Queensland’s biomedical sector will be on show at the International Conference on Microneedles 2025 (ICM 2025), set to take place, 4-11 May, at the ASM Global managed Brisbane Convention & Exhibition Centre (BCEC). This international premier event for microarray patch technology, will be held over four days involving more than 400 of the world’s leading immunologists, vaccine researchers, engineers, healthcare professionals and scientists.
The successful conference bid was spearheaded by The University of Queensland’s (UQ) associate professor David Muller and professor Paul Young, in partnership with the team at the Brisbane Convention & Exhibition Centre, with support from Tourism and Events Queensland (TEQ) and the Brisbane Economic Development Authority (BEDA). Securing Microneedles 2025 for Brisbane aligns with Queensland’s Biomedical 10-year Roadmap and Action Plan, launched as part of the $3.34bn Queensland Jobs Fund, part of the Queensland government’s ongoing commitment to expanding the local biomedical sector.
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, as it claims to reduce the complexities and costs associated with refrigerated distribution and storage of traditional vaccination methods.
Professor Young, a virologist at UQ, and BCEC Convention Advocate, explained: “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. “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.”
Professor Young said Queensland had played a leading role in maturing the technology through Vaxxas with State Government support. “Because of this, we thought it appropriate for this conference to come to Brisbane as a reflection of the city’s global leadership role in the sector and Vaxxas’ leadership in patch technology,” he said.
BCEC General Manager, Kym Guesdon said the Centre was honoured to host Microneedles 2025. “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,” said Guesdon.
