Breast cancer diagnosis in low-resource settings using millifluidics and fast digital imaging in Ghana
Official title: Breast core-needle diagnostics in LMICs via millifluidics and direct-to-digital imaging: development and validation in Ghana
Funded at University of Washington · NIH-11645064 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A new project will test a fast, low-cost way to diagnose breast cancer at the point of care in Ghana using small-batch fluidics and direct digital imaging.
Quick facts
| Grant type | U01 cooperative agreement |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Washington NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Seattle, United States) |
| Project start | July 1, 2026 |
| Project end | June 30, 2028 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $92,864 |
| NIH project number | 3U01CA269191-04S1 |
| Project ID | NIH-11645064 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Individuals undergoing core-needle breast biopsies in LMIC settings (e.g., Ghana) who need diagnostic confirmation and staging.
✕Less likely to help
Patients whose biopsies are not suitable for the millifluidics/imaging workflow or who are in settings without compatible infrastructure.
What this research studies
This project combines a tissue millifluidics system with a rapid, slide-free imaging method to capture diagnostic-quality images from core-needle biopsies during the procedure. It also plans to add quick immunofluorescence steps for near-real-time treatment guidance and to develop AI tools to help triage patients or support local diagnosis. The approach aims to reduce costs and time while maintaining or improving accuracy, making breast cancer care more accessible in LMICs. The work will be implemented in a real clinical context in Ghana, with validation against established histology benchmarks.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, patients could get faster, affordable breast cancer diagnoses and guidance for treatment decisions.
How similar studies have gone: Previous related work shows promise for rapid imaging and automation in pathology, but the integrated approach in LMIC settings is novel.
Where this research is happening
-
University of Washington
Seattle, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Seibel, Eric J — University of Washington
- Study coordinator: Seibel, Eric J
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.