Seven health organizations are using Cancer Moonshot funds to reimagine and advance cancer surgery, Politico reported Aug. 14.
On Aug. 13, the Biden administration announced $150 million in research funding awards as part of its Cancer Moonshot initiative. The Advanced Research Projects Agency for Health awards will support research teams across the country toward the development of surgical technologies, imaging systems and tools for removing tumors.
Here are seven health organizations and the cancer surgery advancements for which the funds will be used:
- Dartmouth College (Hanover, N.H.): A laparoscopic imaging tool for prostate cancer surgery that includes 3D mapping and visualization.
- Johns Hopkins University (Baltimore): Noninvasive imaging tools to give surgeons a more colorful view of surgery, as well as fluorescent dyes and endoscopes.
- Rice University (Houston): A microscope for imaging tumor slices and AI algorithms to classify cells.
- Tulane University (New Orleans): A high-resolution and 3D system to see tumors more clearly and an AI algorithm to identify and classify cancer cells.
- University of California San Francisco: A microscope to help surgeons find and remove cancer cells, as well as a multi-cancer dying agent activated by enzyme activity in tumors.
- University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign: An imaging test to identify suspicious tissue structures after surgery.
- University of Washington (Seattle): A microscope system that helps surgeons see the whole tumor surface and AI to grayscale tumor images, which prevents the need to physically dye samples.