OUR TEAM
LUDOVIC LABAT
CEO
LUDOVIC LABAT
CEO
As a business leader, Ludovic has over 20 years’ experience in the medical device and technology industry in Europe, the USA and Asia Pacific with a range of global companies including Fortive, Danaher, Siemens, Tektronix and Invetech. He has a record of proven success in bringing innovations to market to generate profitable growth in global hi-tech and medical devices markets – in roles ranging from product ideation to go-to-market strategy.
Ludovic and his family share a passion for the ocean and sailing. He enjoys dinghy racing, on his own or with his wife – they competed together in the 2015 Tasar World Championships.
ULI GOMMEL
CTO
ULI GOMMEL
CTO
JAMES FALLON
CSO
JAMES FALLON
CSO
Current CTO of the Bionics Institute, James has two decades of internationally recognized experience with in vivo electrical stimulation and recording, His research has generated 10+ patent applications/families and has led to the development of technologies in several clinical trials including for cochlear implants, bionic eyes, deep brain stimulation and inflammatory bowel disease.
JASON LEMAIRE
PROJECT DIRECTOR
JASON LEMAIRE
PROJECT DIRECTOR
With over two decades of experience, Jason brings a wealth of expertise across the entire product lifecycle. His extensive skill set encompasses project management, product design, operations, and quality assurance. Additionally, Jason has a strong background in medical technologies, having worked with devices from class 1 to class 3 in the fields of Ophthalmics, IVDs, and surgical devices.
Outside of work, Jason loves spending time with his kids, including coaching his son’s basketball team.
PAULA HURLEY
FINANCE MANAGER
PAULA HURLEY
FINANCE MANAGER
THOMAS CRUGNALE
ENGINEERING MANAGER
THOMAS CRUGNALE
ENGINEERING MANAGER
OWEN BURNS
SENIOR MECHANICAL ENGINEER
OWEN BURNS
SENIOR MECHANICAL ENGINEER
Owen is a systems engineer responsible for coordinating the engineering team throughout each project. He is an expert in biomechanical design for medical devices. Owen was the lead design engineer for the vagus nerve stimulation device developed to treat Crohn’s disease, which is due to start first-in-human trials soon.
Owen also led the project to design Neo-Bionica’s purpose-built facility – while renovating his own house. In his down time, he enjoys trail running, cycling and anything involving a mountain.
GARETH CLAY
SYSTEMS ENGINEER
GARETH CLAY
SENIOR ELECTRONICS ENGINEER
Gareth is a skilled electronics and software developer with a keen interest in documentation and pathways for regulatory compliance.
As a Product Development Engineer for Fisher and Paykel Heathcare in New Zealand, Gareth designed electronics and software for next generation AIRVO medical devices, specifically in the product development and manufacturing space.
Outside of work, you’ll find Gareth watching or playing sport (you name it, he’s played it), or at a gig enjoying some live music.
THIBAUT THAI
PROCESS ENGINEER
THIBAUT THAI
PROCESS ENGINEER
EDWARD SETTLE
QUALITY ASSURANCE LEAD
EDWARD SETTLE
QUALITY ASSURANCE LEAD
Previously holding various Regulatory and Quality roles at MAXONIQ and Lincoln Consulting, Edward is in charge of Neo-Bionica’s Quality Management System. He has a Master of Engineering (Biomedical with Business) from the University of Melbourne.
In his spare time, Ed enjoys cooking for his friends and exploring Melbourne’s restaurant scene.
RICHARD NASH
VP, BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT
RICHARD NASH
VP BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT
Richard is an experienced medical technology executive with more than 10 years in management with Medtronic across Europe and APAC.
He is an experienced leader, possessing a well rounded insight into the complexities and expertise required to successfully scale and commercialise medical technology.
He maintains a number of advisory board positions in the medical device industry.
On a personal level, Rich and his family have a keen interest in the arts. Many years ago, Rich was also a former semi-professional badminton player and still enjoys racket sports/occasional running.
EROL HARVEY
PROJECT ADVISER
EROL HARVEY
PROJECT ADVISER
The interim CEO of ACMD, Erol is an award-winning entrepreneur who has been involved in research commercialisation, product development and enabling technologies for more than 20 years. With technical expertise in micro and nanotech, biointerfaces and precision engineering, Erol is uniquely qualified to understand customers’ product development needs and help them develop manufacturable products.
To escape technology, Erol restores old Citroën 2CVs. He’s currently planning a 2CV raid with a convoy along the Anne Beadell Highway, an unsealed track across the Nullarbor.
DAVID KNEEN
CORPORATE DEVELOPMENT
DAVID KNEEN
CORPORATE DEVELOPMENT
Originally a deeply technical engineer and scientist, David transitioned post-MBA to strategic and executive leadership of global biotech developments, from Fortune 500s to start-ups. He brings 20 years of product development experience in medtech for clients across North America, Europe and Asia-Pacific. David has a record of strategic, commercial and operational leadership to effectively implement innovative technologies in high-value commercial applications.
