Proud day for WearOptimo, with recognition for our founder and CEO Professor Mark Kendall at the 2024 GENE Awards run by Life Sciences Queensland. 

Mark accepted the McCullough Robertson Industry Excellence Award, which recognises people making outstanding contributions to the future economic development and success of the state’s life sciences industry.

It paid tribute to his decades of work, including his invention of Nanopatch vaccine delivery and his work at WearOptimo advancing the next generation of wearable tech.

“Mark has significantly contributed to raising Queensland’s profile and capabilities,” the award said. “His Nanopatch and Microwearable technologies are game-changing in helping address some of the biggest killers on the planet, including infectious disease, cardiovascular disease and heart attacks. Through Mark’s R&D activities and establishing WearOptimo’s manufacturing facility in Queensland, he has supported the creation of hundreds of jobs and has enabled mentoring of Queenslanders with ‘innovation apprenticeships’.”

For his part, Mark said: “It’s an honour to be part of such a terrific and accomplished group of nominees.” He made special mention of his friend and colleague Dr Iris Depaz, who recently passed away.

They were joined in the category by Professor Scott Bell from the Translational Research Institute Australia and Professor Neena Mitter from the Centre for Horticultural Science, Queensland Alliance for Agriculture and Food Innovation (QAAFI).