Mobile AI-powered oral cancer screening platform for low-resource settings
Official title: Mobile Platform for Oral Cancer Screening and Diagnosis in Low and MiddleIncome Countries (LMICs)
Funded at University of Arizona · NIH-11306805 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A small, affordable mobile tool using AI and a stain-free imaging method helps frontline health workers spot suspicious oral lesions early.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R21 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Arizona NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Tucson, United States) |
| Project start | September 15, 2026 |
| Project end | June 30, 2028 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $130,784 |
| NIH project number | 1R21TW013364-01 |
| Project ID | NIH-11306805 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Individuals with suspicious oral lesions or at high risk for oral cancer seen in primary care, dental clinics, or community health centers in LMIC-adjacent settings.
✕Less likely to help
Patients without oral lesions or risk factors may not directly benefit from the screening tool.
What this research studies
This project develops a low-cost mobile platform that uses deep learning to classify images from a novel deep ultraviolet microscope of oral cytology samples. It aims to enable non-specialist clinicians in low-resource settings to screen high-risk individuals, triage suspicious lesions, and refer patients promptly. The study includes validation at clinical sites in India to ensure it works in real-world conditions and across diverse patient populations. If successful, it could shorten time to diagnosis and improve referral pathways for oral cancer prevention.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: Could enable earlier detection and faster triage of oral cancer, potentially improving outcomes for patients in low-resource settings.
How similar studies have gone: Prior work in AI-assisted cancer screening shows promise, with ongoing research in image-based triage; this study explores a novel UV-imaging approach and mobile deployment.
Where this research is happening
-
University of Arizona
Tucson, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Liang, Rongguang — University of Arizona
- Study coordinator: Liang, Rongguang
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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.