Innovative research to enhance cancer prevention, detection, and diagnosis

The CCS/CIHR/BC Spark Grants: Novel Technology Applications in Cancer Prevention and Early Detection are awarded to high-risk, high-reward projects with the potential to change current standards of cancer care.

Together with the Canadian Cancer Society (CCS) and the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR), Brain Canada is investing in research that will apply disruptive technologies that go against the grain to advance cancer care and improve health outcomes for people in Canada.

The CCS/CIHR/BC Spark Grants: Novel Technology Applications in Cancer Prevention and Early Detection Grants support extraordinary research that will use technologies to make cancer prevention, screening and early detection more accurate, accessible and convenient, and less invasive, with the goal of accelerating their translation to the clinic. Out of the total 27 new grants, nine are focusing on developing solutions for brain cancer, specifically.

With one in two Canadians expected to be diagnosed with cancer in their lifetime, there is a pressing need for novel approaches to prevent and detect cancer at an earlier stage, when treatments are most likely to work. Emerging technologies like artificial intelligence, smart and wearable devices, nanotechnology and robotics offer the potential to dramatically improve the ways in which cancer is addressed.

“These nine projects are high-risk, high-reward, and will truly accelerate the pace of discovery,” says Dr. Viviane Poupon, President and CEO, Brain Canada. “Currently, testing for brain cancer can mean intrusive and expensive procedures such as brain biopsies and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). By developing new and less-invasive approaches through technology, we will be making cancer care more accessible, something all people in Canada will benefit from.”

The nine projects addressing brain cancer and co-funded by Brain Canada, are:

• Early diagnosis of gliomas by using a novel multiplexed serum proteomic technology – Eleftherios Diamandis
• Radiomics and machine learning based non-invasive biomarkers for prediction of peritumoral invasion in brain metastases – Dr. Reza Forghani
• Early Detection and Novel Stratification of Pediatric Low-Grade Gliomas by MRI-based Artificial Intelligence – Dr. Farzad Khalvati
• Safety and Feasibility of Focused Ultrasound-enabled Liquid Biopsy in patients with Brain Tumors – Dr. Andres Lozano
• Physical fingerprints of single extracellular vesicles for liquid biopsy in brain cancer – Dr. Sara Mahshid
• Advanced multi-functional in vivo retinal imaging for ocular oncology – Dr. Zaid Mammo
• Screening of glioblastoma oncometabolite by ultrafast solid phase microextraction approach – Dr. Janusz Pawliszyn
• Detection and Prevention of Hypermutant Glioma in Children and Young Adults – Dr. Uri Tabori
• Precision diagnosis and prognosis of primary and metastatic brain tumors using DNA methylation profiling in liquid biopsy – Dr. Gelareh Zadeh

Funding for these nine projects of CCS/CIHR/BC Spark Grants: Novel Technology Applications in Cancer Prevention and Early Detection Grants has been made possible with the financial support of Health Canada, through the Canada Brain Research Fund, an innovative partnership between the Government of Canada (through Health Canada) and Brain Canada, and the Canadian Cancer Society (CCS).

To see the full list of CCS/CIHR/BC Spark Grants: Novel Technology Applications in Cancer Prevention and Early Detection Grant recipients, click here