• A Charles Sturt University Provocations public lecture in Orange will explore ‘Keeping plants and humans healthy: on-site molecular testing methods and devices for healthcare and agriculture’
• On-site nanotechnology testing has the potential to change the way we approach healthcare and agriculture, focusing on early detection and effective management of diseases
• The free public lecture is at 6pm on Wednesday 26 June at the University

A leading Charles Sturt University nanotechnology scientist will speak in Orange to highlight the value of on-site or point-of-care (POC) testing for healthcare and agriculture, especially in rural and remote communities, farms, fields and ports.

Professor Muhammad JA Shiddiky (pictured left), a Distinguished Professor in Nanotechnology at the Charles Sturt Rural Health Research Institute and a Fellow of the Royal Society of Chemistry (RSC), will deliver the free public lecture  at 6pm on Wednesday 26 June at Charles Sturt University in Orange. The lecture is also available to attend online via the live stream.

Host of the public lecture in Orange, Charles Sturt Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Research) Professor Mark Evans, said the lecture series showcases the University’s commitment to achieving applied research excellence and fostering impactful partnerships.

“Our research is driven by a genuine passion for creating meaningful change that consistently delivers tangible benefits for local communities, industry, government and businesses,” he said.

“Through our dedication to contributing to the sustainability and well-being of the communities we serve, the University’s research initiatives aim to deliver a positive impact at a regional, national and global scale.”

Professor Shiddiky specialises in analytical chemistry, biosensor technology, nanotechnology and microfluidic devices, focusing on developing biosensing methods and portable diagnostic devices for various biomedical, agricultural and environmental uses.

He said the availability of simple, fast and affordable molecular testing methods and devices for detecting and treating diseases early on-site has the potential to change the way we approach healthcare and agriculture.

“This shift would move us towards a more personalised, predictive and preventive model, focusing on early detection and effective management of diseases,” Professor Shiddiky said.

“On-site or point-of-care (PoC) testing, especially in remote areas like rural communities, ports, farms and fields, would be extremely valuable.”

Currently, diagnostic methods for healthcare and agriculture often require expensive materials, time-consuming procedures, and well-equipped centralised facilities, making them inaccessible in low-income countries and resource-poor settings.

However, advancements in nanomaterials, nanofabrication technology, bioelectronics, and molecular testing methodologies have led to the development of more affordable on-site or PoC molecular testing methods and devices.

“In recent years, our team has used these advancements to create several molecular testing methods and devices for detecting various cancer biomarkers,” Professor Shiddiky said.

“These include circulating tumour cells (CTCs), extracellular vesicles (exosomes), miRNA, mRNA, long non-coding RNA (lncRNA), cell-free DNA (cf-DNA) and circulating tumour DNA (ct-DNA).

“Such testing is also applicable to agricultural biomarkers, including plant disease-causing pathogens and their corresponding nucleic acid sequences, and global water-related disease biomarkers like cryptosporidiosis and giardiasis.

“In my presentation, I shall discuss some of these developments and highlight the applications of new methods and devices in these areas.”

‘On-site molecular testing methods and devices for healthcare and agriculture’ will be held on Wednesday 26 June, from 5.30pm for a 6pm start, with light refreshments available at the venue, building 1008 room 206 at Charles Sturt University 346 Leeds Parade in Orange

Please register for this free public lecture. The lecture will also be live-streamed; to access this option, please choose the live-stream ticket when registering for the event.

Learn more about Professor Shiddiky.