Wayne Aston

Wayne Aston is a Commercialisation Manager within UWA’s Office of Industry and Commercial Development (OICD), where he manages the translation of life science research into commercial outcomes through intellectual property strategy, licensing, technology transfer and industry partnership development. Wayne holds a PhD in tumour immunology from UWA and has built a career spanning academic research, clinical trials and technology commercialisation. Prior to joining UWA, he served as Program Manager at Emyria Ltd, where he led the commercialisation of data-driven digital health platforms and novel drug discovery programs, including the development of remote patient monitoring tools registered as Software as a Medical Device with the TGA. These platforms were built on real-world clinical datasets, giving Wayne direct experience in how rigorous data capture and analysis can underpin both regulatory approval and the commercial viability of emerging health technologies. At UWA, Wayne manages a portfolio of commercial projects and negotiates complex agreements spanning sponsored research, collaboration, licensing, options and assignments. He also serves as a Non-Executive Director of OxiDx Pty Ltd, a UWA spinout developing point-of-care diagnostics, where he contributes expertise in governance and commercial strategy. Wayne brings to the UWA Data Institute’s Research Committee a commercialisation perspective grounded in data-intensive industries, with a focus on ensuring the Institute’s research outputs are well-protected, positioned for market entry and connected to industry partners capable of delivering them at scale.