LabTech set to commercialise microbial streaking technology

South Australian technology company LabTech Systems (NSX: LTS) is poised to undertake commercialisation of its newly invented brush applicator for the automation of routine microbiology testing in pathology and science laboratories.

The company entered into a contract earlier this month for the first stage of a commercial instrument development program.

LabTech's MicroStreak technology has been developed to proof-of-principle stage and provides an alternative to manual methods of plate innoculation and streaking of microbial specimens onto agar plates.

Invented in Adelaide at the Institute of Medical and Veterinary Science (IMVS) by John Glasson, chief operating officer for the Division of Clinical Pathology, and engineer and PhD candidate Lachlan Smith, the technology automatically spreads samples on to agar plates.

"This technology is important to diagnostic micro laboratories and clinical labs investigating a range of pathological diseases, environmental monitoring and food testing -- any research looking for causes of infection," said LabTech managing director, Lusia Guthrie.

Guthrie said the new plate spreading robotic technology was a major development in more efficient processing of samples and testing.

"Process automation provides a significant opportunity for faster microbiology sample testing, and the standardisation of techniques and results," said Guthrie. "It also gives superior colony separation compared to traditional techniques."

LabTech Systems, a spinout of MedVet Science, was formed in 2004 to raise funds required to take MicroStreak and the anti-cancer platform technology APOMAB to the proof of principle stage. The company listed on the Newcastle Stock Exchange in April this year.