In an effort to build research collaborations with partners in North America in the fields of molecular diagnostics and nanopore technology, we undertook a two-week research trip across five cities in Canada. During the visit, we met with potential collaborators working across a wide range of complementary research areas, including solid-state nanopores, POC diagnostics, microfluidics, and optics. In this colloquium, we will share an overview of the researchers and groups we met, their research interests and expertise, and the potential opportunities for future collaboration and connections.