Results of the October 2020 CCS/CIHR/BC Spark Grants Competition

With our partners, Brain Canada Foundation (BC) and the Canadian Institutes of Health Research Institute of Cancer Research (CIHR-ICR) we are pleased to announce the results of the Spark Grants: Novel Technology Applications in Cancer Prevention and Early Detection Competition - to “spark” and accelerate new activity in the development and/or application of truly novel approaches to cancer prevention and early detection. Below is a listing of newly awarded CCS/CIHR/BC Spark Grants.

145 abstract registrations were received by the deadline and 102 were invited to submit full applications. Out of a total of 87 eligible grant applications, 27 Spark Grants have been approved in both pools (breast and other cancers) – a 31% success rate. Funds committed to this competition are made possible by the significant efforts of CCS donors and volunteers across the country and by funding partners. In addition, the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society of Canada is supporting 1 grant. These projects total more than $4 million in funding.

Abstracts of Spark Grants

Please note:

Amounts listed below represent the total dollars awarded and may include funds for salaries, supplies, and/or equipment.
The start date for these grants is January 15, 2021.
Only the Principal Investigator is named in this listing. Co-Principal Investigators, Co-Applicants and/or Additional Authors may also be associated with these grants.

Note Carefully:

Although every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of the listing below, this list does not constitute an "official" notification.

Successful applicants have been informed, in writing, with an official Notification of Award giving the details pertaining to their grant.

Applicant Institution Title	Award
Arrandale, Victoria University of Toronto Combining contact lens sensors, metabolomics and artificial intelligence to characterize exposure and breast cancer biomarkers	2021/2022 : $149,720
Bentley, James Nova Scotia Health Authority (NSHA) Spectroscopy and artificial intelligence to disrupt the status quo in cervical cancer screening	2021/2022 : $140,483
Campbell, Clinton McMaster University Evaluating the YOLO real-time object detection artificial intelligence algorithm for bone marrow cytology	2021/2022 : $149,991
Chaurand, Pierre Université de Montréal Cancer steroidomics by tag-enhanced imaging mass spectrometry	2021/2022 : $150,000
Diamandis, Eleftherios Mount Sinai Hospital Early diagnosis of gliomas by using a novel multiplexed serum proteomic technology	2021/2022 : $150,000
Easson, Alexandra Princess Margaret Cancer Centre - UHN Multispectral needle endoscopy: improving the patient breast cancer diagnostic experience	2021/2022 : $147,762
Forghani, Reza McGill University Radiomics and machine learning based non-invasive biomarkers for prediction of peritumoral invasion in brain metastases	2021/2022 : $150,000
Goodarzi, Aaron University of Calgary Using novel bio-dosimetry to measure personalized, lifetime radon gas exposure and transform the prevention and early detection of lung cancer	2021/2022 : $150,000
Khalvati, Farzad The Hospital for Sick Children Early detection and novel stratification of pediatric low-grade gliomas by MRI-based artificial intelligence	2021/2022 : $150,000
Krajinovic, Maja CHU Sainte-Justine Research Centre MicroDNA signature for prognosis of childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia	2021/2022 : $149,960
Liang, Jinyang Institut national de la recherche scientifique Towards a fast and high-resolution thermal imaging dermatoscope for early-stage detection of small-size melanoma	2021/2022 : $150,000
Lozano, Andres The Toronto Hospital (Western Division) - UHN Safety and feasibility of focused ultrasound-enabled liquid biopsy in patients with brain tumours	2021/2022 : $150,000
Mahshid, Sara McGill University Physical fingerprints of single extracellular vesicles for liquid biopsy in brain cancer	2021/2022 : $150,000
Mammo, Zaid University of British Columbia Advanced multi-functional in vivo retinal imaging for ocular oncology	2021/2022 : $146,900
Marra, Marco BC Cancer, part of the Provincial Health Services Authority Long read DNA methylation sequencing for early detection of pancreatic adenocarcinoma	2021/2022 : $150,000
Mason, Andrew University of Alberta Does Human Betaretrovirus (HBRV) infection predate the development of breast cancer?	2021/2022 : $150,000
Mirkovic, Jelena University of Toronto Quantum opportunities in pathology	2021/2022 : $122,031
Myers, Renelle BC Cancer, part of the Provincial Health Services Authority Early detection of lung cancer using VOC from breath and sweat	2021/2022 : $150,000
Narain, Ravin University of Alberta Safe galactose based nanoconstructs for early detection and therapy of liver cancer	2021/2022 : $150,000
Pawliszyn, Janusz University of Waterloo Screening of glioblastoma oncometabolite by ultrafast solid phase microextraction approach	2021/2022 : $150,000
Poh, Catherine BC Cancer, part of the Provincial Health Services Authority Cytology-based DNA measurement for oral cancer screening	2021/2022 : $150,000
Sanati-Nezhad, Amir University of Calgary Exosomal-based digital electronic health system for remotely and longitudinal monitoring of bladder cancer recurrence	2021/2022 : $149,756
Tabori, Uri The Hospital for Sick Children Detection and prevention of hypermutant glioma in children and young adults	2021/2022 : $149,878
Tsang, Benjamin Ottawa Hospital Research Institute Ovarian cancer early detection and chemosensitivity assessment by nanophotonics and artificial intelligence	2021/2022 : $150,000
Van Houten, Elijah Université de Sherbrooke Wearable technology for early detection of breast cancer	2021/2022 : $150,000
Wishart, David University of Alberta A novel rapid, liquid biopsy early stage lung cancer diagnostic test	2021/2022 : $150,000
Zadeh, Gelareh Princess Margaret Cancer Centre - UHN Precision diagnosis and prognosis of primary and metastatic brain tumours using DNA methylation profiling in liquid biopsy	2021/2022 : $149,760

Last modified on: February 18, 2021