Award
National Cancer Institute 5R01CA289294-02
Optical hyperspectral nanoscale chromatin analysis for colon cancer risk-stratification
Recipient
Northwestern University
Award Amount
$655,526.00
Ceiling
$655,526.00
Awarded
June 12, 2026
Identifier
5R01CA289294-02
Development of a non-invasive, AI-enhanced optical nanosensing test for early detection of colorectal cancer to improve screening and reduce unnecessary colonoscopies.
Description
The project aims to develop a minimally intrusive screening test for colorectal cancer (CRC) that can identify patients harboring precancerous polyps. The test utilizes AI-enhanced optical spectroscopic nanosensing technology to detect chromatin conformation alterations in colonocytes swabbed from the rectal mucosa. The goal is to achieve high sensitivity and specificity, with a negative predictive value of 99.5%, to improve CRC screening and reduce unnecessary colonoscopies.