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Genetic Signatures is a specialist molecular diagnostics (MDx) company focused on the development and commercialisation of its proprietary platform technology, 3base™. The company is transforming molecular diagnostics via streamlined sample processing methods linked to highly multiplexed real-time PCR screening assays. They developed EasyScreen™ Real-Time PCR-based products that provide hospital and pathology laboratories with the molecular tools to screen for a wide array of infectious pathogens in a rapid and high-throughput environment.

Genetic Signatures develop diagnostic products for pathology laboratories, used to detect infectious disease in patients from hospital and community settings. A recognisable example is the COVID-19 PCR which detects SARS-COV-2 on nasal swabs, though this one of many products developed by the company.

Former APR.Intern, Anuk Indraratna, was placed in the Research & Development unit whose remit is to develop novel products and improve upon existing ones. He was tasked with significantly decreasing the run-time of a range of PCR tests, from 2.5 hours to 60 minutes or less.

As a PhD student at the University of Wollongong, Anuk focuses on the oral and skin pathogen, Group A Streptococcus. Specifically, he analyses the saliva of patients infected with ‘strep throat’, which gives insight into the immune response and other elements of the host environment during acute illness. Anuk was attracted to the APR.Intern because it provides an opportunity to experience a new environment as scientist, physical and otherwise.

“I wanted to know what a career in science might look like outside of academia,”  he said.

The project with Genetic Signatures was particularly appealing to him as it was related to infectious disease, albeit from a diagnostic point of view. The project was translational in nature, which was very different to his research experience thus far.

After finishing the internship, he now has a much firmer idea of how science operates in the private sector as compared to the university setting. The rapid nature of the work taught him how to design, execute, troubleshoot, and analyse laboratory experiments quickly and efficiently.

“In this role, I was constantly iterating, refining, and testing ideas to improve the performance of the product, which required efficient decision-making to maximise experimental opportunities each day.”

Following the internship, Anuk was able to set-up a collaboration between University of Wollongong and Genetic Signatures which resulted in an academic publication representing a major component of his PhD project.

Anuk had a very successful internship at Genetic Signatures. Due to his prior PhD experience he was able to hit the ground running and achieved some great results enhancing one of our products. His strong work ethic and collaborative approach made him a great fit for the team.

– Dr Sacha Mytton, PhD Principal Scientist – Product  Translation at Genetic Signatures Limited.

Anuk indicated that he would strongly recommend this program to other students as it has broadened his horizons as a scientist. “Not only do I now have a clearer idea of potential career avenues for my future, I am also more effective in my current roles because of the skills I honed during that period” he said, “While academic research is critical to furthering science and medicine, it cannot be translated into the real world without industry involvement. I believe every student should experience this before completing their education.”

The work Anuk has done on PCR testing at Genetic Signatures had a great impact on the wider community in Australia and beyond. Their recent publication about a novel, effective, non-invasive diagnostic for Group A Strep will galvanise and inspire efforts to develop better diagnostic products. Group A Streptococcal infection is an increasingly problematic illness, and effective, rapid diagnosis is one of the keys to curtailing its impact on vulnerable populations.

 

Anuk Indraratna is completing a PhD in Infectious Diseases from University of Wollongong.