ABOUT
ACCESS is a new venture within EWB UBC that is dedicated to addressing the alarming rates of cervical cancer in sub-Saharan Africa. We are pursuing this mission through a dual-pronged approach, focusing on both enhancing the quality and reach of cervical cancer education in the communities we serve, and improving accessibility of cervical cancer screening technologies by designing a low-cost, user-friendly Human papillomavirus (HPV) test kit.
MISSION
Leveraging UBC’s engineering expertise, we aim to develop a low-cost, user-friendly self-collection Human papillomavirus (HPV) test for women in sub-Saharan Africa. Our multifocal approach involves stakeholder collaboration, community workshops, and rigorous research to ensure that our solution addresses the sociocultural factors, resource limitations, and technological barriers prevalent in the region.
In addition to our mission of developing engineering solutions to combat cervical cancer, ACCESS Venture is committed to advancing education on cervical cancer within the communities we serve. We recognize that knowledge is a powerful tool in the fight against this disease, and we aim to empower individuals with information that can help them make informed decisions about their health.
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OUR VISION
We envision a future where cervical cancer is no longer a leading cause of death among women in low- and middle-income countries, such as in sub-Saharan Africa. While recognizing the challenges of navigating medical device regulations, we remain dedicated to advancing research, producing prototypes, and contributing to efforts for enhanced accessibility to cervical cancer prevention and treatment.
Venture Leads
Laura Ing - 3rd Year Biomedical Engineering, Minor in Health and Society
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Pearl Dhingra - 2nd Year Biomedical Engineering, Minor in Economics
Management Team Roster
Design Team Roster
Senior Design Advisor
Robyn Birch (she/her)
Mechanical Design Sub-Team
Co-Lead - Kendall Mooney (she/her)
Member - Grace Harms (she/her)
Member - Maya Ansu-Kyeremeh (she/her)
Member - Matthew Dichupa (he/him)
Biochemical Design Sub-Team
Co-Lead - Bhavya Sabbineni (she/her)
Member - Ellie Smith (she/her)
Member - Joshua Largo (he/him)
Internal Engagement
Member - Sumbul Iqbal
Member - Simone Ann Abraham
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Finance Manager
Noorpreet Kaur Sekhon (she/her)
Communication
Lead - Caleb Evans (he/him)
Member - Yili Liang (she/her)
Member - Taylor Wheatley (she/her)
Fundraising & Awareness
Co-lead - Ilana Guez (she/her)
Co-lead - Kim Tran (she/her)
Member - Victoria Spenceley (she/her)
Member - Eva Schubert (she/her)
Member - Jenny Gao (she/her)
Internal Engagement
Member - Sumbul Iqbal
Member - Simone Ann Abraham
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