Low-cost AI imaging to detect oral cancer at the point of care
Official title: Point of Care Detection and Diagnosis of Oral Cancer using a Low Cost Imaging Module enabled by AI
Funded at Ge Medical Systems Information Technologies, INC · NIH-11192775 · Data updated 2026-11-12
An affordable AI-powered imaging and telecytology system aims to detect oral cancer from brush biopsy slides for people seen in community clinics, especially in rural areas.
Quick facts
| Grant type | U01 cooperative agreement |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Ge Medical Systems Information Technologies, INC NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Niskayuna, United States) |
| Project start | September 13, 2024 |
| Project end | August 31, 2029 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $300,334 |
| NIH project number | 5U01CA291666-02 |
| Project ID | NIH-11192775 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates would be people with suspicious oral lesions or those at high risk for oral cancer (for example, tobacco or betel nut users) presenting to participating community clinics.
✕Less likely to help
People without suspicious lesions, those already diagnosed and under treatment for advanced disease, or those not near participating clinics may not directly benefit from this project.
What this research studies
If I had a suspicious mouth lesion, a clinician could collect a simple brush biopsy and a portable scanner would capture images of my cells. Those images would be sent over the cloud to pathologists and an automated AI model to generate a rapid diagnostic read. The system is designed to work in community and rural clinics with limited pathology access and to trigger an immediate referral when cancer is suspected. The project focuses on making the device low-cost and reliable so more people can get quicker diagnoses.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this could lead to much earlier detection of oral cancer and faster referral to treatment, improving survival and access to care in underserved areas.
How similar studies have gone: Related AI and telecytology approaches have shown promise in small studies, but large-scale, low-cost point-of-care deployments remain relatively new.
Where this research is happening
-
Ge Medical Systems Information Technologies, INC
Niskayuna, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Ginty, Fiona — Ge Medical Systems Information Technologies, INC
- Study coordinator: Ginty, Fiona
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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.