ACTIVATE: AI tools to find eligible cancer trial patients in electronic health records
Official title: ACTIVATE: AI-driven Clinical Trial Information and Viability Assessment Tool for EHRs
Funded at Dana-Farber Cancer Inst · NIH-11417339 · Data updated 2026-11-12
Auburn patient-facing tool helps cancer patients and doctors see if someone might be eligible for a trial using AI to read EHR notes and trial rules.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R37 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Dana-Farber Cancer Inst NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Boston, United States) |
| Project start | September 17, 2025 |
| Project end | August 31, 2030 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $714,262 |
| NIH project number | 5R37CA295653-02 |
| Project ID | NIH-11417339 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Adults with cancer who are seeking trial options and have usable electronic health records that contain relevant clinical and biomarker information.
✕Less likely to help
Patients whose records lack sufficient detail or who are not eligible for any trials under existing criteria may not benefit.
What this research studies
ACTIVATE aims to turn complex cancer trial criteria into a real-time, AI-assisted way to identify eligible patients by scanning electronic health records. Building on the MatchMiner platform, it will extract key clinical details from notes and protocols to estimate trial feasibility at cancer centers. The project focuses on making trial matching faster and more accurate so patients can learn about opportunities sooner.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, it could help more adults with cancer find suitable trials more quickly and improve trial accrual.
How similar studies have gone: Previous tools like MatchMiner have shown promise in matching patients to trials, and this project extends that capability with broader criteria and AI steps.
Where this research is happening
-
Dana-Farber Cancer Inst
Boston, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Kehl, Kenneth L — Dana-Farber Cancer Inst
- Study coordinator: Kehl, Kenneth L
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.