CaniSense– AI-powered blood test for early cancer detection in dogs

testblu diagnostics, veterinary startup
Germany
BiologyMedicine
$15
Pledged
1%
Funded
$19,000
Goal
7
Days Left
  • $15
    pledged
  • 1%
    funded
  • 7
    days left

About This Project

Cancer is the leading cause of death in dogs, yet no reliable methods for early screening exist. At testblu diagnostics, we're working to transform veterinary care by developing AI-powered blood tests that can aid in early cancer detection in dogs (pets), even when symptoms are hidden. Our research integrates cell-free genomics data with AI models for routine veterinary settings. We have developed AI models and need clinical data to complete our first field test.

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What is the context of this research?

We began developing CaniSense in 2022 to address the lack of affordable, reliable cancer screening for dogs, even though cancer is their leading cause of death. Most tumors are detected late—up to 80%—because symptoms stay hidden under fur and tumors can grow faster than in humans. Liquid biopsy has shown strong potential for early cancer detection in humans [Rolfo et al., 2018] and cfDNA signals are increasingly recognized as biomarkers of early tumor activity [Ding & Lo, 2022]

Our biomarkers with AI-based analysis deliver cancer-risk results making preventive screening feasible during routine checkups. The research question our project aims to answer is: Can cfDNA-based genomic and fragmentomic signatures, analyzed with machine learning, reliably reveal early multi-cancer risk in dogs? We hypothesize that these biomarkers will detect tumors earlier than current veterinary diagnostics, improving outcomes and enabling true preventive care.

What is the significance of this project?

Early detection can save lives by identifying tumors at an earlier and more treatable stage, extending a dog’s life by up to two years. The test is affordable and accessible at under $200, making cancer diagnostics feasible for routine checkups, especially in older dogs. We are conducting field validation with 30 dogs in a first cohort.

The product will provide veterinarians with rapid, actionable insights that increase diagnostic confidence while opening new revenue streams. For dog owners, it offers peace of mind, lowers the cost burden of late-stage treatments, and improves their pet’s overall quality of life. As a strategic entry product, it allows testblu, a Berlin-based veterinary diagnostics startup, to prepare the clinical data required for product development and fundraising. The funds will be used to expand into new cancers and disease categories.

What are the goals of the project?

To answer our research question, we will conduct a focused clinical validation with blood samples from 30 dogs donated by our veterinary clinic collaborators. For each sample, we will isolate cfDNA, quantify and sequence it using our already stablished workflow, and analyze the data with our AI model to determine whether the biomarker patterns accurately indicate tumor presence. We will then compare the model’s predictions with each dog’s clinical findings to measure sensitivity, specificity, and overall diagnostic performance. Throughout the study, we will communicate individual test results to the veterinarians, gather structured feedback, and document how the results influence their diagnostic decisions. The funding will support laboratory processing, sequencing costs, and data analysis over a 3–4 month period. This project will generate the first real-world dataset needed to refine our biomarker panel and prepare the groundwork for a larger 200-dog validation cohort.

Budget

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This budget covers the materials and services needed to process 30 dog blood samples for validation testing. We already have some reagents, and we use this budget to finish the cohort before they expire.

Single-use blood collection kits for all dogs will cost $4,000 and include needles, stabilizing tubes, and antiseptic supplies for standardized sampling. Temperature-controlled sample transport is budgeted at $1,000 to ensure DNA integrity through secure, same-day delivery.

The largest cost is laboratory consumables, including cell-free DNA extraction kits, library preparation reagents, quality control materials and genome sequencing (such as electrophoresis gels and DNA quantification reagents), totaling $12,000.

Finally, $2,000 is allocated for computational costs, including data storage, processing, quality control, and genomic analysis.

Overall, this budget represents the minimum funding required to generate reliable clinical validation data for our diagnostic test.

Endorsed by

I have talked with Shahab in the early stages of this idea. I think that the proposed experiments will yield very valuable data for canine oncology. I'm excited to see what the data will show and for the implications in veterinary diagnostics.
Early detection of cancer in dogs is a very important item in veterinary medicine. , this project enables veterinarians to give the owners a possibility to find out if their dog is prone to get cancer or if it is free of tumor after a treatment with a minimal invasive method. Wir sind eine Tierarztpraxis in Greifswald/Deutschland und arbeiten mit testblu zusammen im Rahmen eines Pilotprojekts
Shahab and team are motivated leaders, bridging the gap between human genomic rigor and veterinary innovation. By pioneering a liquid biopsy platform for canine cancer via circulating nucleotides, they’ve addressed a critical clinical gap. Their ability to orchestrate R&D, sync complex bioinformatics and genomics across borders, and secure vital funding proves their exceptional persistence and leadership. They aren't just building a startup; they are pursuing new standards for veterinary oncology. I give them my highest endorsement.

Project Timeline

Beginning in 2026, or when funds are available (whichever comes first), we will expand our open-field cohort with 30 additional dogs and collect the first round of clinical and user feedback to ensure product readiness. We will first notify our pilot clinics that we require additional samples from them. In the coming months, we will continue to collect samples and finish the 50-dog validation dataset. In May 2026, we intend to launch and begin the seed round.

