Affordable, low-cost cervical cancer screening and diagnosis tech for women with HIV around the world
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-11535313 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A global, patient-centered effort to create affordable cervical cancer screening and diagnostic tools for 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) | $251,992 |
| NIH project number | 3U54CA277843-04S1 |
| Project ID | NIH-11535313 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Women living with HIV who are at risk for cervical cancer and are in LMICs or underserved settings where screening access is limited.
✕Less likely to help
If a patient has no access to the developed screening technologies or lives outside the target regions, benefits may be limited.
What this research studies
This project aims to develop easy-to-use, low-cost technologies to prevent and diagnose cervical cancer in women living with HIV, with collaboration across Mozambique, Brazil, and Texas. The team will build and test novel approaches that can be deployed in low-resource settings to reach more women who need screening and early diagnosis. By combining engineering, pathology, and epidemiology, the work seeks practical solutions that healthcare providers can implement in real-world clinics. The project emphasizes scalable, deployable technologies that address barriers to access in LMICs while benefiting patients in the United States. Results could lead to earlier detection and improved outcomes for women affected by HIV and cervical cancer risk.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, patients could get faster, cheaper, and more accessible cervical cancer screening and diagnosis.
How similar studies have gone: Previous studies show that low-cost screening tools can improve access, but this consortium aims to advance novel technologies specifically for women with HIV in LMICs.
Where this research is happening
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.