BCC, in collaboration with AstraZeneca, is proud to announce the recipients of new funding dedicated to research in breast cancer screening and detection. The partnership includes additional in-kind support from Illumina Canada and sought to identify two Canadian research teams committed to advancing breast cancer screening or detection through the integration of precision diagnostics and AI technology.
$200,000 in Screening and Detection Research Grants Announced
Recipients:
Dr Elijah Van Houten Université de Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, Quebec
Dr Van Houten’s lab at Université de Sherbrooke conducts research using state of the art technology to build a sensor bra to measure suspicious breast lumps during the wearer’s everyday activities with a goal to revolutionize simple and convenient screening and detection.
Dr Luke McCaffrey Goodman Cancer Research Centre McGill University, Montreal, Quebec
To reduce the need for less-invasive therapies, Dr. McCaffrey’s lab is developing a machine learning model to discriminate between ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) and minimally invasive types of breast cancer (MIBC). The selected research grant recipients’ discoveries could hold the promise of higher quality, less invasive or more detailed cancer information with new screening and testing techniques for Canadians. Stay tuned for updates on their progress in 2024!
“By investing in Canadian breast cancer screening research, Breast Cancer Canada and AstraZeneca Canada are advancing innovation technology to diagnose the disease earlier, faster and ahead of symptoms. We are looking for research teams to revolutionize breast cancer detection,” said Kimberly Carson, CEO of Breast Cancer Canada. “The progress we seek will address higher quality, less invasive and more accessible test techniques for Canadians.”
“At AstraZeneca, we’re committed to unlocking what science can do to redefine cancer care and set new standards for patient outcomes. That includes helping identify cancers earlier so patients have the best chance at a cure,” says Brian Seguin, AstraZeneca Canada, Head – Breast Cancer. “We’re proud to join forces with Breast Cancer Canada to support research that will not only help improve health outcomes for people with breast cancer, but also contribute to strengthening healthcare capabilities and capacity in the areas of screening and early diagnosis.”
“Illumina is pleased to join this effort and support research to leverage genomics and AI technologies to further innovate screening and detection capabilities for breast cancer,” said Nicki Berry, Head of Americas Region at Illumina. “We look forward to what these efforts will unlock towards improving personalized medicine for patients.”
