BICEPS Grants Advance Engineering Innovations in Cancer Care and Early Detection
Sep 18, 2026
Read Time: 3 minutes
Takeaways:
Seven interdisciplinary teams received funding through the Bioscientific Innovations from Cancer Engineering Partnerships (BICEPS) program.
BICEPS provides one-year pilot funding to accelerate innovative ideas at the intersection of cancer and engineering, generate preliminary data, and lay the groundwork for future research.
Impact: Funded projects focus on advancing cancer prevention, diagnosis, treatment, and survivorship through innovative technologies and engineering approaches.
Huntsman Cancer Institute at the University of Utah (the U), in collaboration with the John and Marcia Price College of Engineering and the Department of Radiation Oncology, has awarded grant funding to seven interdisciplinary teams to develop transformative engineering solutions that will advance pioneering cancer care and early detection.
The researchers were selected as part of Bioscientific Innovations from Cancer Engineering Partnerships (BICEPS), an interdisciplinary program now in its third year. BICEPS funds one-year pilot programs that bring together engineering and Huntsman Cancer Institute faculty. This year, each of the teams were awarded a grant of $40,000—the highest total amount in the three-year history of the initiative.
“I’m thrilled by the innovative partnerships that have come together through the BICEPS program, bringing cancer researchers at Huntsman Cancer Institute together with the engineering faculty from the Price College of Engineering to tackle some of the most significant challenges in cancer today,” says Neli Ulrich, PhD, MS, executive director of the Comprehensive Cancer Center and chief scientific officer at Huntsman Cancer Institute and professor of population health sciences at the U. “By combining expertise in cancer biology, clinical care, and engineering, these collaborations have the potential to advance new technologies and solutions for how we detect, diagnose, and treat cancer. That is exactly what BICEPS was created to support.”
BICEPS began in 2023, following a networking event that brought cancer investigators and engineers together to share research interests and explore cutting-edge solutions. Since its launch, BICEPS has united researchers from across disciplines to develop innovative technologies and approaches aimed at improving cancer prevention, diagnosis, treatment, and survivorship.
"The best cancer breakthroughs happen when engineering researchers and clinicians build the ideas, models, and systems together,” says Charles Musgrave, PhD, dean of the Price College of Engineering at the U. “Our partnership with Huntsman Cancer Institute provides the treatments and tools that turns hope into healing, and I am eager to see the results of this year’s collaborations.”
“The Department of Radiation Oncology is excited to be part of this initiative, as these alliances drive innovation that will enable earlier detection, more precise therapies, and improved quality of life for patients with cancer,” says Amit Maity, MD, PhD, FASTRO, professor and chair of the Department of Radiation Oncology at Huntsman Cancer Institute and the U. “I am excited to see how the selected projects will address some of the most pressing and complex issues in cancer care.”
Sachin Apte, MD, MBA, MS, chief clinical officer and physician-in-chief at Huntsman Cancer Institute and professor of obstetrics and gynecology at the U, is also excited about the future of the program.
“I am inspired by the teamwork we have seen in the BICEPS initiative this year. The talented cancer researchers and engineers have impressed me with their creativity and innovation,” says Apte. “As an oncologist with a degree in engineering, I look forward to seeing how these collaborations will improve cancer care for patients across the area we serve and beyond.”
Awardees and Their Projects
Investigating a new mechanism for improving breast cancer drug response
Benjamin Spike, PhD, investigator at Huntsman Cancer Institute and assistant professor of oncological sciences at the U
Thomas Zangle, PhD, MS, investigator at Huntsman Cancer Institute and associate professor of chemical engineering at the U
Creating an implant to prevent recurrence of head and neck cancer
Chen Wang, PhD, assistant professor of materials science and engineering at the U
Richard Cannon, MD, surgeon at Huntsman Cancer Institute and assistant professor of otolaryngology—head and neck surgery at the U
Nitish Khurana, PhD, research assistant professor of molecular pharmaceuticals at the U
Designing a new instrument to measure ultra-high dose radiation
Edward Cazalas, PhD, MS, associate professor of nuclear engineering at the U
Geoff Nelson, PhD, medical physicist at Huntsman Cancer Institute and associate professor of radiation oncology at the U
Advancing a scalable, cost-effective approach to measure exposure to 'forever chemicals’ that don't degrade
Himanshu Jayant Sant, PhD, associate professor of chemical engineering at the U
Sheetal Hardikar, PhD, MPH, MBBS, investigator at Huntsman Cancer Institute and associate professor of population health sciences at the U
Marc Porter, PhD, MS, distinguished professor emeritus of chemical engineering at the U
Identifying microplastics burden and perceptions in cancer-predisposed individuals
Jeffrey Bates, PhD, assistant professor of materials science at the U
Judy Ou, PhD, MPH, investigator at Huntsman Cancer Institute and assistant professor of pediatrics at the U
Using AI to uncover hidden relationships in imaging of head and neck cancer
Premavathy Rassiah, PhD, MSCI, investigator at Huntsman Cancer Institute and professor and vice chair of radiation oncology at the U
Tolga Tasdizen, PhD, MS, professor and associate chair of electrical and computer engineering at the U
Aik Choon Tan, PhD, senior director of data science and AI at Huntsman Cancer Institute and professor of oncological sciences at the U
Developing patient-specific breast implants for breast cancer survivors
Sijia Huang, PhD, assistant professor of chemical engineering and materials science and engineering at the U
Jayant Agarwal, MD, Huntsman Cancer Institute investigator and professor of surgery at the U
The critical research happening every day at Huntsman Cancer Institute is supported by the National Institutes of Health/National Cancer Institute, including cancer center support grant P30 CA042014, as well as Huntsman Cancer Foundation.
Media Contact
Heather Simonsen
Associate Director, Public Affairs
Huntsman Cancer Institute
801 646-4120
public.affairs@hci.utah.edu
About Huntsman Cancer Institute at the University of Utah Huntsman Cancer Institute at the University of Utah is the National Cancer Institute-designated Comprehensive Cancer Center for Utah, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, and Wyoming. With a legacy of innovative cancer research, groundbreaking discoveries, and world-class patient care, we are transforming the way cancer is understood, prevented, diagnosed, treated, and survived. Huntsman Cancer Institute focuses on delivering the most advanced cancer healing and prevention through scientific breakthroughs and cutting-edge technology to create pioneering cancer treatments beyond the standard of care today. We have more than 400 open clinical trials and more than 300 research teams studying cancer. More genes for inherited cancers have been discovered at Huntsman Cancer Institute than at any other cancer center. Our scientists are world-renowned for understanding how cancer begins and using that knowledge to develop innovative approaches to treat each patient’s unique disease. Huntsman Cancer Institute was founded by Jon M. and Karen Huntsman.
Resources for Media
Brand Guide
Media Relations
Quick Facts
Cancer Research
