MST is a unique Australian biotechnology company, established in 1994 to harness Australian microorganisms as a biodiscovery resource.
We have constructed a microbial culture library of over 500,000 microorganisms with broad taxonomic diversity isolated from a diverse range of environments. The library contains many rare genera.
MST has a proven track record of delivering discovery projects to commercial partners and academic collaborators. Throughout its history, MST has consistently published its research in international journals.
In parallel, MST produces and sells known, rare microbial metabolites for in vitro laboratory research through its subsidiary, BioAustralis.
Management team
Dr Ernest Lacey
Founder, Managing Director and Board Member
Dr Ernest Lacey is a pharmaceutical chemist with research interests in the chemotherapy of parasitic diseases and an immense fascination for microbes. As a Principal Research Scientist with the CSIRO Division of Animal Health, Dr Lacey explored the modes of action of anthelmintics and mechanisms of drug resistance, building an international reputation in this area. In 1994 Dr Lacey left CSIRO to become the founding director of MST, combining his interests in chemotherapy and microbes. Under his leadership MST has focused on developing innovative approaches to tailor microbial chemical diversity to the needs of the world of high throughput screening, positioning itself to fuel discovery pipelines for future generations.
Dr. Lacey is an inventor of 15 patents, author of over 160 refereed publications and reviews, and author of hundreds of industry reports.
Phillipa Smith
Director and Board Member
Phillipa Smith has over 40 years’ experience in pharmaceutical product development, regulatory affairs, clinical research, quality, and mergers and acquisitions. Ms Smith has a continuing interest in plants as sources of human and animal health medicines and amassed an extensive library of 25,000 Australian plants, macro-fungi, lichens, mosses and bryophytes and most recently acquired a global plant collection of 22,000 assembled by the US Pharma Merck. Ms Smith is a Director and Board member of MST and manages MST’s rare fine chemical business, BioAustralis.
Company Timeline
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Establishment
Microbial Screening Technologies established
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Industry Partnership
Discovery of microbial natural products as next gen anthelmintics, in partnership with Novartis Animal Health
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Patent
Larval development assay – detection of anthelmintic resistance in parasitic nematodes infecting grazing animals
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Industry Partnership
Discovery of GUS gene activators to protect against pathogenic fungi in crops, in partnership with Syngenta
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Patent
Novel terpenylated diketopiperazines (drimentines) for the treatment of bacterial, fungal, endoparasite and ectoparasite infections, cancer and other malignant diseases in human and animal health, in collaboration with Novartis Animal Health
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GRANT
Australian Research Council SPIRT grant to explore biopesticides for veterinary health
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Industry Partnership
Discovery of marine microbial metabolites for crop protection
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GRANT
Australian Research Council SPIRT grant to explore new antibiotics from Australian microbes
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Grant
Biotech Innovation Fund grant to investigate nuclear export of proteins as a target in chemotherapy
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Patent
Protection and immunization of plants against attack by phytopathogenic microorganisms, in partnership with Novartis
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Patent
New use of albofungin and analogues as anthelmintics, in partnership with Novartis Animal Health
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Industry Partnership
Isolation and structural elucidation of tigilanol tiglate, later commercialized for topical use as an anticancer agent in domestic animals by Ecobiotics
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Patent
Novel biocide compound, isonemadectin, and analogues and uses thereof
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Commercial venture
Commercialization of the larval development and larval motility assays for infield assessment of drug resistance in parasite populations
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Industry Partnership
Identification of contaminant in commercial dog food causing significant toxicity
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Industry Partnership
Discovery of unique, biologically active compounds in milk, in partnership with IMB and Murray Goulburn Cooperative Co Ltd.
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Patent
Polyketide xanthones of the kibdelone class and their use as antibacterial and anticancer agents, in collaboration with IMB
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Industry Partnership
Antibiotic discovery project
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Commercial venture
Launch of BioAustralis Fine Chemicals, selling known metabolites isolated during MST’s discovery program for in vitro laboratory use
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Grant
Australian Research Council Linkage grant with IMB for discovery of next generation anthelmintics
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Strategic Partnership
Provision of a comprehensive metabolite standards library to Biotica Ltd support novel drug discovery
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Industry Partnership
Characterisation of metabolites of Duddingtonia flagrans for use as a commercial animal health product
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Grant
Australian Research Council Linkage grant with IMB for drug discovery, growing a sustainable new molecular resource
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Strategic Partnership
Provision of the full range of BioAustralis fine chemicals to a major U.S. life sciences company
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Strategic Partnership
Provision of a library containing known metabolites to support the biocontrol discovery program of a major European multinational
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Acquisition
Acquisition of the Amrad/Cerylid library of 25,000 milled and dried Australian plants
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Grant
AusIndustry CRC-P grant to deliver Probio-TICK, a sustainable microbial probiotic against cattle tick and buffalo fly for northern Australia, in collaboration with Meat and Livestock Australia and Macquarie University.
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Grant
AusIndustry CRC-P grant to expand the BioAustralis range to 5,000 microbial metabolites and related compounds, in collaboration with University of Western Australia, Macquarie University and Advanced Veterinary Therapeutics
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Strategic Partnership
Preparation of custom library of known and novel microbial metabolites to investigate plant antifungal potential
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Acquisition
Acquisition of the former Merck natural product plant library.
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Patent
Probiotic compositions – composition of bacterial organisms active against ectoparasites, emanating from the Probio-TICK CRC-P
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Patent
6 Australian innovation patents from the research conducted into antivirals, nematocides and anti-protozoans
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Strategic Partnership
Preparation of a custom library of known and novel microbial metabolites with plant antifungal activity to support biocontrol discovery and development
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Industry Partnership
Microbial biodiversity across the Australian continent
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Industry Partnership
Discovery of biostimulant microorganisms for agricultural use
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Grant
ARC linkage grant with University of Western Australia for advanced biomanufacturing to enhance the production of cryptic metabolites
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Commercial agreement
Licensing of a microbial strain for use as a biostimulant in agriculture.