Microbial Research
The Go-To Partner for Microbiological Testing Solutions

Microbiological analysis is a core element in pharma product testing, ensuring complete manufacturing control over pathogens or bacteria. Today, the emergence of antibiotic-resistant microbes and the consumer-driven desire to minimize antimicrobial use, drive the need for a reliable partner to help drug developers test their products, ensure they are safe, efficient, and free of contaminants.

Enter Microbial Research, Inc. (MRI), a 20-year-old contract research organization that addresses this need with its end-to-end veterinary probiotic, prebiotic, chemical, and antimicrobial testing services that support clients, from proof of concept, pre-clinical, and clinical phases through FDA approval. A small yet innovative firm, MRI’s concise infrastructure allows it to quickly onboard new customers or equipment and deliver optimum results.

“We are a small firm and that makes us really flexible. We don’t have to wait for our CEO to make a decision regarding a procedure or a high cost piece of equipment.” says Chandra Machin, president and owner of Microbial Research Inc.

MRI gets involved in all stages of product development, from the beginning small-scale efficacy testing, and clinical trials to post-production sterility testing using US Pharmacopeia (USP) standard methods. At the beginning stages, it provides a clinical trial understanding of a product’s effectiveness, killing modes, and bactericidal or bacteriostatic abilities.

“Through extensive R&D, we develop assays to help clients test a product’s effectiveness against certain bacteria while scaling it to the next level,” states Machin.

On a larger scale, MRI is a consistently supportive microbiological laboratory for national or international veterinary clinical trials.

From bovine and swine respiratory disease and necrotic enteritis in poultry to feline upper respiratory infection studies, MRI has the ability to quickly adapt to a sponsor’s needs. An excellent example of this competency is a recent canine otitis study, where it effectively coordinated the transport of swabs from veterinary clinics nationwide, isolated and identified target pathogens, and performed susceptibility testing on these pathogens. The customer then correlated the microbiological data with the clinical data to determine whether their product was effective for curing canine ear infections.

A critical factor in MRI’s success is its strong emphasis on maintaining good laboratory practice (GLP) and good clinical practice (GCP) compliance. This focus enables it to consistently mitigate product-related challenges while meeting industry standards so clients can confidently publish papers, develop GLP- and GCP-compliant data, and request FDA approvals. MRI’s goal is to ensure that all steps of a project can be recreated and are attributable and under proper quality control.

We are a small firm and that makes us really flexible. We don’t have to wait for our CEO to make a decision regarding a procedure or a high cost piece of equipment

Considering training essential to exceptional customer service, MRI spends its non-project time educating team members in all aspects of the company and maintaining its intensive quality control program. They are well-versed in all standard operating procedures and backed by Machin and MRI’s General Manager Donald Bade’s over 50 years of combined experience in the field. Both Machin and Bade are members of the Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute (CLSI) through which they bring their expertise and keep up-to-date on changes within the industry. Machin strives to foster a fun, positive, and supportive culture for the team all while upholding the strictest of standards.

In addition to pharma testing, MRI offers dairy mastitis testing, raw milk testing, and bacterial identification using state of the art MALDI-TOF identifications dedicated to the scientific community in Northern Colorado.

Moving forward, MRI will continue enhancing its adaptability to diverse pharma needs and deliver varied microbiology testing solutions for current and future operational and regulatory requirements.