Diagnostic Biomarkers and Technology Branch (DBTB)
Supporting research to advance biomarkers and technological tools for research and clinical decision making.
Program Directors in the Diagnostic Biomarkers and Technology Branch (DBTB) of the Cancer Diagnosis Program (CDP) stimulate and support research to develop new biomarkers, diagnostic strategies, models, innovative technologies, and improved devices. These advancements contribute to better tools for research and clinical decision making.
Research Areas
- Cancer Biology Integration: Incorporating new knowledge from cancer biology and tumor-host interactions into cancer diagnosis research.
- Innovative Technology Development: Developing innovative technologies and devices for use in cancer diagnostics, prognostics and prediction.
- Biomarker Platforms: Integrating and applying results from biomarker research and technology development into novel platforms for cancer diagnosis.
- Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning: Developing and implementing AI, machine learning models, and neural networks for analysis of high dimensional data applied to cancer diagnostics, prognostics and prediction.
- Liquid Biopsy and Non-Invasive Techniques: Supporting technologies for analyzing circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA), circulating tumor cells (CTCs), proteins, extracellular vesicles, and other analytes for cancer diagnosis and treatment.
Selected Initiatives
Highlighted Recent Supported Projects
| Principal Investigator | Institution | Project |
|---|---|---|
| Brian Cunningham, Ph.D. | University of Illinois | Rapid, simple, and ultrasensitive quantitation of KRAS ctDNA at the point of care using CRISPR/Cas amplification and digital resolution biosensor microscopy |
| David Issadore, Ph.D. | University of Pennsylvania | High Throughput Digital Droplet Assays for Ultrasensitive Multimodal (DNA, RNA, and Protein) Diagnostics |
| Dan Landau, M.D., Ph.D. | Weill Medical College of Cornell University | Genome-wide mutational integration for ultra-sensitive plasma tumor burden monitoring in immunotherapy |
| Periannan Kuppusamy, Ph.D. | Dartmouth College | EPR scanner for tumor oximetry in the clinic |
| Richard Levenson, M.D. | University of California, Davis | CoreView and FIBI for rapid-onsite evaluation and molecular profiling of core-needle breast biopsies |
Workshops
- Workshop: Transformative Microsystem Technologies for Cancer Diagnostics, Monitoring Treatment Response, and Management Workshop 2025.
- Workshop: ctDNA in Cancer Treatment and Clinical Care (Sept. 14-15, 2023). Paper: NCI workshop on ctDNA in cancer treatment and clinical care
- Workshop: Circulating Tumor DNA Assays in Clinical Cancer Research (Sept. 29-30, 2016). Paper: Circulating Tumor DNA Assays in Clinical Cancer Research
Seminar Series
The DCTD Technology Seminar Series launched in 2025 in collaboration with multiple programs in DCTD, as a continuation of the previous 2024 CDP hosted Technology Seminar Series.