Dr Nick Cutmore, Dr James Tickner and Mr Dirk Treasure
Chrysos Corporation and CSIRO’s Dr Nick Cutmore, Dr James Tickner and Mr Dirk Treasure have received the 2022 Prime Minister’s Prize for Innovation.
The prize recognises the commercialisation of PhotonAssay. PhotonAssay is a fully automated technology to measure the presence of gold and minerals in ore samples, overturning centuries-old laborious and hazardous chemical methods.
The PhotonAssay technology led by ASX-listed company, Chrysos Corporation has now delivered CSIRO’s largest ever return for investment into science.
The company continues to create jobs and new research opportunities for a new generation of scientists. It also boosts local economies and positions Australia as a leading developer of innovative technology for industry.
Watch a video about their work
[Music plays and the Coat of Arms and an image appears of the Prime Minister’s Prize for Innovation badge and text appears: 2022 Prime Minister’s Prize for Innovation, PhotonAssay Team, Dr Nicholas Cutmore, Dr James Tickner, Mr Dirk Moore Treasure]
[Image changes to show James Tickner on the left, Nick Cutmore on the right, and Dirk Treasure at the centre all facing the camera and introducing themselves one after the other]
James Tickner: I’m James Tickner.
Nick Cutmore: I’m Nick Cutmore.
Dirk Treasure: I’m Dirk Treasure, and we’re the PhotonAssay team.
[Image changes to show a workbench with a computer and the camera zooms in on Chrysos PhotonAssay displayed on the computer screen, and then the image changes to show James talking]
James Tickner: The story of Chrysos starts back in the year 2000 with research undertaken in the CSIRO as part of Dr Nick Cutmore’s program.
[Images move through to show Dirk looking at a computer screen, a close view of a scanner being used to scan a weight of a pot of crushed rock on scales, and then Nick talking to the camera]
Nick Cutmore: PhotonAssay is a faster, safer and more accurate way of analysing gold for the minerals industry.
[Images move through of a close view of James holding a piece of equipment, then James, Dirk and Nick looking at the piece of equipment, and James looking at a digital image on a computer screen]
James Tickner: Our team focused on trying to find innovative solutions for industrial problems using different aspects of physics.
[Images move through to show pots of crushed rocks in sample pots being moved through an x-ray machine on a conveyer belt and scanned]
Nick Cutmore: This technology uses high-energy x-rays to analyse gold in samples, doing away with centuries-old chemical methods.
[Image shows a gold sample in a pot being moved along by a robotic machine, and then the image changes to show a close and then medium view of Nick talking to the camera]
These chemical methods were slow, laborious and could be hazardous for the operator, and often struggled to give accurate results.
[Image changes to show Dirk talking to the camera, and then the image changes to show a rear view of a male walking through an office past James and Nick standing at a desk talking]
Dirk Treasure: Chrysos combines great engineering and great science in our PhotonAssay technology.
[Image changes to show Dirk and a female looking at a computer screen together, and then the image changes to show two sample pots of crushed rock]
We’re now offering this faster, more accurate, more environmentally friendly technique to gold miners around the world.
[Images move through of a male operating a touch screen, samples of pots of crushed rocks, a digital image on a computer screen, and gold sample pots moving along a conveyer belt on a machine]
Our PhotonAssay units combine x-rays and robotics into a fully automated gold analysis solution.
[Image changes to show Nick talking to the camera, Dirk working on a machine and looking at a conveyer belt image on the screen, a close view of Dirk, and then two sample pots of crushed rocks]
Nick Cutmore: Being fully automated, PhotonAssay can deliver results to customers in as little as two minutes, unlike the days that could be required using traditional methods.
[Image changes to show a close view of Nick, and then the camera zooms out to show James and Nick in conversation in an office]
James Tickner: Inventing a technology is one thing, but then figuring out how you actually get it to market is something completely different.
[Image changes to show James talking to the camera, and then the image changes to show a close view of James talking to the camera]
Within CSIRO we considered lots of different commercialisation models, before finally settling on the idea of setting up a startup company.
[Images move through of James and a female colleague looking at a computer screen together, and then James and a male colleague looking at a computer screen]
For me personally, the process of creating a new company was a real eye opener.
[Image changes to show James walking through an office, and then the image changes to show James and a female colleague in conversation while looking at a computer]
It just involved working with so many new people, so many new partners and learning so many new skills.
[Image changes to show Dirk talking to the camera, and then the image changes to show Nick and a female colleague walking through an office towards the camera]
Dirk Treasure: When we started Chrysos, we were just 5 people. Now we’ve expanded into North America, and into Africa, and we’ve got about 70 people around the world.
[Image changes to show Dirk talking to the camera, and then the image changes to show Dirk, Nick, and James sitting around a table looking at laptops and talking]
In May 2022, we completed our IPO and we’re now a publicly-traded ASX-listed company.
[Image changes to show a close view of James talking to the camera]
James Tickner: It’s an incredible honour to be named as a recipient for the Prime Minister’s Prize for Innovation.
