A research initiative led by Rice University, in collaboration with The University of Texas MD Anderson, has received an $18 million grant from the Advanced Research Projects Agency for Health (ARPA-H). The funding, which will be distributed over five years, will support the development of a new system aimed at enhancing the accuracy of tumor removal in breast, and 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.  

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 tumor 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 tumor during surgery. 

“Because of its low cost, high speed, and automated analysis, we believe AccessPath can revolutionize real-time surgical guidance, greatly expanding the range of hospitals able to provide accurate intraoperative tumor margin assessment and improving outcomes for all cancer surgery patients,” Rebecca Richards-Kortum, a lead researcher on the project and director of the Rice360 Institute for Global Health Technologies, said in a news release. 

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,” said Dr. Ana Paula Refinetti, an associate professor in the Breast Surgical Oncology department at MD Anderson and one of the lead researchers on the project. 

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 working together to develop life-saving technologies and bioengineering strategies to enhance cancer research, diagnosis and treatment. 

“AccessPath is exactly the kind of life-changing research and health care innovation we are proud to produce at Rice, where we’re committed to addressing and solving the world’s most pressing medical issues,” said Ramamoorthy Ramesh, Rice’s executive vice president for research. “Partnering with MD Anderson on this vital work underscores the importance of such ongoing collaborations with our neighbors in the world’s largest medical center.” 

This award is yet another example showcasing Houston’s leadership in advancing critical, life-saving technologies. 

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