Portable AI breast imaging and biomarker kit for earlier detection in Uganda
Breast Cancer Diagnostic Kit to Improve Early Diagnosis in Uganda
A portable kit that combines AI ultrasound and a smartphone biomarker test to help find breast cancer earlier for women who visit primary care clinics in Uganda.
Quick facts
| Grant type | U01 cooperative agreement |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Vanderbilt University Medical Center NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Nashville, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11177071 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
If you take part, you would be offered a portable kit that pairs an automated AI whole‑breast ultrasound with a smartphone-based cytology and on-chip biomarker test to look for signs of breast cancer at your local clinic. The team will first refine and test the kit in U.S. clinics against standard tests like mammography and pathology, then adapt and validate it at the Uganda Cancer Institute and in community health centers. Local health workers and a Ugandan Community Advisory Board will provide feedback and training to improve usability and fit with clinic conditions. Finally, clinics will be randomized to compare the kit's use with usual care to see if it helps detect cancer earlier.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Women who seek care at participating primary care clinics or community health centers in Uganda, especially those with breast symptoms or at risk for breast cancer, would be ideal candidates.
Not a fit: People without breast-related concerns, those already diagnosed and undergoing treatment, or individuals outside the participating sites or countries are unlikely to gain direct benefit from joining this project.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the kit could enable earlier breast cancer detection in Uganda and lead to timelier treatment and lower deaths.
How similar studies have performed: Automated AI whole‑breast ultrasound has prior clinical use and FDA clearance, but combining it with smartphone cytology and an on-chip immunodiagnostic biomarker for point‑of‑care breast diagnosis is a relatively new and not yet widely proven approach.
Where this research is happening
Nashville, United States
- Vanderbilt University Medical Center — Nashville, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Scheel, John R — Vanderbilt University Medical Center
- Study coordinator: Scheel, John R
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.