Postpartum breast cancer (PPBC), diagnosed within 5–10 years after childbirth, is an aggressive subtype with poor outcomes and limited early detection methods. This project aims to develop organic electrochemical transistors (OECTs) using specially designed polymers that can detect CD44-positive breast cancer stem cells in breast milk. These biosensors offer a non-invasive, real-time method for identifying therapy-resistant cancer cells that often drive recurrence. By combining advanced polymer chemistry and bioelectronics, the team hopes to overcome current imaging challenges and improve diagnosis in postpartum patients.

This research lays the groundwork for a non-invasive, highly selective biosensor to improve early detection of postpartum breast cancer. The goal is to enhance personalized care and diagnostic accuracy for young mothers.

Leveraged Funding
Thanks to the original WE-SPARK Igniting Discovery investment led by Simon Rondeau-Gagné, early-stage work in smart, flexible polymer materials helped catalyze a major cross-border research collaboration in next-generation bioelectronics. That foundational support positioned his team to help secure $400,000 in NSERC funding as part of a larger $2 million NSF initiative focused on materials that allow medical devices to "speak the body's language."

For Windsor-Essex, this means a growing role in a transformative network: new tools, new technologies, and new training opportunities for students; expanded capacity in advanced polymer chemistry; and a pathway toward medical devices that are more compatible with the human body, more responsive to patient needs, and more capable of enabling earlier detection and improved care.

Media Articles

Smart materials could help future medical devices speak the body’s language (University of Windsor DailyNews)