Two multidisciplinary research teams at Columbia University have received the 2025 Herbert Irving Comprehensive Cancer Center (HICCC) - School of Engineering and Applied Sciences (SEAS) Joint Seed Grant Award. This competitive grant supports novel collaborations between engineers and researchers from other disciplines aimed at solving pressing challenges in cancer.
The selected projects will leverage advanced technologies—including artificial intelligence and optical imaging—to improve cancer detection, treatment planning, and clinical decision-making. Each team was awarded $100,000 for one year to pursue high-impact research with the potential for translational outcomes. Read more about the projects below.
"Hyperspectral Imaging Characterization of Endometrial Cancer.”
Principal Investigator: Christine Hendon, PhD, Associate Professor of Electrical Engineering, Co-Investigators: Xiaowei Chen, MD, Associate Professor of Pathology and Cell Biology and June Hou, MD, Associate Professor of Obstetrics and Gynecology.
Endometrial cancer is the most common gynecologic cancer in high-income countries, with rising incidence globally. Currently, diagnosis requires multiple tests due to limitations in ultrasound specificity. This project proposes that hyperspectral imaging could enable earlier, more accurate detection of endometrial cancer. By combining optical imaging with machine learning, the team will create a database of how spectral properties in uterine tissue change in the presence of disease. This new body of knowledge will serve as the foundation for developing advanced, imaging-based screening tools that could dramatically improve diagnostic precision and surveillance.
“This work unites engineering, pathology, and gynecologic oncology in a unique collaboration,” said Dr. Hendon. “By building a spectral map of the uterus and how it changes with disease, we aim to open the door to noninvasive tools that can detect cancer earlier and more accurately.”
These seed grants aim to support new areas of research that may lead to larger federally funded grants. As part of the award, recipients are also invited to serve as reviewers for future cycles of the pilot program, continuing to grow Columbia’s cancer-engineering research ecosystem.
Find more funding opportunities at the HICCC.
