Monash University and the Australian Synchrotron have launched a $2.9 million national project to accelerate drug development, introducing Australia’s first automated high-throughput X-ray crystallography (HTX) system at the Australian Synchrotron in Clayton. The initiative, funded by the Medical Research Future Fund (MRFF), aims to shrink months of lab work to days, boosting local biotech investment and clinical trials capacity.
The project, unveiled on 22 July 2026, centers on HTX technology, which uses X-rays to map the 3D structures of disease-causing proteins. This allows researchers to design molecules that precisely target these proteins, a critical step in drug development. Professor Martin Scanlon, Head of Medicinal Chemistry at the Monash Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences (MIPS) in the Faculty of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, emphasized that HTX provides incalculable ability
to speed up the process, enabling scientists to adapt to proteins that change shape during drug design.
How HTX Transforms Drug Discovery
Traditional methods of identifying drug candidates were slow and labor-intensive. Researchers once had to travel to Chicago twice a year to collect a fraction of the data now accessible through HTX. HTX allows us to rapidly capture those changes,
Scanlon said. It doesn’t instantly solve the puzzle, but it provides the real-time data we need to accelerate that iterative back-and-forth process.
The system introduces crystallographic fragment screening, a method that tests small molecular fragments to identify which parts bind best to a target protein. Instead of looking for one giant, perfect molecule right away, fragment screening allows us to test small pieces or fragments of molecules,
said Professor Christopher Porter, Director of MIPS. Once we know which fragments stick, our medicinal chemists can pull that information together to build a single highly effective, custom-designed drug.
HTX’s automation is a game-changer. It can screen approximately 1,000 compounds in three days without human intervention, a feat far beyond manual methods. This platform gives our scientists the world-class engine they need to turn basic biomedical research into the life-saving medicines of tomorrow,
Scanlon said. The technology will support hundreds of researchers studying over 40 disease targets, including cancer, HIV, bacterial infections, and neurodegeneration.
Why This Matters for Australia’s Biotech Ecosystem
The initiative addresses a critical gap in Australia’s drug development pipeline. Analysis of drug discovery projects successful in generating a clinical candidate showed 65 per cent relied on structural information, most of which were derived from X-ray crystallography. HTX will attract investment and importantly grow the Australian biotechnology and clinical trials economy,
Scanlon said. By enabling local researchers to generate high-quality data, the platform encourages commercial partners to invest in Australian biotech, reducing reliance on overseas facilities.
Dr. Rachel Williamson, a Synchrotron Principal Scientist, highlighted the project’s collaborative nature. We are very excited to be part of this important initiative,
she said. that extends the analytical capabilities of the beamline to include a High-throughput Crystallographic Fragment Screening platform.
The system will also leverage the expertise of Monash’s MIPS, which has a track record of translating basic research into clinical applications.
The project’s timeline underscores its urgency. With drug development often taking years, HTX’s ability to compress key steps into days could accelerate the delivery of new treatments. This platform gives our scientists the world-class engine they need to turn basic biomedical research into the life-saving medicines of tomorrow, ensuring more Australian discoveries are clinically tested and commercialised right here at home,
Scanlon said.
The Road Ahead
As Scanlon noted, Ultimately, the protein decides what fits
—a reminder that even with advanced tools, biological complexity remains a challenge. However, HTX provides the data needed to navigate that complexity more effectively.
For now, the focus is on building momentum. With $2.9 million in funding and a network of academic and industry collaborators, the initiative aims to establish Australia as a hub for drug discovery. As Porter put it, This platform changes the landscape, shrinking months of painstaking laboratory work down to just a few days, meaning the technology will help researchers quickly turn their medical discoveries into life-changing treatments.
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