DefenSight

EFD 2025 Venture (Participant)

DefenSight: an AI-guided microscopy for biosecurity and CBRN preparedness

DefenSight is an emerging AI-guided, microscopy-integrated platform designed to strengthen national biosecurity and defence readiness by providing high-resolution insights into potential biological threats.

Built for compatibility with modern microscopy systems, DefenSight combines machine learning, digital pathology principles, and automated analytics to support the early-stage pathogen screening across research and applied contexts.

Initially developed for investigating pathogen behaviours within host tissues, DefenSight is being adapted to address key capability gaps in the biological (B) domain of CBRN by offering a complimentary layer to existing diagnostics.

The platform is being developed to:

• Provide visual context around host-pathogen interactions, including cell and tissue-level changes
• Offer phenotypic insights that support understanding of infection progression and tissue response
• Complement molecular tools (e.g. PCR, ELISA) with morphological and spatial information
• Reduce manual diagnostic load via automated workflows
• Enable high-throughput screening in research and surveillance settings
• Adapt across a range of applications, including biosecurity, border control, wildlife health, and agribusiness

Feasibility has been demonstrated in controlled laboratory studies, and current development efforts are focused on performance testing using pathogen-infected animal samples. DefenSight’s flexible architecture is designed to integrate with existing imaging infrastructure and adapt to evolving threats.

Next steps include pilot testing in scenarios that emulate real-world CBRN and biosecurity challenges, with the goal of refining operational performance under diverse sample and workflow conditions.

sonja.frolich@adelaide.edu.au  |  researchers.adelaide.edu.au/profile/sonja.frolich