L2M – Health Validate – A Rapid and Portable DNAzyme-Based Biosensor for Early Colorectal Cancer Detection

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is the second leading cause of cancer-related deaths in Canada, with over 24,000 new cases and 9,300 deaths reported in 2023. Early detection significantly improves survival rates, yet current screening methods, such as stool-based tests and colonoscopies, have major limitations. Fecal tests often produce false positives, leading to unnecessary and invasive colonoscopies, while some cases of early-stage CRC go undetected. There is a clear need for a simple, accurate, and affordable screening tool that can help identify CRC at an early stage when treatment is most effective. This project aims to conduct a customer discovery to gather customer pain points of colorectal cancer screening and will highlight opportunities for a suitable alternative test for early detetection of CRC.

Faculty Supervisor:

Carlos Filipe

Student:

Partner:

DMZ Ventures Inc

Discipline:

Life Sciences

Sector:

Biotechnology; Health and Related Sciences & Technology

University:

McMaster University

Program: