Pap tests are nobody’s favourite appointment. Between stirrups, speculums and awkward scheduling, it’s no wonder many women delay or avoid cervical cancer screenings altogether. But a Waterloo-based startup is working to change that with help from nanotechnology, menstrual blood and the Waterloo Region tech ecosystem.
CELLECT Laboratories, co-founded by Waterloo Engineering alum CT Murphy and Ibukun Elebute, is developing a non-invasive screening method that could one day replace the Pap test entirely. Instead of requiring a clinical procedure, the company’s technology uses menstrual products — pads, tampons or menstrual cups — embedded with a patented nanomaterial to collect and preserve cervical cells and DNA.
The idea was born out of a personal experience. Murphy had a traumatic Pap test encounter while studying nanotechnology engineering at the University of Waterloo. That moment of pain and discomfort led Murphy on a path to find a better way.
What started as a fourth-year capstone project quickly evolved into something much more. Murphy’s prototype earned the WIN-Velocity scholarship, as well as support from the Up Start and Cornerstone programs through Velocity, which supported the early development of the technology. Today, CELLECT is preparing for a raise to scale its innovation and make the product market-ready.
“Our initial entry point is really to drive awareness and education around these issues,” said Elebute. “We’re preparing for a raise over the next few months, and we’re looking to scale with that.”
Cervical cancer incidence among Canadian women has been increasing at a rate of 3.7 per cent per year since 2015, marking the first significant rise since 1984. Even though every province has a screening program, fewer people are getting tested for cervical cancer. Early detection is essential, but delays in testing can mean missed warning signs. Making screening easier, more frequent, and more comfortable has the potential to save lives.
CELLECT’s technology also fills a long-overlooked gap in women’s health. Elebute says menstrual blood, like urine or saliva, holds rich diagnostic information, yet it’s been largely ignored in medical research due to stigma. It’s something CELLECT Laboratories is determined to change.
It’s a bold idea, and it’s growing roots in a supportive community.
“One of the reasons why I moved to Waterloo Region was to tap into the ecosystem,” said Elebute. “It hasn’t disappointed. There are so many programs, incubators, accelerators, supports for women entrepreneurs and Black founders. As a person of colour, it’s really great to see that.”
CELLECT Laboratories is a member of Velocity, Communitech and the Accelerator Centre. Murphy and Elebute are both current students at the University of Waterloo. Murphy is advancing the product’s intellectual property (IP) as part of a Master’s in Chemical Engineering, while Elebute is pursuing a part-time Master’s in Business, Entrepreneurship and Technology. Elebute says the tech ecosystem feels “more concentrated here than in Toronto.”
She acknowledges that scaling a health tech company isn’t easy, especially in a sector with a long and winding regulatory path. Add to that the barriers women often face in fundraising, and the journey becomes even more challenging.
In 2023, companies founded solely by women raised about two per cent of all VC funding in the U.S. All-female-led businesses brought in $3.2 billion from investors, while all-male-founded companies secured $114 billion.
“The funding landscape is still male-dominated,” said Elebute. “So when people don’t relate to the problem you’re solving, it’s harder to convince them it’s worth investing in. That’s why it’s so important to have women at the table.”
Elebute says the journey has been worth it, and the support from the local community has been a big part of that.
“You can never have too much support. When you think about how few women are in entrepreneurship and how little funding goes into women’s health, this work needs to multiply.”
