AI-guided liquid biopsy to detect cancer cells in malignant fluid buildups
Official title: Developing liquid biopsy tests for malignant effusions using artificial intelligence-assisted, morphology-based isolation of tumor cells
Funded at University of California, San Francisco · NIH-11166498 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project uses AI to find and analyze cancer cells in fluids that build up in people with metastatic breast cancer to help guide treatment.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of California, San Francisco NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (San Francisco, United States) |
| Project start | August 12, 2024 |
| Project end | July 31, 2029 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $676,075 |
| NIH project number | 5R01CA292019-02 |
| Project ID | NIH-11166498 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
People with metastatic breast cancer who develop malignant pleural or peritoneal effusions and undergo fluid drainage are the ideal candidates.
✕Less likely to help
People without malignant effusions, with early-stage breast cancer, or whose fluid contains too few tumor cells may not benefit from this approach.
What this research studies
If you have a malignant effusion, researchers will use the fluid removed during routine drainage to look for tumor cells. An AI-based, morphology-focused platform will sort and isolate tumor cells from immune and other cells without relying on specific biomarkers. Those isolated cells will undergo molecular testing to look for drug targets and resistance patterns that could inform treatment choices. The team will develop and validate liquid biopsy tests so profiling is possible when tissue biopsies are hard or risky.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: Could let doctors find actionable targets and monitor treatment resistance using fluid already removed during care, reducing the need for risky tissue biopsies.
How similar studies have gone: Pilot studies indicate AI-based morphology sorting can recover tumor cells from effusions and enable molecular profiling, but larger validation is still needed.
Where this research is happening
-
University of California, San Francisco
San Francisco, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Magbanua, Mark Jesus — University of California, San Francisco
- Study coordinator: Magbanua, Mark Jesus
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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.