Jan 07, 2026

Project Launched

Jan 30, 2026

Start collection of samples

Mar 30, 2026

30 new samples have been processed, ready for sequencing

Apr 30, 2026

data generation and sequencing

May 31, 2026

Genomic analysis is finished and test performance is ready

Meet the Team

Shahab Shoaei Matin
Shahab Shoaei Matin
M.Sc.
Fatemeh Zebardast
Fatemeh Zebardast
PhD

Affiliates

Freie Universität Berlin
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Team Bio

We also get support from our team of advisors, and students who seek part time and minijobs.

Shahab Shoaei Matin

http://www.linkedin.com/in/sha...Shahab is the Founder and CEO of testblu diagnostics, a Berlin-based veterinary diagnostics startup. With a background in industrial engineering, systems engineering, and supply chain management, he has over 15 years of international experience leading complex projects in engineering, IT, and life sciences. Before founding testblu in 2024, he worked as a consultant for leading firms in Germany and previously founded ISCAM Engineering Ltd., successfully managing software and engineering projects. His passion for biotechnology, oncology, and AI-driven healthcare innovation led to the creation of testblu, with the mission to revolutionize cancer detection in companion animals

Fatemeh Zebardast

I am a computational biologist with several years of experience working with complex genomic data to better understand disease. My background includes analyzing a range of sequencing data and using computational methods to find meaningful biological signals. Through this work, I became especially interested in turning molecular data into practical, real-world diagnostic tools. This project focuses on developing a simple blood-based test to help detect cancer in dogs earlier and less invasively. We have successfully launched the AI tools, but for further validation tests, we need raised funds to be used to produce genomics data from our real dog blood samples that we already have collected.

Publications:https://scholar.google.com/cit... Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/fa...

Lab Notes

Nothing posted yet.

Additional Information

CaniSense Light is tailored for veterinary oncology. The test analyzes short cfDNA fragments shed by tumors, capturing mutational and epigenetic signatures undetectable by imaging or physical exams. This scientific foundation creates a scalable diagnostic engine for multi-cancer detection and beyond, for other diseases and other animals.

The science generated from this project and others at testblu can be used in human diagnostics too.

The Fronters that we push are in three levels:

1- technology: how to leverage AI to make the best prediction from available Data Data generation: how to efficiently generate the necessary biological data with sufficient quality for effective AI implementation.

2- Quick validation of AI-platforms in veterinary-first model: This is a win-win approach, as the veterinarian space can use the cutting edge technology, the validation can be used to speed-up the application also in the human space.

10-Year Vision of testblu diagnostics (2035)

testblu’s vision is to become the leading AI-powered precision diagnostics platform in veterinary medicine—and a proven bridge between animal and human health.

1. From Veterinary Screening to One Health Impact

By 2035, testblu will not only define early cancer screening as a standard of care for dogs, but also serve as a validated translational platform for human oncology and diagnostics. Because dogs develop cancer naturally, faster, and with strong biological similarities to humans, our large-scale real-world datasets will enable:

  • Translational insights for human liquid biopsy research
  • Cross-species biomarker discovery
  • Strategic collaborations with human diagnostics, pharma, and research institutions

testblu will operate at the intersection of veterinary diagnostics and human health (“One Health”).

2. From Cancer Detection to Multi-Disease Precision Diagnostics

We will evolve from a multi-cancer screening company into a broad disease-agnostic diagnostics platform, scaling our AI and liquid biopsy infrastructure to:

  • Oncology (30+ cancers)
  • Inflammatory and immune-mediated diseases
  • Metabolic and age-related disorders
  • Therapy response and disease monitoring

Our platform architecture is designed to reuse data, workflows, and AI models across disease domains, enabling efficient expansion with strong margins.

3. Multi-Species Expansion at Global Scale

Starting with dogs, testblu will systematically scale to:

  • Cats (first expansion)
  • Additional companion animals
  • Selected livestock and research-relevant species, where clinically and economically justified

This positions testblu as a species-agnostic diagnostics platform, not a single-product company.

4. Global Standard of Care in Preventive Veterinary Medicine

By 2035, testblu aims to make blood-based preventive screening a routine annual check-up, embedded into veterinary workflows worldwide through:

  • Veterinary clinic networks
  • Diagnostic distributors
  • Pet insurance integrations

Our tests will be trusted clinical decision tools, not experimental add-ons.

5. Data, AI, and Long-Term Value Creation

Through continuous data generation across diseases and species, testblu will build one of the largest proprietary cfDNA and clinical outcome datasets in veterinary medicine, creating:

  • A defensible AI moat
  • Increasing diagnostic accuracy over time
  • Long-term strategic value for M&A, licensing, and human-health partnerships

The Long-Term Impact

By 2035, testblu will:

  • Extend healthy life expectancy for millions of animals
  • Reduce emotional and financial burden for pet owners
  • Enable earlier, more precise veterinary interventions
  • Contribute meaningfully to human cancer research and diagnostics through translational data

In essence: testblu’s 10-year vision is to transform veterinary diagnostics into a proactive, AI-driven, multi-disease, multi-species platform—and to translate those insights into human health.


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