NIH-funded research NIH-funded research

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.

More Cervical Cancer research and trials

Quick facts

Grant typeNIH-funded research
Study typeNIH-funded research
Funding institutionUniversity of Tx Md Anderson Can Ctr
NIH-funded
Lab location1 site (Houston, United States)
Project startAugust 1, 2023
Project endJuly 31, 2028
Funding year2026
Award (this year)$251,992
NIH project number3U54CA277843-04S1
Project IDNIH-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

  • 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.

About this research

  1. This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
  2. Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
  3. For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.
Last reviewed 2026-11-14 by the Find a Trial editorial team. Information on this page is for educational purposes and is not medical advice. Always consult qualified healthcare professionals about clinical trial participation.