Non-invasive structural tissue analysis for low-cost, highly accurate, safe and rapid cancer diagnosis.

~50% of the global population will develop cancer in their lifetime \[WHO,2022\]. Breast cancer is the most common form, with 685,000 deaths/year globally \[WHO,2021\]. The economic cost of cancer is significant with the last estimate of the global economic cost at ~1.5% of Global GDP(£735bn). In the UK, the economic cost of cancer was estimated at £7.6bn/year in 2020 and is expected to rise with the ageing population \[PharmaTimes,2020\]. Early diagnosis of cancer is key to improving chances of survival. Furthermore, monitoring the efficacy of treatment is vital to health outcomes, as well as identifying/demonstrating/measuring treatment efficacy.

As the global population rises, the number of cancer cases is expected to increase, driving the need for improved diagnostics. Current-state-of-the-art cancer diagnostics are limited to either invasive techniques that have limited specificity and selectivity or non-invasive techniques that are highly expensive. Both invasive and non-invasive techniques require a hospital appointment, limiting the uptake of screening programs. Hence, there is a rapidly growing need for improved cancer diagnostics.

EosDx in collaboration with Keele University is looking to develop and optimise 'NISTA', a non-invasive structural tissue analysis device offering safe and accurate cancer diagnosis and monitoring. The consortium possesses leading expertise in x-ray diffraction, structural crystallography and tissue analysis and has previously developed game-changing technologies within the diagnostic sector.

In this project, the consortium will focus on optimising the NISTA diagnostic device, enabling cancer diagnosis through X-ray diffraction imaging. The NISTA diagnostic improves significantly over current-state-of-the-art as it enables pre-symptomatic, rapid, safe, non-invasive and highly accurate cancer diagnostics.

This highly innovative project aims to expand the diagnostics sector from within the UK, driving the growth of a completely new industry sub-segment