Inside CMU’s Push To Transform Treatment for Cancer, Organ Failure and Chronic Disease

Researchers at Carnegie Mellon University are revolutionizing medical care for diseases that impact millions of Americans and the treatments they develop could alleviate major public health challenges. 

The new and ongoing research, focused on early cancer detection and treatment for liver failure and chronic diseases like Type 2 diabetes, is powered by federal funding through the Advanced Research Projects Agency for Health (ARPA-H). 

Reducing the need for full organ transplants

One CMU-led project could help eliminate chronic organ shortages by focusing on treating patients with acute liver failure(opens in new window). The five-year-long research project, which was awarded an ARPA-H grant of up to $28.5 million earlier this month, is part of ARPA-H’s Personalized Regenerative Immunocompetent Nanotechnology Tissue (PRINT) program and aims to create a 3D bioprinted liver that supports the regeneration of a patient’s own liver. The bioprinted tissue can be used as an alternative to transplants.

“This innovation would fundamentally change health care as we know it,” said Adam Feinberg(opens in new window), principal investigator on the project and a professor of biomedical engineering(opens in new window) and materials science and engineering(opens in new window) at the College of Engineering(opens in new window). “The liver we are creating would last for about two to four weeks,” Feinberg said. “It would give patients time for their own liver to regenerate, and then they would not need a liver transplant, freeing up those livers for other patients.”

This research addresses a major public health issue in the U.S. In 2024, about 100,000 organ transplants (including corneas) were performed. Annually, 100,000 patients are stuck on transplant waiting lists. Millions more would benefit from organ replacement, but do not qualify for a transplant. 

The research uses CMU’s FRESH 3D bioprinting(opens in new window) and 3D ice platforms to create biologic livers composed entirely of human cells and structural proteins, such as collagen. The livers will be engineered to be immune-compatible, eliminating the need for immunosuppressive medications, which are often toxic and damaging to patients’ liver and kidney function. 

“The technologies and capabilities we develop will also have an impact beyond the liver, enabling additional efforts to build human tissue and organs to treat congenital heart defects, heart disease, blindness and Type 1 diabetes,” Feinberg said.

Catching cancerous tumors earlier 

An at-home screening test(opens in new window) that is able to detect more than 30 types of Stage 1 cancer is being developed by researchers at CMU. The test they envision is a multistep process. First, the patient swallows a bioengineered pill that contains tumor sensors. Those sensors are triggered by low oxygen, acidity and lactate in the body, which are trademark signs of cancer. Then the patient completes a urine test, in which a simple device analyzes whether there is a tumor and the organ in which it is located. The results will then be sent via smartphone to a medical professional for further analysis and possible treatment. 

Rebecca Taylor(opens in new window), a professor of mechanical engineering(opens in new window) in the School of Engineering(opens in new window), is leading the project alongside fellow mechanical engineering professor Burak Ozdoganlar(opens in new window). 

“This would allow doctors to treat diseases when they're most treatable,” Taylor said. “I think this research would potentially change how we view a lot of cancer treatment and it would add to productive, healthy years of life for patients. Imagine, every year, getting that peace of mind you found out that there is no new data for you — no Stage 1 tumors have been found. Or, if a tumor is found, it’s small. It’s treatable. That could change the course of a person’s health for the rest of their life.”

The researchers plan to move the multicancer detection kit testing into human trials and bring it to market at an affordable cost to patients at less than $100.

“Beyond the scientific breakthroughs, our focus is on creating a truly impactful solution,” Ozdoganlar said. “Our ultimate goal is to translate this innovation into a commercial product that empowers individuals to take control of their health, significantly reducing the burden of advanced cancer and improving outcomes globally.”

The team is represented by CMU researchers and private industry partners and has secured an award of up to $26.7 million from ARPA-H Platform Optimizing SynBio for Early Intervention and Detection in Oncology (POSEIDON(opens in new window)).

An implant that could fix America’s chronic disease crisis

In just a few years, treatment for diseases that impact tens of millions of Americans — like Type 2 diabetes, obesity and thyroid disorders — could require just one trip to the doctor’s office a year. 

“With a push of a button on their phone, a patient can get their chronic condition under control,” said Tzahi Cohen-Karni(opens in new window), a CMU professor of biomedical engineering and materials science and engineering. 

These advances could one day give people with chronic conditions access to an implantable device that delivers treatment automatically, reducing their dependence on costly medications or frequent doctor visits. The approach could also lead to better outcomes by providing precise care exactly when it’s needed.

Cohen-Karni’s research, also funded by ARPA-H, is one of several bioelectric medicine projects at CMU that use electronic tools to treat diseases. Their goal is to develop implantable devices the size of a AAA battery that act as a miniature pharmacy inside the body.

“The implanted device contains engineered cells to treat a wide range of chronic diseases,” Cohen-Karni said. 

The cells can also act as tiny disease sensors. 

“These cells are engineered either by modifying their DNA or by differentiating them from stem cells, so that they can sense signs of disease and precisely produce therapeutic molecules,” said Ozdoganlar, who also is working on this ARPA-H project.

The technology is minimally invasive and has the ability to deliver patient-specific therapy to manage the disease. This unique therapy delivers treatment in a remarkable way — without synthetic drugs or medication. 

While one group of cells within the implant delivers therapy to treat the disease, Ozdoganlar's research team is also developing a second system called a “living sentinel.” The cells inside the living sentinel continuously monitor biomarkers — indicators of disease activity in the body — for critical changes in the disease. 

These devices will be implanted in the patient’s arm, belly or chest and can also send real-time updates to them and their doctor. These snapshots can give doctors a more accurate picture of diseases like Type 2 diabetes or thyroid disorders, which the researchers believe will lead to more effective treatment. For example, right now doctors monitor patients with thyroid disorders by analyzing blood tests every six months. 

Researchers hope these devices will save patients money. Because the devices will only need to be replaced once a year, people will be able to get lifesaving treatment at a fraction of the cost. 

“The clinician on our team, who sees hundreds of patients from different backgrounds, said many of her patients can’t afford to pay for treatment,” said Cohen-Karni. “This device would be more affordable by an order of magnitude.”