Clinical Core: speeding up cancer screening and care access with affordable point-of-care tests
Official title: Clinical Core
Funded at Rice University · NIH-11398605 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A NIH funding opportunity at Rice University aims to help people in low-resource settings get earlier cancer detection and better access to care using affordable, easy-to-use tests.
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 | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $399,660 |
| NIH project number | 5U54EB034652-04 |
| Project ID | NIH-11398605 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates include individuals in LMICs or underserved communities where access to cancer screening is limited and where community health workers could use the tests.
✕Less likely to help
Patients in settings with robust screening infrastructure may not see immediate benefit from introducing new bedside tests.
What this research studies
This program acts as a clinical hub to validate and implement simple cancer screening tools that local providers and even families can use at home or in community clinics. It will test how well these point-of-care technologies work in real-world settings, especially in low- and middle-income countries, and study how they can be adopted within existing health systems. The goal is to shorten the time to diagnosis and improve access to effective cancer care beyond well-resourced areas. The work involves collaboration with clinicians, researchers, and communities to ensure the tests are practical, affordable, and culturally appropriate.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, patients in resource-limited settings could get earlier cancer detection and faster access to treatment.
How similar studies have gone: Previous efforts show that point-of-care tests can improve early detection when properly validated and implemented in the field.
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.