From Testing to Therapeutics: Harnessing Metagenomics for Advanced Clinical Diagnostics and Microbiome-Derived Therapeutics
Title: From Testing to Therapeutics: Harnessing Metagenomics for Advanced Clinical Diagnostics and Microbiome-Derived Therapeutics
Speaker: Associate Professor Lutz Krause, Microba Life Sciences
Abstract: Metagenomics has the potential to transform healthcare by offering deeper insights into the microbial communities that influence human health. This presentation will explore how metagenomic technologies enable the development of both rationally selected therapeutics and advanced pathogen diagnostics. In the first part, I will focus on how metagenomics supports the development of rationally selected live biotherapeutics. By mapping the gut microbiome, the technology enables the identification of microbial strains that can be harnessed to restore health and treat disease. I will showcase the journey from microbial data collection to the rational selection and pre-clinical characterisation of therapeutic candidates. The second part will introduce the potential role of metagenomics in clinical microbiology, highlighting how it overcomes the limitations of conventional diagnostic methods. Here, I will discuss how metagenomics provides comprehensive diagnostic information for gastrointestinal infections.
Bio: Associate Professor Lutz Krause is passionate about advancing health through genomic technologies. In his current role as Chief Scientific Officer at Microba Life Sciences, he has been centrally involved in developing rationally selected live biotherapeutics and bringing metagenomics-based diagnostics into the clinic. Founded in 2017 by UQ scientists Professor Gene Tyson and Professor Phil Hugenholtz, Microba has grown into an ASX-listed company with over 100 employees. Prior to joining Microba, Lutz was a Bioinformatics researcher at Nestlé in Switzerland, was a Lab Head at QIMR Berghofer, and served as Principal Research Fellow at the UQ Diamantina Institute (now Frazer Institute).
About Skerman Lecture
The Skerman Lecture recognises the contribution of Professor Victor Bruce Darlington Skerman in the development of Microbiology at The University of Queensland.
Professor Skerman was Head of the Department of Microbiology from 1962 to 1981, having been appointed Foundation Chair of Microbiology in 1961.
He had broad interests in microbial physiology, ecology and diversity, but is best known and recognised for his international reform of bacterial systematics and nomenclature.
The lecture was not offered in 2020 and 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Read more about Professor Skerman on our history page.