Professor Michael Breadmore is one of the great minds behind “lab-on-a-chip” technology, which, as the name suggests, brings together all the analysis of a laboratory into an automated chip.

“It’s about the size of your thumbnail,” Professor Breadmore said of the device.

It is being implemented in a range of ways – from blood sample testing for diabetes patients, to testing for allergens and bacteria in food and water.

Once upon a time, Professor Breadmore said, the results would have been delivered through strenuous, off-site testing.

The chip technology has a turnaround of about three minutes.

He said while the instantaneous results of the technology seemed impressive, it had taken about 20 years of work and research to produce.

“Technology transfer is very slow and long-term thing,” he said.

Professor Breadmore will on Saturday receive a Doctor of Science in recognition of his work, at the University of Tasmania’s graduation ceremony in Hobart, where he also works at the university’s Sandy Bay campus.

He said the work could not have been done without the colloboration between some of the brightest sparks in the chemistry, engineering and biology research sectors.

While he work is taking technology years into the future, Professor Breadmore is proud to be representing Tasmanian on the global stage of pioneering science.

“It’s incredibly important [that I do this work out of Tasmania],” he said.

Professor Breadmore grew up in the North-East town of Bridport, went to Scottsdale High School, Launceston College, and graduated from UTAS with a Bachelor of Science and first class honours in 1998.

From there, his work took him international: the US, Switzerland, and London. 

But he always knew he wanted to return home to work.

“I’m Tasmanian, educated entirely in Tasmania,” Professor Breadmore said.

“I am quite passionate about being in Tasmania and helping Tasmanians like myself to be able to dream and to achieve those dreams.”