Cymphony Bio: Manufacturing human tissues for global health solutions
The demand for new therapies is growing faster than ever, but translating discoveries into treatments is slowed by a critical bottleneck: the difficulty of developing realistic models of human biology. Many diseases can’t be properly studied using animal models or simple cell cultures. Promising drug candidates often fail when they reach human trials. Cymphony Bio is tackling this challenge head-on, with advanced tissue engineering technologies designed to replicate the complexity of human biology and accelerate medical breakthroughs.
Building tissues that behave like the real thing
“Drug discovery is still too reliant on models that don’t represent the human body,” says Michael Halwes, CEO and Co-Founder of Cymphony Bio. “Our goal is to build engineered tissues that behave like real human tissues, so researchers and clinicians can study disease and test therapies in a way that’s far more predictive.”
Current options for modelling human tissue are either overly simplistic or prohibitively expensive. Standard two-dimensional cell cultures don’t capture the architecture and interactions of real tissues, while animal models often fail to translate to human outcomes. On the other end, complex organoid and organ-on-chip methods remain costly, inconsistent and difficult to scale.
Cymphony Bio is developing a novel approach to advanced manufacturing of soft materials like biological tissues. Their system combines precision engineering, reproducibility and scalability, producing tissues that not only mimic human biology more accurately but can also be manufactured at the volumes needed for widespread research and therapeutic applications. This balance is what the team believes will set their technology apart.
A Cymphony Bio technology demonstration in their Biomedical Engineering Lab Space
Unlocking possibilities across medicine
By providing engineered tissues that closely mirror how human cells grow, communicate and respond to drugs, Cymphony Bio hopes to transform multiple areas of medicine. Currently, their focus is on improving drug discovery workflows, offering pharmaceutical companies a platform to test new therapies with greater accuracy and less reliance on animal studies.
Longer term, the technology could support regenerative medicine, where engineered tissues might one day be used to repair or replace damaged human tissues. This would open the door to applications such as restoring heart muscle after a heart attack, repairing cartilage in joints, or even providing personalised grafts for patients with rare genetic diseases. “We see huge potential applications across neuroscience, oncology, and personalised medicine,” says co-founder and CTO Callum Vidler. “Ultimately, this is about giving researchers and clinicians the tools they need to improve patient outcomes.”
The team also sees their work contributing to a global movement to reduce reliance on animal testing. With regulatory changes already underway in Asia, Europe and North America, there is growing pressure on pharmaceutical and cosmetic companies to adopt more ethical and human-relevant testing systems. Cymphony Bio aims to provide a scalable solution to meet this demand.
Meet the team
Cymphony Bio was founded by three researchers and innovators from the University of Melbourne and one from Monash University who bring a diverse mix of expertise across biology, engineering and commercialisation.
Chief Executive Officer Michael Halwes has a background in biomedical engineering and strategy, with a focus on translating research into real-world solutions.
Chief Technology Officer Callum Vidler is a specialist in optics and mechatronics, bringing deep technical expertise to the development of the platform.
Chief Scientific Officer David Collins contributes experience in advanced manufacturing and microfluidics, helping to design scalable systems for tissue production.
Chief Business Officer Shelby Holland rounds out the team with expertise in commercial strategy and program management, ensuring the company can bridge the gap between technical innovation and market adoption.
Together, they are united by a shared vision: to redefine how human biology is studied and leveraged in medicine. Their complementary skills reflect the dual nature of the challenge, building a technology that is scientifically rigorous while also being practical, affordable and capable of reaching the market.
Chief Executive Officer Michael Halwes and Chief Scientific Officer David Collins in their Biomedical Engineering Lab Space
Building momentum
Since forming, Cymphony Bio has advanced rapidly from idea to proof of concept. The team has successfully demonstrated early prototypes of their tissue manufacturing approach, showing that their system can reliably generate complex, reproducible biological structures. These early results have attracted interest from both academic collaborators and potential industry partners.
The company has also begun building relationships with pharmaceutical companies and research institutions, laying the foundation for pilot studies that will further validate their platform in real-world drug discovery settings. “We’ve been really encouraged by the response,” says Michael. “There’s a clear recognition across the industry that better human tissue models are urgently needed.”
An example of the kinds of structures the team can produce with their advanced manufacturing technology
Beyond the science, the team has been deliberate about building a commercial pathway that can sustain long-term impact. They are developing a business model that integrates both research collaborations and scalable product offerings, ensuring that their innovations can move from university labs into industrial R&D pipelines as quickly as possible.
TRAM and the road ahead
Cymphony Bio joined the TRAM Air program in 2025 after completing TRAM Track in 2024. For the team, TRAM has provided structure, connections and a pathway to grow as a business. “TRAM has really helped us think not just about the science, but about how we deliver value to our customers and the healthcare system,” says Callum.
Over the next two years, the company plans to refine its platform, deepen collaborations with industry partners and raise early-stage investment to support scale-up. Their vision is to establish Cymphony Bio as a leader in engineered human tissues for research and therapy, with the goal of enabling more accurate drug discovery, reducing reliance on animal testing and paving the way for regenerative medicine applications.
By manufacturing human tissues that behave like the real thing, Cymphony Bio is creating the building blocks for a healthier future.
Read more about the 2025 TRAM Air cohort
Connect with Cymphony Bio:
Get in touch with Masha to learn more about TRAM Air - masha.pelipas@unimelb.edu.au