Improving blood tests for early cancer detection and treatment monitoring in melanoma and lung cancer
Official title: Advanced machine learning to empower ultra-sensitive liquid biopsy in melanoma and non-small cell lung cancer
Funded at Sloan-Kettering Inst Can Research · NIH-11105853 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This work aims to make blood tests much better at finding tiny amounts of cancer DNA to help people with melanoma and non-small cell lung cancer.
Quick facts
| Grant type | Career grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Sloan-Kettering Inst Can Research NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (New York, United States) |
| Project start | July 4, 2023 |
| Project end | June 30, 2028 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $292,597 |
| NIH project number | 5K08CA263301-03 |
| Project ID | NIH-11105853 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates would be patients with melanoma or non-small cell lung cancer, especially those undergoing treatment or in remission, who could provide blood samples for analysis.
✕Less likely to help
Patients without melanoma or non-small cell lung cancer, or those not able to provide blood samples, would not directly benefit from this specific research.
What this research studies
We are developing a new way to use advanced computer programs, called machine learning, to analyze blood samples. This method looks for very small pieces of cancer DNA, called ctDNA, that circulate in your blood. By using whole genome sequencing of plasma, we can find many more clues about the cancer than older methods. This could help doctors track how well treatments are working and detect if cancer is returning much earlier.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this could lead to more sensitive blood tests that help doctors monitor cancer treatment effectiveness and detect recurrence sooner for patients with melanoma and non-small cell lung cancer.
How similar studies have gone: Previous work by this team has shown that whole genome sequencing of plasma can significantly increase liquid biopsy sensitivity, and preliminary data for this new approach is promising.
Where this research is happening
-
Sloan-Kettering Inst Can Research
New York, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Widman, Adam — Sloan-Kettering Inst Can Research
- Study coordinator: Widman, Adam
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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.