Explore HealthTech Webinar: Design and Manufacture

Themes and speakers:

• Moving from design to manufacture of Healthtech devices - Tom Harvey, CPI
• Medical compression and medical textile capabilities - Lisa Macintyre, Heriot-Watt University
• Assisting with the medical device translational pathway: Medical Device Manufacturing Centre (MDMC) - Duncan Hand, Heriot-Watt University

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Speaker biographies

• Tom Harvey obtained a B.Sc. in Physics from Strathclyde University in 1987 and a Ph. D in Physics from Heriot-Watt University in 1990. He is currently a Chief Technologist at CPI working on projects to help companies with the design and manufacture of medical devices and in-vitro diagnostic tests. During his 9 years at CPI, he has also held commercial, strategic marketing, project management and team leadership roles. Prior to joining CPI, Tom was Chief Technical Officer with Epigem Ltd, a company he co-founded in 1995, involved in the manufacture of microfluidic devices and systems, flexible circuit boards, micro-optic components, and flexible displays. He is a Fellow of the Institute of Physics.

• Lisa Macintyre is Associate Professor of textiles and School Director of PGR studies at Heriot-Watt University. Lisa’s PhD work established the physical relationship between body circumference, material tension, garment construction variables and mean pressure exerted on patient’s bodies. She developed a test method and garment dimension calculation methodology enabling known pressures to be exerted on patients for the first time. She won the University’s Macfarlane prize for outstanding contribution to research and ‘best paper’ at the British Burn Association’s annual meeting in 2004. She developed a Pressure Garment Design tool to facilitate quick/easy use of her methodologies/equations in clinical and commercial environments. Using the PGD tool improves treatment consistency, and thus patient outcomes, while reducing waste and remakes, saving everyone time and money. She has also worked on compression garments/devices for venous insufficiency, DVT and most recently lipoedema. Her PGD tool work with the NHS and specialist companies was written up as an impact case study for the Research Excellence Framework in 2021 and was rated 4*. Lisa has recently expanded her work to consider aspects of sustainability in medical devices and standard textile products including fashion. 

• Duncan Hand is Professor of Applied Photonics at Heriot-Watt University. He became fascinated by the science and engineering of photonics whilst studying for a degree in Physics at the University of St Andrews in the mid 1980's and his interest in this technology continues to drive his academic career today. Following his first degree he studied for a PhD in optical fibres at the University of Southampton before moving to Heriot-Watt in 1991. Photonics is an enabling technology that Duncan has applied to a diverse range of applications: with the aerospace and defence industry; ship-building and ship engine manufacturing; carbon capture and storage; medical device manufacturers; plant biology; and medical practitioners including surgeons. His current key focus is on manufacturing of medical devices, and he is Director of the Medical Device Manufacturing Centre (MDMC), that recently received its second round of funding (£3.3M) from Scottish Enterprise, to assist companies (in particular SMEs) in their development of medical device products.

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The Explore: HealthTech webinar series offers an opportunity for companies across sectors to access the latest research and expertise at the University of Edinburgh in collaboration with Heriot-Watt University, CPI, and the Medical Device Manufacturing Centre.

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To book, "Register as a Guest" or use a University of Edinburgh login. For assistance, please contact us on eievents@ei.ed.ac.uk