SpeeDx awarded Prime Minister’s Prize for Innovation

MedTech News: The Prime Minister’s Prizes for Science are Australia’s most prestigious awards for outstanding achievements in scientific research, research-based innovation and excellence in science, mathematics or technology teaching.

SpeeDx founders Adjunct Professor Alison Todd and Dr Elisa Mokany were awarded the Prime Minister’s Prize for Innovation in recognition of their outstanding contribution to public health, reflected in the commercialisation of their highly advanced molecular diagnostic tests for cancer and infectious diseases.

To date, SpeeDx’s  technology has been used to test more than 10 million patients worldwide. In Australia, more than 80% of laboratories are using at least one SpeeDx test to report patient samples. 

The pair’s commercialisation efforts have helped establish Australia as a global leader in molecular diagnostics. It has also given Australian scientists the opportunity to work with large multinational healthcare companies.

Adjunct Professor Todd said “SpeeDx is tackling two of the major problems of modern medicine: cancer and antibiotic resistance. I’ve just always really loved DNA. I play with it as if it were molecular Lego and trick it into revealing its innermost secrets. I do this with a team of spectacular co-inventors.”

Dr Mokany said “At SpeeDx, we pride ourselves on nurturing the next generation of scientists. I myself was a PhD student for Alison, who was brought on to invent some really cool technology, which then could lead to the starting of SpeeDx.”

She added “What this [Prime Minister’s Prize for Innovation] recognises is two female scientists who developed some innovative DNA technology, which then turned us into entrepreneurs and enabled us to build a company based on this novel technology.”

In his speech, Minister for Industry and Science, Ed Husic MP, said “For more than 20 years, these awards have recognised achievements in scientific research and excellence. And the government certainly acknowledges the extraordinary achievements and contributions made by you all.

“Girls, women, First Nations people, people from regional, remote Australia, LGBTIQA+ people, people with a disability, people from education disadvantaged backgrounds, were all underrepresented in STEM. So inclusivity, diversity, these are very important priorities. While they may not necessarily seem like a scientific endeavour, you all know in your hearts how important this work, this task will be.

“You have a government that is committed to involving more science, more of what you do, to embed that in the heart of policy and decision-making because we recognise, fundamentally, what drives you is to create that better future for all.”

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