It was while Karolina Valente was wrapping her PhD at the University of Victoria that she discovered a blind spot in cancer research. 

With a background in 3D bioprinting and mechanical engineering, the Brazilian-born entrepreneur founded VoxCell Bioinnovation, aiming to revolutionize cancer treatment.

鈥淲hen she was there doing her research, she found how costly it was to get actual [cancer] tissue samples and how inconsistent鈥� all the other lab-like testing platforms were, so she thought, 鈥榊ou know what, I'm going to do this myself,鈥欌�� said Asees Kaur, VoxCell鈥檚 product marketing manager. 

In a nutshell, VoxCell creates fully vascularized models of cancer tissues 鈥� using their proprietary custom 3D bioprinter, software and bioinks 鈥� making them an ideal test platform for oncology drugs, said Kaur.

Unlike current models, which Kaur said often produce 鈥渦nreliable data and test results,鈥� VoxCell offers 鈥渁 better testing platform.鈥� By enabling drug developers to inject candidates into its jelly-like structures, they can observe the effects of experimental medicine in an environment that closely mimics a real tumour.

鈥淲hat we focus on is revolutionizing cancer drug development,鈥� said Kaur. 鈥淔or the first time, we're giving drug developers the opportunity to directly inject their drugs through the vessels of our tissue models and analyze how well they are performing.鈥�

Consequently, VoxCell seeks to accelerate the development of potentially life-saving cancer drugs by identifying unviable candidates earlier in their development, which saves time, money and labour. 

By the same token, the fledgling biotech also seeks to eliminate animal testing altogether, making it obsolete as their model becomes increasingly more reliable and accurate, added Kaur. 

Initially focused on breast cancer due to personal ties with her mother recently passing away from the disease, Valente and her team are now expanding their efforts to other cancers and areas.

Earlier this year, the startup caught the attention of American actor and director Andy Garcia, host of All Access with Andy Garcia, an educational program broadcast on public television.

With the filming crew arriving in Victoria on April 10, Garcia and his team are set to tour the downtown facility, sit down with Valente, and capture content, with an expected release later this summer.

With ambitious goals in mind, the young biotech company shows no signs of slowing down.

Between making their tissue models increasingly more physiologically accurate and developing ties with drug companies worldwide to expand their operations, VoxCell aims to create personalized medicine tailored to each patient鈥檚 genetic makeup and medical history, said Kaur.

鈥淰oxCell technology isn't just to improve current practices for drug developers; it's to fundamentally change how we approach health care as a whole,鈥� said Kaur.