Although COVID-19 brought the term ‘PCR’ into the modern vernacular, PCR (Polymerase Chain Reaction) tests have actually been around since the mid-1980s.
PCR is a laboratory technique used to rapidly produce millions to billions of copies of a specific DNA segment, allowing for detailed study.
It’s a process fundamental to biology and biomedical research, which is why Murdoch University was more than happy to accept the donation of a PCR testing machine worth around $260,000 from global gold miner Newmont recently.
The company purchased the Roche Cobas Liat analyzer to use at its Telfer gold mine during the pandemic, but with the machine no longer needed, Newmont has donated it to the university.
Mr Peebles worked with Associate Professor in Biochemistry Garth Maker from the School of Medical, Molecular and Forensic Sciences to coordinate the transfer, with Telfer General Manager Luke Cox, Romilly Goodwin and the broader mine-site team ensuring a smooth handover.
A/Prof Maker said the machine will be used for teaching in the Laboratory Medicine and Forensic Science programs.
“It's a piece of equipment that we would otherwise not have had access to, it gives our students experience of the latest technology that they will use in the workplace and provides opportunities for research activities that would otherwise not have happened,” he said.
For Newmont, the donation underscores the company’s commitment to making a positive impact on local communities, fostering the next generation of scientists and contributing to a brighter future.