Affordable cervical cancer screening and diagnosis tools for women living with HIV in LMICs and the US
Official title: The AVANÇO Research Consortium: A Mozambique/Brazil/Texas Alliance to advance novel and affordable technologies for the prevention and diagnosis of cervical cancer in women living with HIV
Funded at University of Tx Md Anderson Can Ctr · NIH-11535314 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A US-Mozambique-Brazil-Texas collaboration is testing low-cost, easy-to-use screening and diagnostic tools to prevent and detect cervical cancer in women living with HIV.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Tx Md Anderson Can Ctr NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Houston, United States) |
| Project start | August 1, 2023 |
| Project end | July 31, 2028 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $39,960 |
| NIH project number | 3U54CA277843-04S2 |
| Project ID | NIH-11535314 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Women living with HIV who are at risk for cervical cancer and who may benefit from enhanced screening and diagnostic options.
✕Less likely to help
Individuals without HIV or not at risk for cervical cancer may not directly benefit from these specific tools.
What this research studies
This project aims to create practical, affordable screening and diagnostic options that can be deployed where resources are limited, with a focus on women who have HIV. It brings together experts in cervical cancer, bioengineering, pathology, epidemiology, HIV care, and behavioral science to develop and validate new approaches. The work will progress through two research efforts that advance low-cost technologies for detecting high-risk infections and pre-cancerous changes, alongside strategies to implement them in real-world settings. It emphasizes deployment in both high-income and LMIC contexts to ensure accessible prevention and treatment pathways. Participants may include women living with HIV who could benefit from earlier detection and better care pathways.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the grant could lead to affordable, scalable tools that improve early detection and prevention of cervical cancer for women living with HIV.
How similar studies have gone: Previous efforts show that low-cost screening approaches can be effective in LMICs, though this project aims to tailor and deploy them for HIV-positive populations.
Where this research is happening
-
University of Tx Md Anderson Can Ctr
Houston, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Schmeler, Kathleen — University of Tx Md Anderson Can Ctr
- Study coordinator: Schmeler, Kathleen
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
-
Community and digital tools to reduce HPV and cervical cancer burden
A nurse or health team will test a community-based, digital strategy to help girls and young women, especially in rural areas, get HPV vaccination and cervical cancer prevention services.
-
Community and digital tools to reduce HPV and cervical cancer in women with HIV
A community- and digital-technology program aims to help girls and young women, including those with HIV, get more HPV vaccination and cervical cancer prevention services.
-
mSaada: a mobile tool to boost cervical cancer screening in western Kenya
A mobile app helps community health volunteers manage cervical cancer screening tasks and follow-up for women in low-resource areas.
-
Globally useful predictor for cervical cancer treatment response
This project aims to develop a simple predictive signature to personalize treatment for locally advanced cervical cancer using easy tests and imaging.
-
HPV self-collection in HIV care to screen for cervical cancer in Ethiopia
A patient-centered program tests a simple HPV self-collection approach within HIV clinics in Ethiopia to help detect cervical cancer earlier.
-
Hybrid approach to boost cervical cancer screening in Uganda
A tested, community-driven program helps Ugandan women encourage their peers to get free VIA cervical cancer screening.
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.