3D Slicer: Open-source software to boost cancer imaging research
Official title: 3D Slicer: A unified open-source platform for advanced cancer imaging research
Funded at Brigham and Women's Hospital · NIH-11343589 · Data updated 2026-11-12
An open-source imaging software platform is being modernized and tested on brain cancer data to help researchers develop faster, safer cancer imaging tools.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Brigham and Women's Hospital NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Boston, United States) |
| Project start | July 1, 2026 |
| Project end | June 30, 2031 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $711,696 |
| NIH project number | 1R01CA310962-01 |
| Project ID | NIH-11343589 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Researchers and clinicians working with cancer imaging data, including brain cancer cases, who can use or contribute to imaging software.
✕Less likely to help
Patients not directly involved in imaging research or those without access to advanced imaging workflows may not see immediate benefits.
What this research studies
This project upgrades a free software tool used to analyze medical images, with a focus on brain and other cancers. It will modularize the software so developers can build new imaging tools that run in cloud, desktop, or browser environments. The team will apply the improved platform to real cancer imaging datasets to demonstrate its usefulness for discovery and translation. The effort includes sharing the updated methods so clinicians and researchers can adopt them in their work. The aim is to speed creation and deployment of cancer imaging solutions that may help patients in the future.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, patients could benefit from faster, more flexible imaging tools that support better cancer diagnosis and treatment planning.
How similar studies have gone: Previous open-source imaging tools have accelerated research and tool development, with growing adoption in clinical settings.
Where this research is happening
-
Brigham and Women's Hospital
Boston, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Kikinis, Ron — Brigham and Women's Hospital
- Study coordinator: Kikinis, Ron
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About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.