QUEENSLAND’s world-leading biomedical sector will be on show at the International Conference on Microneedles 2025 (ICM 2025) to take place at Brisbane Convention and Exhibition Centre.
A first-time event for Australia, Microneedles 2025 will provide a global platform for Brisbane’s biotechnology companies and research institutions to showcase new findings and product development that could deliver vaccines more cost effectively and efficiently, while significantly reducing the human and financial losses of future pandemics.
The event will be held over four days from May 11 to 14, 2025, with more than 400 of the world’s leading immunologists, vaccine researchers, engineers, healthcare professionals and scientists expected to attend.
More… How events flow from Brisbane River
The successful bid was spearheaded by the University of Queensland’s Associate Professor David Muller and Professor Paul Young, in partnership with the team at the AMG Global-managed Brisbane Convention and Exhibition Centre, with support from Tourism and Events Queensland and Brisbane Economic Development Authority.
Securing Microneedles 2025 for Brisbane aligns with Queensland’s Biomedical 10-year Roadmap and Action Plan, launched as part of the A$3.34 billion Queensland Jobs Fund from the state government.
Brisbane-based biotech company Vaxxas, founded in 2011 based on research from the University of Queensland (UQ) is excited to be joining the University as a presenting partner for the event. The company’s high-density-microarray patch (HD-MAP) technology has the potential to transform the way vaccines are delivered in the future.
More… Brisbane wows 1,500 Nu Skin delegates
Easy to use and with the potential to reduce the complexities and costs associated with refrigerated distribution and storage of traditional vaccination methods, Vaxxas’ technology could enable rapid and broad deployment of routine and pandemic vaccination.
Professor Young, a virologist at UQ, and BCEC Convention Advocate, explained the evolution of microneedle technology’s application in the healthcare sector.
“We’ve had over 170 years of using a needle and syringe to deliver drugs and vaccines and no real advance on that until quite recently,” he said.
“In the last 15 years we have seen incredible development in the delivery component of vaccines through patch technology that makes them more efficient and accessible.”
Backgrounder… Brisbane: More than an Olympic Dream
Professor Young said Queensland had played a leading role in maturing the technology through Vaxxas with State Government support.
BCEC General Manager, Kym Guesdon said: “BCEC plays a leadership role in partnering with our local scientific and research communities to showcase Queensland’s world-leading expertise in the critical sectors of biomedical, immunology and vaccine development.
“Conferences are a key vehicle for the transfer of knowledge and international collaboration between some of the world’s greatest thinkers and doers, which can be life changing for our communities,” she said.
Main picture… A team from the University of Queensland who played their part in landing Microneedles 2025, from left: Dr David Muller, Dr Naphak Modhiran, Ms Jovin Choo, Dr Chris McMillan and Dr Alberto Amarilla Ortiz
