Long‑term radiation planning for kids’ brain tumors using AI for safer, more precise treatment
Official title: Long term radiation treatment planning in brain tumors in the pediatric population
Funded at Voxel Healthcare, LLC · NIH-11364918 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A pediatric brain tumor grant tests AI‑assisted radiation planning to spare healthy brain tissue and protect cognitive development.
Quick facts
| Grant type | Sbir 2 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Voxel Healthcare, LLC NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Pasadena, UNITED STATES) |
| Project start | July 1, 2024 |
| Project end | June 30, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $665,400 |
| NIH project number | 5R44CA281709-03 |
| Project ID | NIH-11364918 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal participants are children with brain tumors who will receive radiation therapy and whose imaging data can be analyzed by ClickBrain RT.
✕Less likely to help
Patients whose condition does not require radiation planning or cannot undergo imaging suitable for ClickBrain RT may not benefit.
What this research studies
This project aims to improve how radiation therapy is planned for children with brain tumors by using advanced imaging and AI to precisely target tumors while reducing exposure to nearby healthy brain areas. It builds on a tool called ClickBrain and extends it to ClickBrain RT, which combines segmentation of brain structures with CT/MRI scans to compute dose in critical regions. Longitudinal MRI tracking will help researchers see how changes in brain structure relate to outcomes over time. The goal is to minimize long‑term cognitive side effects and improve quality of life for pediatric patients.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the approach could make radiation treatment safer for children, preserving brain function and cognition.
How similar studies have gone: Previous work has shown that targeted radiation planning can reduce side effects, and this project proposes an AI‑driven step further with automated segmentation and dose tracking.
Where this research is happening
-
Voxel Healthcare, LLC
Pasadena, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Low, Justin — Voxel Healthcare, LLC
- Study coordinator: Low, Justin
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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.