{"id":7019,"date":"2025-10-06T10:29:25","date_gmt":"2025-10-06T14:29:25","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/cqdm.org\/?p=7019"},"modified":"2025-10-06T11:26:49","modified_gmt":"2025-10-06T15:26:49","slug":"cqdm-ivado-and-two-quebec-based-companies-join-forces-to-accelerate-the-diagnosis-of-pancreatic-neuroendocrine-tumors-using-artificial-intelligence","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/cqdm.org\/en\/news-and-events\/cqdm-ivado-and-two-quebec-based-companies-join-forces-to-accelerate-the-diagnosis-of-pancreatic-neuroendocrine-tumors-using-artificial-intelligence\/","title":{"rendered":"CQDM, IVADO, and two Quebec-based companies join forces to accelerate the diagnosis of pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors using artificial intelligence \u00a0\u00a0"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"450\" height=\"167\" src=\"https:\/\/cqdm.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/cqdm_logo_web.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-1014\" style=\"width:216px;height:auto\" title=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cqdm.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/cqdm_logo_web.png 450w, https:\/\/cqdm.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/cqdm_logo_web-300x111.png 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 450px) 100vw, 450px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-right wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Announcement<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Montreal, October 6, 2025<\/strong> \u2013 CQDM is proud to announce the funding of an artificial intelligence (AI) innovation project aimed at improving the diagnosis of pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors. This project, with a total value of $395,255, is led by two Quebec-based companies, Vega BioImagerie and Aurora mScope, in collaboration with the Centre hospitalier de l\u2019Universit\u00e9 de Montr\u00e9al (CHUM). Funding for this project is made possible by a $194,972 grant from the Government of Quebec, awarded by the CQDM with the support of IVADO under the PARTENAR-IA program.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The diagnosis of pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors is complex and currently relies on time-consuming manual analyses subject to variability between pathologists. However, the scarcity of databases for this type of cancer limits the application of AI algorithms developed for other types of cancer, such as breast cancer. This late diagnosis significantly contributes to Canada&#8217;s low survival rate, which currently stands at just 17%. Accelerating and improving diagnostic accuracy is therefore essential to enable faster access to effective treatments and improve patient prognosis.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">To address this gap, Vega BioImagerie and Aurora mScope are developing a database of digitized pathology slides that will be used to train an automated tumor classification algorithm. This approach will accelerate diagnosis, reduce errors, and increase the accuracy of clinical assessments. Furthermore, testing will be conducted at the Centre hospitalier de l&#8217;Universit\u00e9 de Montr\u00e9al (CHUM), ensuring development in a real-world clinical setting, perfectly suited to the needs of pathologists and the Quebec healthcare system.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">By leveraging the complementary expertise of Vega BioImagerie in optical imaging and Aurora mScope in digital visualization, this project will help position Quebec as a leader in artificial intelligence-assisted oncology diagnosis. It will also generate tangible economic benefits for the Montreal companies involved and strengthen the autonomy of the Quebec healthcare system in oncology diagnosis.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><em>\u201cAI is a proven way to accelerate essential diagnoses and enhance quality of life for Quebecers. And its impact is even more powerful when you add collaborative research into the mix. This project is a perfect example. Our government is extremely proud to support the researchers and businesses working tirelessly to drive such advances and transform Qu\u00e9bec\u2019s life sciences industry into a powerhouse of innovation\u201d<\/em> &#8211; C\u00e9line Haytayan, Parliamentary Assistant to the Minister of Economy, Innovation and Energy, responsible for AI, Quantum Computing, Science and Innovation.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201c<em>The integration of artificial intelligence into the diagnosis of pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors, combined with the creation of dedicated databases, enables patients to access more precise and faster care. It also provides a powerful economic lever for Quebec by reducing costs associated with misdiagnosis, accelerating the development of innovative treatments, and fostering local innovation.\u201d<\/em> &#8211; V\u00e9ronique Dugas, President and CEO of CQDM.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><em>\u201cWe are proud to contribute to improving the journey of patients living with neuroendocrine tumors and to position Qu\u00e9bec as a hub of excellence in next-generation oncological diagnostics.\u201d<\/em> &#8211; C\u00e9cile Darviot, CEO of Vega BioImagerie.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201c<em>Aurora mScope is pleased to continue working closely with the Quebec healthcare system to improve digital pathology workflow. We are excited to further this work by participating in this partnership, which has the potential to make a significant positive impact on patient care.<\/em>\u201d, &#8211;&nbsp; John Phillips, Director of Technology and Product Management at Aurora mScope.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><em>&#8220;By combining clinical expertise, cutting-edge technologies, and artificial intelligence, Vega BioImagerie, Aurora mScope, and the CHUM aim to provide patients with pancreatic cancer faster and more accurate diagnoses. This project illustrates the power of collaboration between academic research and industry in turning scientific innovation into tangible benefits.