Celebrating 10 years of the Bill Wheeler Award

The latest in bionics research was on display at the 2018 Bill Wheeler Community Symposium in August, held at our Intelligent Polymer Research Institute (IPRI) node at the University of Wollongong (UOW).

Luciana Yumiko Daikuara, an affiliate ACES UOW PhD student in Biofabrication, was presented with the 2018 Bill Wheeler Award for her research into using bioprinting as a manufacturing approach to offer customisable biosynthetic skin grafts for patients with complex open wounds.

In Australia, it is estimated 400,000 Australians are affected by complex wounds, costing US$3 Billion per year. There are a number of limitations with current skin substitutes including the inability to replace lost tissue and prevent scar formation, resulting in a failure to fully restore the functional tissue. Luciana has successfully developed a functional and biocompatible dermal layer of skin, and is now looking to develop the epidermal layer (the outermost layer of skin) and improve the vascularisation of the skin graft.

Luciana intends to use the funding provided through the Bill Wheeler Award to support travel to the International Society for Biofabrication Conference in Wurzburg, Germany in October, and for a research visit to ACES AI Prof Junji Fukuda’s lab at our partner organisation Yokohama National University in Japan.

The guest speaker at this year’s Symposium was Associate Professor Payal Mukherjee, an Ear, Nose and Throat (ENT) Surgeon at Royal Prince Alfred Hospital in Sydney. Payal has been collaborating with Prof Gordon Wallace and ACES researchers, courtesy of funding from the Garnett Passe and Rodney Williams Memorial Foundation, to investigate the ability to regenerate cartilage for use in reconstructive ear surgery, with the hope of translating this research on a global scale.

This year marks the tenth annual public talk, where a high-achieving University of Wollongong Bionics student is awarded $2,000 of community-raised funds to assist with travel to share their cutting-edge research and build new collaborative relationships. The Symposium and Award honours the life of Bill Wheeler, an active member of the Illawarra community who took a keen interest in new bionics research at the University of Wollongong.

Mrs Lexie Wheeler, Bill’s wife, was on hand to present the award, along with members of the Rotary Club of Kiama, which has supported the Award since its inception in 2009.

ACES Executive Director Professor Gordon Wallace said he was proud of the research that had been furthered by University of Wollongong students thanks to the Award.

“As I reflect on 10 years of the Bill Wheeler Award, I am impressed by the innovative thinking of our students to make a real difference in the world of bionics to improve people’s lives,” Gordon said.

“We have had the chance to recognise some remarkable students. Joanne Williams investigated ways to embed inflammatory drugs into the cochlear silicone implant utilising 3D fabrication techniques, and Katharina Schirmer was developing a method to fabricate conduits that help reconnect damaged nerves.

“The Bill Wheeler Award acknowledges the truly innovative work going on in our local area, and gives students the opportunity to take this work further and connect with other researchers and facilities across the world that can further this work into potentially practical and game-changing applications.

“Our 2013 winner Sina Jamali had the chance to work with a global medical technologies company to develop next generation stents from biocompatible and biodegradable materials. Willo Grosse in 2012 was able to travel to Korea to undertake further research into controlling the release of anti-epileptic drugs through brain implants.”

Other previous winners of the Bill Wheeler Award include Changchun Yu for her research into a new biocompatible battery that could help cancer patients heal after having a tumour removed, and Xiaoteng Jia for work on an implantable battery for bionic technology that ultimately leaves no trace in the human body.

Ten Years of the Bill Wheeler Award:

2018 – Luciana Yumiko Daikuara

2017 – Joanne Williams

2016 – Changchun Yu

2015 – Xiaoteng Jia

2014 – Katharina Schirmer

2013 – Sina Jamali

2012 – Willo Grosse

2011 – Amy Gelmi

2010 – Leo Stevens

2009 – Thomas Higgins