Macquarie University | Nano Sunwatch

Around 2.3 million women all over the world are diagnosed with breast cancer every year. In 2023, breast cancer was the most diagnosed cancer in women, and overall, the second most commonly diagnosed cancer in Australia. And yet, the misdiagnosis rates for very early-stage breast cancer are reported to be as high as one in three.

La Trobe University scientists have developed NanoMslide, a revolutionary medical imaging tool that can instantly detect cancer by manipulating the interaction of light with tissues at the nanoscale enabling faster, cheaper and more accurate detection of breast cancer.

In 2023, NanoMslide transitioned from the lab to clinical use with the potential to revolutionise cancer diagnosis.

Through AlleSense, a spin-out company of La Trobe University, the scientists are looking to apply their innovation to other cancers and diseases and believe it could one day impact every single tissue test, forever changing how quickly diseases are diagnosed.

Finalist - Professor Brian Abbey, Dr Eugeniu Balaur, Professor Belinda Parker