Montreal, August 20, 2018 – The Industrial Consortium for Research and Innovation in Medical Technologies, MEDTEQ, and McGill University’s Healthy Brains for Healthy Lives Initiative are proud to announce the signing of an agreement to accelerate the commercialization of new innovative medical technologies in neuroscience. This includes harmonizing the terms and conditions of collaboration for the development, approval, funding and management of medical technology research and innovation projects.

Eligibility criteria for collaborative projects applying for co-funding

To obtain co-funding, an innovative project must be in the field of neuroscience and meet the eligibility requirements of each organization. For MEDTEQ, at least one of the partners involved in the project must be a Quebec industrial. For Healthy Brains for Healthy Lives, the principal investigator must be affiliated with McGill University itself or with one of the university’s affiliated hospitals.

In addition, projects applying for this co-funding must be documented in a way that meets the criteria of both organizations, through the MEDTEQ project statement form and an executive summary demonstrating their alignment with the vision of the Healthy Brains for Healthy Lives Initiative, its research priorities and the deliverables sought.

Harmonization of the project evaluation process

The evaluation of projects eligible for joint funding will be conducted in two phases. A first evaluation will be conducted by the Strategic Steering Committee (SCC) of the Healthy Brains for Healthy Lives initiative. The successful candidates will then submit their project to the MEDTEQ Scientific Committee, composed of scientists and industrialists who are members of the consortium. The latter will make its funding recommendations to the MEDTEQ Board of Directors for final approval.

Healthy Brains for Healthy Lives and MEDTEQ: Complementary Strengths for Innovation!

Healthy Brains for Healthy Lives and MEDTEQ are also partnering to co-manage collaborative research and innovation projects eligible for funding from both organizations. This co-management is made possible by the sharing of expertise that the agreement also provides for.

“The interface between the brain and modern technology is one of the most exciting scientific frontiers in the world, with the potential to revolutionize the treatment of neurological disorders and improve human performance in the workplace. The MEDTEQ-HBHL partnership positions Quebec at the forefront of the revolution by bringing innovative ideas in brain research to the marketplace” – Alan Evans, Scientific Director, Healthy Brain, Healthy Living.

“The complementary skills of the Healthy Brain, Healthy Living Initiative and MEDTEQ will allow our organizations to support multidisciplinary teams and accelerate the maturation and commercialization of their medical technology innovations: a winning formula for research teams, industrial partners, health centres and ultimately the patient.” – Diane Côté, President and CEO, MEDTEQ.

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About MEDTEQ

MEDTEQ is the Consortium for Industrial Research and Innovation in Medical Technology. Its mission is to accelerate the development of innovative technological solutions to improve patients’ health and quality of life. MEDTEQ supports their validation and integration in the healthcare system and maximizes their impact, both locally and globally, by bringing together the complementary skills of industrial and academic partners, and those of healthcare providers. https://www.medteq.ca/en/

About the Healthy Brains for Healthy Lives Initiative

The Healthy Brains for Healthy Lives (HBHL) initiative is a high profile, high priority multidisciplinary and cross-sectoral initiative located at McGill University made possible with support from the Canada First Research Excellence Fund, Quebec’s Ministère de l’Économie, de la Science et de l’Innovation, and the Fonds de recherche du Quebec. HBHL builds on McGill’s scientific excellence and global leadership in areas of neuroscience that hold the greatest promise for delivering implementable, clinically effective outcomes in brain and mental health. It aims to transform many brain disorders from terminal or life-long afflictions to treatable, even curable, conditions. https://www.mcgill.ca/hbhl

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