Scientists from India and Canada are collaborating on the development of a new imaging technology focussed on brain tumours. The bilateral project—Improving the Detection, Diagnosis and Treatment of Brain Tumours—is valued at almost US$1.7 million and aims to develop and commercialise software that will provide radiologists with enhanced automated imaging methods to detect and characterise brain tumours and enable accelerated assessment and treatment.
Leveraging $486,000 from ISTP Canada and additional funding from the Department of Biotechnology (DBT) in India, the team is tasked with creating a new imaging technology that automatically locates, maps and monitors tumour changes and combines MRI and PET image data into a single information-rich diagnostic tool.
The agreement stems from the Canada-India Agreement for Scientific and Technological Cooperation, which was signed in November 2005. When developed, the technology will constitute a breakthrough medical imaging product. The product and potential spinoffs will help partners to exploit a billion dollar market opportunity and meet worldwide demand for new imaging solutions. Within four years of project completion, the team anticipates that product sales will exceed US$9.5 million.
The initiative combines the expertise of five innovation leaders from Canada and India, including experts from AUG Signals (Toronto, ON, Canada), the Hospital for Sick Children (also in Toronto), Christian Medical College and Hospital (Vellore, India), Kamakshi Memorial Hospital (Chennai, India) and SoftTeam Solutions, Pvt. Ltd. (Chennai, India).
Drawing on 20 years of R&D and commercial success in signal processing and image recognition systems, AUG Signals will adapt its world-class technology for this medical application. SoftTeam Solutions, a leading Indian provider of software solutions for diagnostic imaging, will lead systems integration and build software for the final product. The Hospital for Sick Children will provide medical image data, test the prototype software and validate results. Together with radiologists at Christian Medical College and Hospital and Kamakshi Memorial Hospital in India, they will provide critical feedback on the product. This will help to accelerate future commercialisation and adoption of this technology.
Learn more on the ISTP Canada website.
