Every day, Global University Venturing rounds up the smaller investments from across the university innovation ecosystem in its deal net.

Replica Analytics, a Canada-based provider of synthetic datasets for sensitive artificial intelligence projects, has obtained over $1m in a pre-seed round involving Facit, the seed-stage commercialisation unit allied to Ontario Institute for Cancer Research. The cash will help accelerate Replica Analytics’ data synthesis project, which seeks to overcome barriers surrounding patient privacy in the healthcare space. HawkCell, a France-based medical imaging scan technology developer part-incubated by regional tech transfer office Pulsalys, has closed a €750,000 ($886,000) round with investors including state-owned investment bank Bpifrance. The financing also includes Pulsalys, financial services firm BNP Paribas, impact investment unit Phitrust and assorted angel investors, and will help HawkCell install its first five scanners for clients in 2021. Nanospectra Biosciences, a US-based thermal ablation technology spinout of Rice University, has raised an undisclosed amount of series B-1 funding led by liver cancer therapy producer Sirtex Medical. Nanospectra is currently conducting multi-centre clinical trials of a nanoparticle near-infrared laser therapy for prostate cancer intended to prevent side-effects associated with existing treatments. The funding will support product development, and Sirtex now has exclusive rights to distribute the laser in certain overseas markets. A representative of Sirtex will join Nanospectra’s board of directors. Nanospectra had raised a total of at least $8.3m in equity funding and debt from 2003 to 2017, according to regulatory filings. Modulus Oncology, a UK-based cancer drug spinout of University of Sheffield, is seeking to raise seed and series A funding, having made its official debut yesterday. Modulus will aim to identify drugs that target the signalling pathway of adrenomedullin receptor 2, a hormone expression mechanism linked to communication between cancerous cells, in order to address intractable forms of cancer such as pancreatic and relapsed breast cancer. Adrenomedullin 2 is relatively new to biomedical researchers having been discovered in 204, and its receptor had still not been identified as of 2012.

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