Combining pathology and immune features to improve colorectal cancer care
Integration of epidemiology, pathology, immunology and outcomes in colorectal cancer
Using AI to read routine tumor biopsy images and linked clinical data to find features that help predict outcomes and guide treatment for people with colorectal cancer.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Beckman Research Institute/city of Hope NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Duarte, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11188973 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
This project uses artificial intelligence to analyze digitized routine H&E slides from thousands of colorectal cancer cases drawn from racially and ethnically diverse populations. The team will combine deep learning image analysis with clinical, epidemiologic, and genetic data plus digital spatial expression profiling to measure tumor and immune features. They will digitize existing slides from about 5,551 cases and add 1,200 new cases for a total of 6,751 cases. The goal is to create reproducible image-based markers such as microsatellite instability and immune patterns that link to prognosis and treatment response.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: People diagnosed with colorectal cancer who can allow their tumor tissue and clinical information to be shared for research are the ideal candidates.
Not a fit: People without colorectal cancer, those who cannot provide tumor tissue, or whose samples are not available from participating centers are unlikely to benefit directly from this project.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could enable faster, more accurate diagnoses and more personalized treatment choices using information from routine biopsy images.
How similar studies have performed: Prior AI studies have shown promise detecting tumor features and microsatellite instability from histology, but combining very large, diverse datasets with spatial molecular profiling is a newer approach.
Where this research is happening
Duarte, United States
- Beckman Research Institute/city of Hope — Duarte, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Gruber, Stephen B — Beckman Research Institute/city of Hope
- Study coordinator: Gruber, Stephen B
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 below.