UCD-developed parasite detection tool now used in 850 labs worldwide
Dr Dimitri Scholz, Emeritus Associate Professor William O’Connor; Professor Theo De Waal and Associate Professor Vladimir Lobaskin, recipients of the 2026 NovaUCD Licence of the Year Award. Picture: Paul Sharp/Sharppix
Inventors of technology to identify parasitic infection in livestock have won the 2026 NovaUCD Licence of the Year Award.
The multi-disciplinary research team from University College Dublin (UCD) created a novel faecal egg count device, which has been licensed to CF Pharma and commercialised by its spin-out company Telenostic. The system is designed to automate and digitise parasite detection on farms, offering a faster and more consistent diagnostic tool for vets and laboratories.
Led by Theo De Waal of the UCD School of Veterinary Medicine, the team also included Dimitri Scholz, Vladimir Lobaskin and William O’Connor.
They were presented with the award by Orla Feely during the annual NovaUCD Innovation Awards at the UCD University Club.
The technology was developed through a long-running collaboration between UCD and CF Pharma, supported initially by the Enterprise Ireland Innovation Voucher scheme and later the Innovation Partnership programme.
At its core is a cassette-based system that enables the flotation and concentration of parasite eggs, allowing for accurate scanning, identification and analysis. The device effectively replaces traditional manual faecal egg counting methods with a standardised, automated process.
Following development, NovaUCD worked with CF Pharma to secure intellectual property protection, before licensing the technology to the company.
In 2018, CF Pharma established Telenostic to bring the device to market. The product, branded as OvaCyte™, is now used in more than 850 veterinary clinics and laboratories worldwide, with over 350,000 scans completed to date.
Accepting the award, Prof De Waal said the project demonstrated the value of interdisciplinary collaboration in tackling complex animal health challenges.
“This project was a masterclass in interdisciplinary collaboration, bringing together the diverse perspectives and expertise required to solve a complex challenge in animal health,” he said.
“We are encouraged by the widespread adoption of this faecal egg count device, which offers a vital solution for improving animal health globally.” He also acknowledged the role of NovaUCD’s technology transfer team and Enterprise Ireland, as well as industry partners CF Pharma and Telenostic, in bringing the technology from research to market.
Telenostic, an Enterprise Ireland high-potential start-up, is now targeting further expansion, including entry into the US companion animal market. The company is also exploring applications in human diagnostics and growth opportunities in Asia, Australia and New Zealand.
Chief product officer Trish McOwan said the collaboration with UCD had been fundamental to the company’s development.
“Their contribution was instrumental in laying the foundations for the patented technology on which Telenostic was built,” she said.
The company currently supports 20 jobs in Ireland and expects to expand its workforce in the coming years.
The NovaUCD Innovation Awards recognise achievements in knowledge transfer, entrepreneurship and innovation across the university’s research and start-up ecosystem.
The overall 2026 NovaUCD Innovation Award was presented to Eoin O’Cearbhaill for his work in developing medical devices, while other category winners included projects in nanomedicine, eyecare technology, Irish language research and quantum computing.
