curtin University of Technology.

Now in its second year, the competition attracted 14 applications from across the University and the semi-finalists were chosen by an independent judging panel for their inventiveness and commercial merit.

A video presentation by each of the three shortlisted applicants was viewed prior to the winner being announced by the Deputy Vice-Chancellor of Research and Development, Professor Linda Kristjanson.

'This competition highlights some of the excellent, industry-relevant research taking place at Curtin' she said.

Curtin's Vice-Chancellor, Professor Jeanette Hacket, who presented the awards said Curtin is committed to research and is regarded as a leading research institution.

'The inventions showcased today are a really fine example of how we are turning research into commercial applications. We are very proud of the achievements of our people' she said.

The overall winner and recipient of the $10,000 first prize was Doctor Trilochan Mukkur from Curtin's School of Biomedical Sciences for his project Non-invasive Whooping Cough Vaccine. Whooping Cough is the least well controlled of all vaccine-preventable diseases with periodic outbreaks resulting in significant fatalities. Mukkur's vaccine is delivered intranasally with no injections and requires no booster shots, reducing the cost of immunisation, therefore encouraging developing nations to expand their vaccination programs.

The other two prizes of $3,000 each were awarded to Professor Charles Watson (Health Sciences) and lecturer Marc Steffens (WASM).

Motor Neurone disease is typically fatal within two to five years and while a number of experimental treatments exist, there are no objective methods for assessing their effectiveness. Professor Watson has developed such a method through an advanced magnetic resonance imaging technique, which may also have applications in the diagnosis of autism.

Steffens has been working on a process of refining metals by electrostatic solvent extraction. This process offers new advantages compared to the current notoriously inefficient mechanical agitation, which results in a huge build-up of sludge.

The New Inventor Competition is sponsored by Seaspin Pty Ltd, Cool Energy Pty Ltd, Stone Ridge Ventures and Curtin University of Technology. To find out more about the New Inventor Competition, and intellectual property at Curtin, visit the IP Commercialisation website

Winner of the 2008 Curtin New Inventor competition, Doctor Trilochan Mukkur.

Professor Charles Watson, Marc Steffens, Vice-Chancellor Professor Jeanette Hacket and Doctor Trilochan Mukkur after the awards ceremony.