Biodevice Foundry

By doing research in miniature—at the micro and nano scale—biologists, chemists, clinician-scientists and engineers can test their ideas faster, with greater accuracy and at lower cost.

This creates new opportunities to detect diseases and deliver groundbreaking treatments sooner while helping to address inequities in access to healthcare and bringing relief to an overburdened healthcare system.

The Biodevice Foundry in the UBC School of Biomedical Engineering (SBME), aims to catalyze these innovations. It is the dream staging ground for learners, scientists and founders of startup ventures who innovate at the intersection of biology, technology and medicine.

Here are some examples of biodevices in use today:

• A cancer cell search system is used to detect trace amounts of cancer cells circulating in the blood stream before they affect tissues and organs, for early detection of epithelial cancers (breast, prostate, colon).
• Microfluidics technology is widely used in rapid tests for pregnancy, COVID-19 and glucose monitoring.

A biodevice developed for one health application is easily modified for another. For example, the next wave in microfluidics may deliver health innovations in:

• Monitoring: Affordable point-of-care, real-time monitoring of a patient’s response to therapy through circulating biomolecules.
• Modelling: Multi-organ-on-a-chip for testing new drugs more efficiently than traditional screening methods, especially with invasive diseases.
• Therapeutics: Implantable devices that deliver drugs that seek and destroy a patient’s tumor.

Your gift will help us build, equip and launch the Biodevice Foundry. Much more than a specialized research facility—we are creating Western Canada’s first integrated program in biodevice research, development, training and prototyping.

The Biodevice Foundry will attract world-class researchers and promising students to SBME, which will continue to build the highly specialized workforce for the vibrant biotech and life sciences ecosystem in British Columbia and Canada.

Please join us—your support of the Biodevice Foundry will help SBME innovate to strengthen healthcare and save lives.