David is an enthusiastic sailor, with a penchant for ocean racing that bemuses his warm, dry and well-rested friends and colleagues. At the 2021 Sydney to Hobart, David’s crew placed 15th on Line Honours aboard the Reichel-Pugh 46 ‘Hartbreaker’.
ROSS THOMAS
SENIOR PRODUCT DESIGNER
ROSS THOMAS
SENIOR PRODUCT DESIGNER
Ross is a skilled designer who has contributed to electrode design and fabrication of prototypes to treat Crohn’s disease and to prevent urinary incontinence. He has developed new fabrication methods and implemented quality control in fabrication processes. Ross has been closely involved with Neo-Bionica since the beginning, helping to conceptualise the company, plan the purpose-built facility, and set up and fit out the new workshops.
Outside work, Ross is a runner – covering around 100 km a week and competing in races from 1500 m races to half-marathons.
IOANNA STAMATOPOULOS
MECHATRONICS ENGINEER
IOANNA STAMATOPOULOS
MECHATRONICS ENGINEER
JENNY ZHOU
ELECTRODE FABRICATION LEAD
JENNY ZHOU
ELECTRODE FABRICATION LEAD
As a technician responsible for prototype design and fabrication, Jenny has worked on the trickiest of projects, from the 4-channel electrode in the mouse cochlear implant to the 44-channel electrode in the bionic eye. She also built Epi-Minder’s prototype for monitoring epileptic seizures, which is now in first-in-human trials.
Away from the lab, Jenny enjoys baking and cooking – and even running classes for her friends on making dumplings, bread and cakes. She also nurtures a garden, where she grows plants and vegetables.
OUR PURPOSE
Neo-Bionica enables clients – including businesses, researchers and clinicians – to turn their ideas into medical technologies that improve people’s lives.
We specialise in the product realisation of bioelectronic medical devices for use in targeted therapies and diagnostics.
Through our bioengineering expertise, fabrication skills and regulatory know-how, we develop implantable and wearable electronics and electrodes for neuromonitoring and neuromodulation devices.
OUR STORY
Neo-Bionica was conceived to fill a gap in medical device prototype manufacturing capability. We have the expertise to design robust implantable electrodes, the facilities to manufacture them, and the clinical connections to test them – all in one place.
We can also link local and international clients with Australian R&D incentive programs to help them develop life-changing medical technologies.
Our designers, engineers and regulatory experts have decades of experience in taking technology from early ideation through to pre-clinical and first-in-human studies. Devices based on their work include the cochlear implant, the bionic eye, and the Epi-Minder device.
Neo-Bionica is a joint initiative of the Bionics Institute and the University of Melbourne. Our purpose-built facility is located on the St Vincent’s Hospital Melbourne campus in close proximity to leading clinicians.
OUR BOARD
LUSIA GUTHRIE
CHAIR
LUSIA GUTHRIE
CHAIR
Lusia is a medtech entrepreneur with over 35 years in the pharmaceutical and bioscience industries. She has extensive experience in forming companies, raising capital, developing products and bringing them to market. Lusia founded LBT Innovations to bring advanced technologies to the medical industry – and listed the company on the Australian stock exchange. She also led the company’s development of an automated plate assessment system for microbiologists, which was the first artificial intelligence diagnostic medical device to achieve US FDA class II approval.
When she’s not skimming journals, Lusia has a stack of books to read. She also has a keen interest in collecting and tasting whiskies, and is writing the history of her Polish family’s escape from Europe after World War 2.
ROBERT KLUPACS
NON-EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
ROBERT KLUPACS
NON-EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
With more than 30 years of international corporate experience in technology development, Robert has an extensive network in the global medtech sector. Currently the CEO of the Bionics Institute, Robert was a founder of Epi-Minder and a driving force behind the launch of Neo-Bionica. He also helped Bionic Vision Technologies raise US$18 million to fund clinical studies of the bionic eye. A registered patent attorney, Robert has deep knowledge of intellectual property and research commercialisation. He has also worked with international companies to set up special-purpose entities in Australia to take advantage of the local regulatory landscape.
In his spare time, Robert is chair of BioAutism, a charity supporting autism research. He started running to take part in fundraising events, and has now completed five half-marathons. He’s also a cyclist and a triathlete.
HEATHER ST JOHN
NON-EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
HEATHER ST JOHN
NON-EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
A technology commercialisation expert with a track record of securing large-scale grant funding, Heather has a deep understanding of medical innovation and the global medical device market. In addition to founding the Monash Institute of Medical Engineering to tackle significant unmet clinical needs, Heather created a seed fund to establish a pipeline of medtech products. She also has first-hand experience commercialising a novel biomaterial that has been used in millions of life-sustaining devices, including establishing ISO 13485 quality management systems and supporting progression through US FDA approvals. She is now Director of Research Enterprise and Development at the University of Melbourne.
When not working, Heather likes spending time in wild places – by a creek in the bush, in among the native plants in her garden, and at live music venues.
HAMISH GEORGE
COMPANY SECRETARY
HAMISH GEORGE
COMPANY SECRETARY
Hamish is a Chartered Accountant and has extensive experience in providing financial advice, company secretarial and CFO services to life science businesses ranging from ASX listed entities to Not-for-Profit organisations.