Advancing Behavioral Cancer Prevention with Ontology Tools
Official title: Advancing Prevention Research In Cancer through Ontology Tools (The APRICOT project) Project Narrative
Funded at University College London · NIH-11411326 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project develops and expands a semantic tool (BCIO) to improve clarity and consistency in cancer prevention research that focuses on behavior change.
Quick facts
| Grant type | U01 cooperative agreement |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University College London NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (London, United Kingdom) |
| Project start | September 15, 2024 |
| Project end | August 31, 2029 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $396,441 |
| NIH project number | 5U01CA291884-03 |
| Project ID | NIH-11411326 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Not a direct patient enrollment grant; benefits come from improved research methods that will inform future prevention strategies.
✕Less likely to help
This project does not enroll patients; it focuses on ontology development and methodological improvements that support future patient-focused studies.
What this research studies
This NIH grant aims to make cancer prevention research more precise by extending and applying the Behavior Change Intervention Ontology (BCIO). Researchers will add coverage for tobacco use and physical activity, link study measures to behavioral constructs, and map how intervention pieces cause changes. They will also integrate BCIO with other ontologies to tailor health recommendations and develop user-friendly tools to help researchers write reports, protocols, and synthesize evidence. The work involves collaboration with University College London, led by SUSAN MICHIE, and has global relevance for improving how behavioral data in cancer prevention is collected and shared.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, patients could benefit from more consistent and actionable guidance on behavior change to reduce cancer risk.
How similar studies have gone: Previous ontologies have improved interoperability in behavior research, and this project aims to extend that success to cancer prevention behaviors.
Where this research is happening
-
University College London
London, United Kingdom Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Michie, Susan — University College London
- Study coordinator: Michie, Susan
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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.