Katja is the Head of Health Tech at Cicada Innovations, a Sydney based deep tech incubator that for over 22 years has supported innovators, researchers and founders in making an impact and building successful global companies. Katja is looking after innovations and companies in therapeutics, diagnostics, medical devices and software as a medical device. As a researcher and founder of a digital health company herself, she brings her lived experience to help researchers, clinicians and innovators in her space to succeed.

Dr Tifelle Reisinger is a medicinal chemist with drug discovery experience in the pharmaceutical and CRO industries in France, UK and Australia. Tifelle completed her Ph.D. in organic chemistry at The University of Paris and the Institute of Chemistry of Natural Substances (ICSN) in France and undertook further post-doctoral studies at the University of Cambridge in the UK before transitioning to industry. Tifelle worked with drug discovery CROs in the UK, Concept Life Sciences in Sandwich and Domainex in Cambridge, before relocating to Melbourne in 2017 as Head of Business Development, Asia Pacific for Domainex. With a strong client-focus and business acumen, she generated and managed a portfolio of clients including biotech companies, VCs and leading academic research institutes across Australia. Tifelle joined BioCurate in 2019 and as a Venture Partner, she managed the MRFF-BTB (Biomedical Translation Bridge) Program delivered by MTPConnect, in partnership with UniQuest and MDPP. With her medicinal chemistry background, she has assessed projects for investment at BioCurate, as well as managing and supporting drug discovery campaigns for small molecule programs from hit identification through to candidate nomination in the fields of oncology, cardiovascular diseases and neurosciences.

Mark Sullivan AO is a clinical and regulatory scientist with comprehensive experience of the development of new medicines for infectious diseases. He is the founder and CEO of Medicines Development for Global Health, the world’s only non-profit biopharmaceutical company. His career highlights include 18 years executive management and Board of Directors experience in biotechnology and over 30 years’ experience in product development within GSK, Gilead, UNSW, and MDGH. He has led global cross functional project teams, regulatory interactions (including peri- and post-application), and has personally run and/or had responsibility for over 100 clinical trials at all stages of development. He is an Honorary Professor at UNSW, won the distinguished alumnus award at Deakin, was Victorian Australian of the Year 2019, and was national EY Social Entrepreneur and Clunies Ross award winner.

Anita is a committed advocate for Australian health and medical research translation and commercialisation. She is a medical technology and clinical development specialist.
Anita is currently Chief Innovation Officer at the Ingham Institute for Applied Medical Research where she leads Commercialisation, the Centre for Robotics, Medical Devices and Health Technologies, and the Clinical Trials Unit. She is currently a non-executive director for ARCS Australia and ACTA, and a member of the AusBiotech NSW leadership committee. Anita has previously held leadership positions with government and industry including CSIRO, NSW Health, Medtronic, and MSD. She is also the Principal of health innovation consultancy Innoveren Pty Ltd, working primarily with private equity and off-shore start-ups.

Anita holds post-graduate qualifications in science, as well as competitive strategy and innovation from the London School of Economics . She is based in Sydney, Australia.

Professor Doug Hilton is the director of WEHI, the inaugural head of The Brain Cancer Centre and the Lorenzo and Pamela Galli Chair in Medical Biology. Doug began his research career at WEHI (Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research) and the University of Melbourne in 1986. He was appointed WEHI’s sixth director in 2009 and has overseen the expansion of the Institute and the alignment of its research with the most important health concerns of the community. Professor Doug Hilton is the director of WEHI, the inaugural head of The Brain Cancer Centre and the Lorenzo and Pamela Galli Chair in Medical Biology.

Doug began his research career at WEHI (Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research) and the University of Melbourne in 1986. He was appointed WEHI’s sixth director in 2009 and has overseen the expansion of the Institute and the alignment of its research with the most important health concerns of the community. Doug has recently been appointed as the Chief Executive of CSIRO and will commence in that role on 29 September.

Jeff Malone has over thirty years of experience in business, export market development, product translation & design, commercialisation, and manufacturing. He has worked in Australia since 2010 where he has established strong networks across the high-tech manufacturing, industrial design, research, and commercialisation sectors, and expertise in the medical, healthtech and defence sectors. Jeff is known and respected domestically and overseas. He works as a mentor and advisor to global innovation ecosystems and accelerator programs. He has a reputation for bringing stakeholders together to build commercial networks, broker innovation and advocate on behalf of the Healthtech Industry.

Jeff joined BioMelbourne Network as the CEO in July 2020. Prior to this, he worked in a senior leadership role with Design and Industry, building new markets for Australian product development across the U.S. and Southeast Asia. He was also the COO for Grey Innovation. Before this, he served as General Manager Australia with SRXGlobal, Australia’s largest medical and defence contract electronics manufacturer, where in 2014 they were awarded Large Manufacturer of the year in Victoria. Jeff spent the previous 20 years working in product design, market development, commercialisation and manufacturing in Mexico and South America, Thailand, China, and Indonesia.