A saliva test for the early diagnosis of fatty liver disease is winning awards and turning heads at home and abroad.

Imagine detecting liver disease with a saliva sample and a RAT-style test. That’s the potential of SAL-Check, a world-first diagnostic tool developed by Professor Darrell Crawford, GMR’s Director of Research, in collaboration with Professor Chamindie Punyadeera and Griffith University.

SAL-Check could be the first saliva-based rapid test for the early stages of fatty liver disease. It has the potential to be a non-invasive, scalable solution that could transform early detection worldwide.

That’s big news when you consider the statistics: an estimated 600 million people globally have fatty liver disease, and one in three Australians will develop it — a condition that can lead to liver fibrosis or cancer if untreated. The early stages, however, can often be reversed through improved diet and exercise, making early diagnosis critical.

Instead of needles, delays or specialist equipment, SAL-Check could offer on-the-spot results using biomarkers to detect disease early. The medical community isn’t the only one taking notice — the innovation is gaining international recognition.

Earlier this year, SAL-Check won the People’s Choice Award at LuminaX Accelerator Pitch Night, impressing investors with its potential to reshape liver screening. It was also announced as the winner of the Blue-Sky Thinking Award at the 2025 Indo Pacific Innovation Awards, presented by the AMDA Foundation, which celebrates cutting-edge ideas shaping the Defence industry.

“While still in development, this research offers promising new directions for improving early detection of liver disease.” says Professor Crawford. “If successful, SAL-Check could be a non-invasive, disruptive technology with global potential to support Defence and the wider community.”

With Griffith Enterprise now seeking partners and investors to raise $2 million for prototype development, SAL-Check could soon make liver checks as simple as a blood pressure reading, and that’s an innovation worth celebrating.

Find out more about GMR’s Liver Research projects here: Liver research – Gallipoli Medical Research