Bringing simple, low-cost cancer tests to clinics and communities
Official title: The Center for Innovation and Translation of Point of Care Technologies for Expanded Cancer Care Access (CITEC)
Funded at Rice University · NIH-11383659 · Data updated 2026-11-12
Create and spread easy, affordable cancer screening tests so people in rural and low-resource areas can get earlier detection and care.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Rice University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Houston, United States) |
| Project start | September 13, 2023 |
| Project end | July 31, 2028 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $24,755 |
| NIH project number | 3U54EB034652-03S1 |
| Project ID | NIH-11383659 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
People in rural or low-resource communities and anyone at risk for common epithelial cancers who would benefit from simpler, local screening are the main groups who could be involved or helped.
✕Less likely to help
Patients who need highly specialized molecular diagnostics or advanced imaging at major medical centers may not see immediate benefit from these point-of-care tools.
What this research studies
This center works with engineers, doctors, and community clinics to design point-of-care cancer tests you could have at a local visit instead of a specialty lab. It will identify the most urgent screening needs, focus on cancers that start on body surfaces (like mouth, skin, or anal/rectal areas), and help move promising devices from the lab toward real-world use. The team will run studies in clinics and community settings to see how the tests perform in everyday care and will train developers and clinicians to use and spread the best tools. The goal is to make screening easier to access where resources or infrastructure are limited.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could make early cancer detection more available and affordable, leading to earlier treatment and fewer deaths.
How similar studies have gone: Some point-of-care approaches (for example, HPV testing and other rapid diagnostics) have shown promise, but broad, scalable point-of-care screening for many epithelial cancers is still an emerging area.
Where this research is happening
-
Rice University
Houston, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Richards-Kortum, Rebecca R. — Rice University
- Study coordinator: Richards-Kortum, Rebecca R.
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.