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The challenge
Breast cancer affects 1 in 7 Australian women, and for almost half of them, dense breast tissue makes tumours harder to detect on a mammogram. At the same time, scientists know that changes in the body’s lipids can signal early disease, but measuring these tiny changes accurately is extremely difficult. Without high‑purity, structurally matched reference materials, lipid‑based diagnostics simply cannot reach the reliability needed for clinical use. This combination of challenges created a clear problem: women needed a non‑invasive, reliable complementary test, and researchers needed the specialised tools to build it.
The solution
To solve this, ANSTO’s National Deuteration Facility (NDF) provided BCAL Diagnostics pty Ltd with custom deuterium labelled lipids that act as precise reference points in lipid analysis. These “deuterated fats” correct for variability in testing and allow scientists to measure disease‑associated lipid changes with high accuracy. Since 2022, NDF has supplied BCAL Diagnostics with the standards essential for developing and validating their new blood test, BREASTEST plus™. This partnership shows how national research infrastructure quietly underpins innovation: by supplying a unique capability that does not exist elsewhere in Australia, NDF enabled BCAL to turn advanced lipid science into a real diagnostic tool.
The impact
BREASTEST plus™ launched in 2025 and is now available across Australia, giving women, especially those with dense breasts, an additional, accessible way to support earlier detection. Earlier diagnosis improves survivability, reduces the need for invasive procedures, and lowers treatment costs.
Economic modelling shows potential savings of $40–80 million per 100,000 women screened, through fewer unnecessary biopsies, earlier stage treatment, and reduced productivity loss. Sustained investment in sovereign research infrastructure leads to real‑world health benefits, helping Australian science deliver tools that improve lives, strengthen industry, and support better outcomes for families and communities.
Testing samples of blood.
Diagram showing how NDF’s deuterated molecules contribute to BREASTEST.