New initiative will harness AI and next-generation technologies to uncover treatment breakthroughs and improve patient outcomes
In a bold move to transform care for one of the most lethal and least understood cancers, CU Anschutz has launched a pioneering data science initiative focused on pancreatic cancer. Fueled by a $15 million philanthropic investment from Tom and Cydney Marsico, the initiative builds on CU Anschutz's legacy of innovation and compassionate care and positions the campus at the forefront of cancer research and precision medicine.
"This extraordinary philanthropic investment from Tom and Cydney Marsico will accelerate research and innovation with tremendous potential for saving lives," said CU Anschutz Chancellor Don Elliman. "By combining the exceptional skill of our researchers with the most advanced data science tools available, we are poised to make real progress against one of the most devastating cancers."
Harnessing AI power
In partnership with CU Innovations and the University of Colorado Cancer Center, this program will harness the power of artificial intelligence (AI) and next-generation data science to uncover the biological drivers of pancreatic cancer and accelerate the development of personalized therapies. This includes:
- Spatial transcriptomics, a cutting-edge technique that maps how genes are expressed in different regions of a tumor, helping researchers understand how cancer cells interact with their surroundings.
- Single-cell multiomics, which allows scientists to study individual cells in extraordinary detail - examining their genetic, molecular and protein-level activity to reveal what makes each cell behave differently.
- Advanced machine learning, a form of artificial intelligence that can sift through vast amounts of data to detect patterns, predict outcomes and identify new treatment targets that might otherwise go unnoticed.
Together, these tools will enable CU Anschutz researchers to build a comprehensive picture of pancreatic cancer at the cellular level, leading to more precise and effective treatments.
'One of the most challenging diseases'
"Pancreatic cancer remains one of the most challenging diseases we face in medicine today," said Wells Messersmith, MD, associate director for clinical services at the CU Cancer Center and head of the Division of Medical Oncology at the CU Department of Medicine. "This investment will allow us to bring together clinical expertise and cutting-edge data science to uncover answers that have long eluded scientists. By integrating advanced technologies with cutting-edge compassionate care, we are not only accelerating discovery; we are changing the future for patients and families impacted by this devastating disease."
'By combining the exceptional skill of our researchers with the most advanced data science tools available, we are poised to make real progress against one of the most devastating cancers.'
- CU Anschutz Chancellor Don Elliman
This philanthropic investment will support the recruitment of world-class scientists, the expansion of biobanking and sequencing infrastructure, and the creation of a deeply annotated, multimodal dataset that links biological insights to patient outcomes. The program's ambitious three-year plan is designed to deliver actionable discoveries that can be translated into clinical trials and commercial applications, with the potential to improve lives across Colorado and beyond.
This new initiative builds on the success of RefinedScience, a CU Anschutz and UCHealth partnership that pioneered the use of biology and big data to tackle complex hematologic cancers. Central to this effort is the magnification of our model of combining the data science and business teams formerly from UnitedHealth Group with our faculty - researchers and clinicians - to tackle big problems in healthcare, accelerating innovation through deep collaboration. Thanks to Tom Marsico's gift, we can now apply that proven model to solid tumors - beginning with pancreatic cancer - to unlock new insights and accelerate breakthroughs.
'Deliver real options'
"Simply put, our goal is to deliver real options to patients who have been told there are no more options," said Kimberly Muller, Esq., vice chancellor for innovation and biotechnology and executive director of CU Innovations. "Without Mr. Marsico's vision and support, none of this would have been possible. This is a moonshot that he has given us through his philanthropic donation, ultimately giving hope to our patients."
"On behalf of all of us at the CU Cancer Center, we are exceptionally grateful for this game-changing investment," said Richard Schulick, MD, MBA, director of the CU Cancer Center. "Breakthroughs don't happen in isolation. They're powered by the generosity of philanthropic leaders like Tom and Cydney Marsico, who make it possible for us to explore the kind of research that changes lives."
This meaningful gift would not have been possible without the collaboration of the following individuals:
- Marco Del Chiaro, MD, PhD, professor and division chief of surgical oncology, for his critical work alongside Messersmith, for leading the day-to-day work on this project for the pancreatic cancer team.
- Clay Smith, MD, and Craig Jordan, PhD, professors in the Division of Hematology at the CU School of Medicine, for their foundational work upon which this new project was built that led to the vision of how to expand beyond hematology to pancreatic cancer.
- Grant Petersen, BSE, director of innovation strategy, CU Innovations, for assisting with the business development efforts.
- Rich Zane, MD, chief medical officer of UCHealth, and Steve Hess, chief information officer of UCHealth University of Colorado Hospital, for his invaluable leadership from our partner hospital.
