A research initiative led by Rice University, in collaboration with The University of Texas MD Anderson, has received an $18m grant from the Advanced Research Projects Agency for Health (ARPA-H) to advance tumour removal technology.
The funding, which will be distributed over five years, will support the development of a new system to enhance the accuracy of tumour removal in breast, head and neck cancer.
Rice University was among eight institutions chosen to receive a share of the $150 million in grants announced earlier this week by the Biden-Harris administration.
This funding is part of the ongoing Cancer Moonshot initiative, which seeks to halve the cancer death rate by 2047.
Groundbreaking tumour removal technology provides more accurate surgery
The Rice and MD Anderson research team has developed a groundbreaking cancer pathology system called AccessPath, which addresses a significant challenge surgeons face: accurately identifying the margin where a tumour ends and healthy tissue begins.
Leveraging advanced technologies, including a high-resolution microscope and advanced artificial intelligence algorithms, AccessPath enables surgeons to determine in real-time whether they have completely removed a tumour during surgery.
“Because of its low cost, high speed, and automated analysis, we believe AccessPath can revolutionise real-time surgical guidance, greatly expanding the range of hospitals able to provide accurate intraoperative tumour margin assessment and improving outcomes for all cancer surgery patients,” explained Rebecca Richards-Kortum, a lead researcher on the project and director of the Rice360 Institute for Global Health Technologies.
Life-changing healthcare research and innovation
According to ARPA-H, nearly two million Americans are diagnosed with cancer each year.
Given the complexity and high cost of cancer treatment, AccessPath offers a promising solution by reducing the number of repeat interventions, lowering cancer care costs and improving patient outcomes.
This cutting-edge innovation stems from a strategic partnership established this summer between Rice University and MD Anderson.
Through the Cancer Bioengineering Collaborative, the two institutions are collaborating to develop life-saving technologies and bioengineering strategies to enhance cancer research, diagnosis, and treatment.
Ramamoorthy Ramesh, Rice’s executive vice president for research, concluded: “AccessPath is exactly the kind of life-changing research and healthcare innovation we are proud to produce at Rice, where we’re committed to addressing and solving the world’s most pressing medical issues.
“Partnering with MD Anderson on this vital tumour removal technology underscores the importance of such ongoing collaborations with our neighbours in the world’s largest medical centre.”
