Rice University statistics research professor Erzsébet Merényi, in collaboration with Pratip Bhattacharya, professor of cancer systems imaging at the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, and Dr. Patrick Pilié, assistant professor of genitourinary medical oncology, has been awarded a $1 million grant by the Cancer Prevention and Research Institute of Texas (CPRIT). The funding will support the development of artificial intelligence (AI) tools designed to detect lethal forms of prostate cancer at an earlier stage and enhance treatment selection.

Prostate cancer remains the most commonly diagnosed cancer among men, but patient outcomes vary significantly. Current treatment strategies primarily focus on blocking the effects of male hormones, particularly testosterone, to slow the growth of cancer cells. These androgen signaling inhibitors, while effective in many cases, eventually become less effective as some cancers develop resistance. For men with castration-resistant prostate cancer, treatment options are limited, and survival rates are poor. The ability to detect metabolic changes in cancer cells early could provide crucial insights into the progression of the disease and resistance to therapy. Advanced imaging techniques offer a promising avenue for identifying these changes, but the complex nature of the data presents challenges for traditional analysis methods.

The research is built on three interconnected pillars. The first involves cutting-edge, noninvasive imaging techniques developed in Bhattacharya’s laboratory, which generate highly detailed real-time spectral and temporal profiles of tumor metabolism. These imaging methods allow researchers to distinguish between different abnormal states in tumors and map their heterogeneity more precisely than ever before. The second pillar focuses on AI-driven analysis, where Merényi’s team applies an advanced neural network-inspired machine learning approach. This method is particularly suited to uncovering hidden patterns in intricate, high-dimensional data, helping to identify metabolic signatures that may indicate aggressive disease. Finally, ongoing clinical trials conducted by Pilié’s team, involving a diverse group of prostate cancer patients undergoing treatment with androgen signaling inhibitors, will provide valuable human data to validate the AI models. Mouse model data from Bhattacharya’s lab will further enhance the research, helping to link metabolic variations to therapeutic responses and clinical outcomes.

By integrating these three elements, the researchers aim to identify key biomarkers that signal an increased risk of developing aggressive prostate cancer at an early stage. This could allow for more precise, personalized treatment approaches tailored to an individual’s disease profile. The potential of AI in oncology is immense, and Merényi’s expertise in neural map-based machine learning previously applied in fields such as astronomy and Earth remote sensing demonstrates how insights from other scientific disciplines can contribute to medical breakthroughs. The ability to detect rare or subtle patterns in cancer metabolism could transform early detection efforts and improve treatment decisions, ultimately leading to better patient outcomes.

The significance of this research extends beyond prostate cancer. By developing AI-driven models capable of managing complex multimodal cancer data, the project could lay the foundation for AI applications in other areas of oncology and personalized medicine. With CPRIT’s support, this initiative represents a major step forward in leveraging AI to revolutionize cancer diagnosis and treatment. Since its inception, CPRIT has awarded more than $3.7 billion in grants to Texas institutions, playing a pivotal role in recruiting top researchers, fostering innovative startups, and expanding access to cancer prevention services across the state. By funding groundbreaking projects like this, CPRIT continues to drive progress in the fight against cancer, bringing new hope to patients in Texas and beyond.

source: https://news.rice.edu/news/2025/rice-statistician-earns-1m-cprit-award-advance-ai-powered-precision-medicine-prostate