Frontline Detection and Protection: The importance of point-of-care testing for real-time, data-driven agricultural biosecurity
Tracks
Track 4
| Thursday, October 23, 2025 |
| 10:20 AM - 10:45 AM |
| Accelerate Room |
Details
A/Prof Jack Richards is an infectious diseases physician at Royal Melbourne Hospital. He did a PhD at WEHI in malaria vaccine development and antibody-mediated immunity. He was then a laboratory head at the Burnet Institute for 11 years. He has a passion for developing new tools and systems to improve health care, health equity and public health, especially in remote communities and low-middle income countries.
He co-founded ZiP Diagnostics in 2019. ZiP has a mission to develop and manufacture the next generation of point-of-care (POC) tests for human, animal and environmental health applications. These tests will enable healthcare professionals, vets, farmers and environmental health officers to have immediate test results to initiate targeted data-driven management.
This talk will outline novel POC test solutions that have been developed by ZiP Diagnostics as a part of integrated biosecurity responses, and to improve surveillance and management for endemic diseases. The talk will include a discussion on tests for Foot and Mouth Disease, Lumpy Skin Disease, African Swine Fever and others. It will discuss the impacts of POC testing, real-time reporting and the importance of data security on rapid responses. It will also discuss the need for domestic manufacturing and opportunities for Australia to become leaders in the international containment of these devastating global diseases.
Speaker
