Michael Bodner: Recovering hearts, saving lives

Michael Bodner is Company Group Chair of Electrophysiology and Neurovascular at Johnson & Johnson MedTech, leading businesses at the forefront of cardiovascular and stroke care. His remit spans from mapping and ablating heart arrhythmias to delivering lifesaving therapies for stroke, and he has played a central role in transforming J&J’s presence in the interventional cardiovascular space.

In the past 2 years, Michael has overseen multi-billion acquisitions, bringing pioneering companies like Abiomed, Shockwave, and V-Wave into the J&J portfolio. Each technology is redefining patient care: Abiomed’s Impella heart pump gives weakened hearts time to recover; Shockwave’s intravascular lithotripsy uses sonic pressure waves to clear calcified arteries; and V-Wave’s Ventura interatrial shunt is poised to transform heart failure management.

“Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death worldwide and one of the greatest unmet needs in healthcare,” he says. “Our focus is market creation – introducing, scaling, and establishing these therapies as standard of care.”

Michael’s journey in MedTech began at The University of Queensland, where he studied in the Doctor of Biotechnology program under the guidance of Professor Ross Barnard. A chance connection led him to PanBio, a Brisbane diagnostics start-up that pioneered rapid point-of-care tests, including the technology that later became widely used during the COVID-19 pandemic. From there, his career took off – through roles in pharmaceuticals, cardiovascular medtech, and orthopaedics in Sydney; to Singapore for Asia-Pacific leadership roles; and later to the US, where he joined J&J’s global electrophysiology business. By 2021, he had risen to Worldwide President before stepping into his current role.

Through it all, his wife Jacquie and their 3 sons have been by his side, supporting the family’s many global moves. “I’ve been incredibly fortunate,” Michael reflects. “This career has been an adventure for all of us.”

Innovation and impact

At J&J, Michael frames the mission simply: “Recovering hearts, saving lives.” His ambition is that the technologies his teams bring to market will transform standards of care and improve the health trajectory for patients globally.

He points to advances in interventional cardiology as some of the most significant biotech innovations of the past 25 years – from drug-eluting stents to percutaneous heart valves and miniaturised pumps.

“We may one day see lab-grown organs or combinations of drugs and devices that enable the body to heal itself. Devices will become smaller, smarter, more effective – and AI will help guide patient selection and treatment pathways.”

A UQ foundation

Michael remembers UQ as a place of support and inspiration. “It was an amazing campus, faculty, and student body. I had a fantastic mentor in Professor Ross Barnard, who encouraged industry engagement and helped open doors for me.”

Being the first graduate of UQ’s Doctor of Biotechnology program remains a proud milestone. It also cemented his connection to Australia – he first came to Brisbane as a study abroad student from the University of Virginia, met Jacquie during that time, and has kept close ties ever since.

Advice for future biotech leaders

Michael urges students to take advantage of everything UQ offers – its world-class researchers, institutes, and industry connections. “Enrol in UQ’s biotech program. Build strong relationships with your professors, supervisors, and classmates. Learn from innovators like Ian Frazer, Ian Henderson, John Fraser, David McGiffin, and Glenn King – people developing the next generation of vaccines and cardiovascular medicines.”

And, he adds, UQ has a unique opportunity to stand out globally by leveraging Australia’s rich biodiversity. “For example, IMB researchers at UQ have discovered molecules in the Fraser Island funnel web spider’s venom that could be used to create next-generation medicines for strokes and heart attacks. That’s only possible here.”