Molecular Horizons Seminar - Dr. Maurizio Labbate

Community transmission of emerging and re-emerging infections is a burden on diagnostic healthcare. Even with renewed investment into testing capabilities, diagnostic laboratories are seeking better ways to adapt to the fluctuations in demand for existing and new infectious diseases. AusDiagnostics designs and manufactures automated highly multiplexed PCR diagnostic panels for rapid syndromic testing of samples for viral, bacterial and parasitic pathogens, drug resistance and, in bacterial vaginosis (BV) and evaluation of genomic gene expression.

In this presentation, I will give a brief personal account of my transition as a university researcher/academic into the biotechnology industry focusing on challenges and opportunities. To assist university researchers in understanding and navigating the biotechnology industry, I will give an overview of the design, development and product realisation of PCR-based diagnostics and provide examples of how R&D drives to improve testing capability through innovations in sample preparation, nucleic acid extraction and PCR-diagnostics paired with robotics. Finally, I will present opportunities for AusDiagnostics to act as an original equipment manufacturer (OEM) for start-up companies using our recent collaboration with OrthoDx as an example.