&#8221;<\/em> &#8211; Nancy Laram\u00e9e, Director of Partnerships at IVADO.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center wp-block-paragraph\"><br><br><strong>-30 \u2013<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong><strong>About Aurora mScope<\/strong>&nbsp;<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Aurora mScope is a vendor-neutral image management, case management, workflow, reporting, and education delivery platform which allows hospitals, clinics, microscopy educators, and life-sciences researchers to utilize scanners and AI from multiple companies simultaneously in a single software platform. The platform includes a full-featured viewer with annotation and measurement tools, which is highly responsive, even over slow networks. For more information: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.aurorainteractive.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">aurorainteractive.com<\/a>.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong><strong>About CQDM<\/strong>&nbsp;<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><em>Biopharma Innovation Facilitator<\/em> &nbsp;<br>CQDM is a not-for-profit biopharmaceutical research consortium whose mission is to support and facilitate collaborative multi-stakeholder research and development aimed at accelerating the translation or transformation of innovative technologies into solutions to unmet medical needs, while generating significant benefits for the Quebec and Canadian economy. For more information, consult our website&nbsp; <a href=\"http:\/\/www.cqdm.org\/en\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">www.cqdm.org\/en\/<\/a> and join us on <a href=\"https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/company\/cqdm\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">LinkedIn.<\/a> &nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Partenar-IA <\/strong>is a program providing direct support to Quebec companies for collaborative biopharmaceutical R&amp;D projects based on artificial intelligence and applicable to the biopharmaceutical sector.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>About IVADO<\/strong>&nbsp;<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">IVADO is an interdisciplinary, cross-sectoral research and knowledge mobilization consortium whose mission is to develop and promote a robust, reasoning and responsible AI. Led by Universit\u00e9 de Montr\u00e9al with four university partners (Polytechnique Montr\u00e9al, HEC Montr\u00e9al, Universit\u00e9 Laval and McGill University), IVADO brings together research centers, government bodies and industry members to co-build ambitious cross-sectoral initiatives with the goal of fostering a paradigm shift for AI and its adoption. For more information, please visit our website at <a href=\"https:\/\/ivado.ca\/en\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">ivado.ca\/en\/<\/a>.&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\">About Vega BioImaging<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Vega BioImaging is transforming cancer diagnostics with the first quantitative multi-protein imaging platform, combining nanotechnology and artificial intelligence. Our patented technology detects multiple biomarkers with unmatched sensitivity in both tissue and cytological samples, while seamlessly integrating into existing pathology workflows. The result: more reliable diagnostics, better patient stratification, and fewer clinical trial failures. Learn more at <a href=\"http:\/\/www.vegabioimaging.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">vegabioimaging.com<\/a>.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity is-style-dots\"\/>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Media Contact:<\/strong>&nbsp;<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><br><strong>Julia Serafino <\/strong><br>CQDM Marketing and Communications Manager&nbsp;<br>438-543-9498<br><a href=\"mailto:jserafino@cqdm.org\">jserafino@cqdm.org<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Announcement Montreal, October 6, 2025 \u2013 CQDM is proud to announce the funding of an artificial intelligence (AI) innovation project aimed at improving the diagnosis of pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors. This project, with a total value of $395,255, is led by two Quebec-based companies, Vega BioImagerie and Aurora mScope, in collaboration with the Centre hospitalier de&hellip;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":7031,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-7019","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-our-news"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/cqdm.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7019","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/cqdm.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/cqdm.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cqdm.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cqdm.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=7019"}],"version-history":[{"count":6,"href":"https:\/\/cqdm.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7019\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":7033,"href":"https:\/\/cqdm.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7019\/revisions\/7033"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cqdm.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/7031"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/cqdm.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=7019"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cqdm.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=7019"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cqdm.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=7019"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}