On 7 September, the University hosted the 38th Health Technologies Knowledge Transfer Network Orthopaedics Special Interest Group meeting, held jointly with its third Bioengineering Networking meeting, in the Michael Ashcroft Auditorium, Rivermead campus. The theme of the event was on the ageing population and how engineering can be used to create opportunities out of the social, economical and health-related issues. The aim of the meeting was to raise awareness of the impact of the ageing population on healthcare, and how engineering could be used to turn these predicted problems into opportunities for business through innovation and entrepreneurship.

The conference was organised jointly by Dr Rajshree Mootanah (Research Fellow in Bioengineering, Faculty of Science and Technology) and M4 Technologies Ltd, and was funded by the DTI. David Firth and Marcia Baldry from Research and Development Services, provided invaluable help in this process. The event attracted 50 delegates from different hospitals, universities and medical companies, as well as eminent speakers, and was opened by Pro Vice Chancellor, Professor Peter Creamer. The conference addressed the following issues:

Innovation, creativity and connectivity to meet evolving needs

The first speaker, Professor Sandip Pal, Research and Development Director at Mid-Essex Hospitals Trust, raised awareness of the socio-economic impact of the ageing population on healthcare provision. Professor Alan Barrell, Chairman of Medilink East - as well as Chairman of Cambridge Worldwide Associates and holder of the Queen's Award for Enterprise Promotion - gave an inspiring presentation on opportunities for business through innovation, creativity and enterprise. Dr Rajshree Mootanah gave overviews of the research activities happening in the Anglia Ruskin Bioengineering Research Group, as well as collaborative research opportunities and access to expertise and resources.

Latest advances - engineering and ageing

Dr John Yellup, from Health Technologies KTN, explained the role of the Knowledge Transfer network in clinical research collaboration. Professor Dan Bader, Assistant Director of IRC in Biomedical Materials from Queen Mary University of London, explained the role of engineering at cellular levels in finding solutions to pressure ulcers. Dr Richard Hall, Senior Lecturer at the University of Leeds, gave an update on the role of engineering solution in vertebroplasty and kyphoplasty for the treatment of osteoporotic vertebrae. Dr Peter Siedel, Head Scientific Marketing and Global Education, Heraeus Medical, Germany, updated the audience on the latest advances in bone cement.

Quality of life, funding opportunities and commercialisation

Professor Dowell, Consultant Orthopaedic Surgeon at Mid-Essex Hospitals Trust, spoke about the way forward to address the issues related to quality of life and health experience of the older population. Dr Andrew Clark, from EPSRC, discussed the routes for funding applications for research projects, and Mr Martin Battye, Chairman of Kirton Healthcare, talked about the commercial experience of the company following a DTI-funded collaboration with Anglia Ruskin's Bioengineering Research Group.

The sessions were chaired by:

• Professor Adrian Moore, Dean of the Faculty of Science and Engineering
• Professor Paul Ingle, Head of Bioengineering Research Group
• Dr Richard Hall, Senior Lecturer, University of Leeds, and
• Professor Dave King, Associate Dean for Research and Enterprise

The Bioengineering PhD students gave comprehensive demonstrations of their research projects to the delegates during lunchtime and coffee breaks.

The event was closed by Dr Tony West, Director of Research an Development Services. The speakers' presentations can be downloaded from the Anglia Ruskin Bioengineering Research Group website

The two previous Bioengineering Networking workshops resulted in several external sources of funding and collaborative research with hospitals and medical companies.

For more information you can email Dr Rajshree Mootanah, or telephone 0845 196 3316.