[Images move through to show James and Dirk working on a machine, then James, Nick and Dirk looking at a small piece of equipment together, and then all three men walking towards the camera]
I think it really recognises the fact that science, industry and innovation coming together can solve major problems for Australia and around the world.
[Music plays and the image changes to show the Coat of Arms and the Prime Minister’s Prize for Innovation badge and text appears: 2022 Prime Minister’s Prize for Innovation, PhotonAssay Team, Dr Nicholas Cutmore, Dr James Tickner, Mr Dirk Moore Treasure]
Adjunct Professor Alison Todd and Dr Elisa Mokany
Adjunct Professor Alison Todd and Dr Elisa Mokany from SpeeDx have received the 2022 Prime Minister’s Prize for Innovation.
The team has made an outstanding contribution to public health through 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.
Watch a video about their work
[Music plays and the Coat of Arms and an image appears of a Prime Minister’s Prize for Innovation badge and text appears: 2022 Prime Minister’s Prize for Innovation, SpeeDx, Dr Elisa Mokany, Adjunct Professor Alison Todd]
[Image changes to show Adjunct Professor Alison Todd on the right talking to the camera, and Dr Elisa Mokany on the left listening]
Adjunct Prof Alison Todd: I’m Adjunct Professor Alison Todd.
[Image shows Elisa talking on the left while Alison listens]
Dr Elisa Mokany: And I am Dr Elisa Mokany.
[Image changes to show Alison and Elisa descending some stairs inside a building and walking towards the camera]
Adjunct Prof Alison Todd: And we're the co-founders of SpeeDx.
[Image changes to show a close view of Alison talking to the camera]
SpeeDx is tackling two of the major problems of modern medicine: cancer and antibiotic resistance.
[Image changes to show a view looking up at the National Innovation Centre, and then the image changes to show a researcher at work in a laboratory, and the camera zooms in on her hands]
Dr Elisa Mokany: At SpeeDx, we make tests that look to address unmet medical needs.
[Image changes to show Elisa talking to the camera, and then the image changes to show a close view of Elisa talking to the camera]
So these tests could be for oncology or infectious diseases.
[Images move through to show test tubes in a tray, Alison, Elisa and another researcher at work, and then hands pushing a door shut on a machine in the laboratory]
And they look to do more than just tell you what you're sick with. They look to provide information for your doctor or your clinician on how to treat you and get you better, quicker.
[Images move through to show Alison and Elisa looking at test tubes in a tray, a close view of the tray, and then Elisa holding up a test tube and Alison looking at it]
Adjunct Prof Alison Todd: Our inventions have been incorporated into hundreds of commercialised products for research and clinical diagnostics.
[Images move through to show a close view of liquid being syringed up from a test tube, and a researcher working at a table in the laboratory]
Dr Elisa Mokany: SpeeDx has developed over 45 tests that are sold across 19 countries.
[Image changes to show a close view of Alison talking to the camera]
Adjunct Prof Alison Todd: One in two men and one in three women will develop cancer in their lifetime.
[Images move through to show a medium view of Alison talking to the camera, a robotic machine filling test tubes, and five test tubes with different coloured lids next to a box of SpeeDx]
To date, nearly 4 million patients have received a test powered by our technology, which guide the most appropriate therapy to give them the best chance of a positive outcome.
[Image changes to show a side view of Alison and Elisa walking through a building]
Dr Elisa Mokany: We are part of an Australian Research Council hub to combat antimicrobial resistance.
[Image changes to show Elisa talking to the camera, and then the image changes to show a close view of Alison wearing PPE while she works]
This has brought together 21 groups across the globe in industry, academia and institutes to help address the rising challenges of antimicrobial resistance.
[Image changes to show Alison syringing liquid into a test tube in a tray]
Adjunct Prof Alison Todd: I've just always really loved DNA.
[Image changes to show DNA symbols on a computer screen]
I play with it as if it were molecular Lego and trick it into revealing its innermost secrets.
[Image changes to show Alison talking to the camera]
I do this with a team of spectacular co-inventors.
[Images move through to show Alison and Elisa and colleagues in conversation, Alison and a colleague walking towards the camera, and Elisa and a colleague walking towards the camera]
Dr Elisa Mokany: At SpeeDx, we pride ourselves on nurturing the next generation of scientists.
[Image changes to show Alison and Elisa working in a laboratory, and then the image changes to show Alison pointing to information on a Smart screen]
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.
[Image changes to show Alison talking to the camera]
Adjunct Prof Alison Todd: We are extremely honoured and humbled to receive the Prime Minister's Prize for Innovation.
[Images move through to show a close view of Alison writing on a tablet, Elisa watching Alison as she writes, Elisa talking to the camera, and Elisa and Alison turning and smiling at the camera]
Dr Elisa Mokany: What this 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.
[Music plays and the image changes to show the Coat of Arms and the Prime Minister’s Prize for Innovation badge and text appears: 2022 Prime Minister’s Prize for Innovation, SpeeDx, Dr Elisa Mokany, Adjunct Professor Alison Todd]