Announcing the First
ECRF-Funded Research

Development of a Less-Invasive Screening Method for Endometrial Cancer

Women with Lynch Syndrome have an inherited genetic change that greatly increases their risk of developing endometrial cancer. Cancers arising from this disease have a telltale pattern of DNA changes called microsatellite instability (MSI). Detecting MSI matters because it determines whether a person is eligible for immunotherapy, a life-saving cancer treatment.

However, detecting these cancers is challenging, as current screening methods lack the sensitivity needed to detect early-stage cancers and are highly invasive. This project aims to overcome these challenges by applying an ultra-sensitive DNA sequencing approach to detect MSI in blood samples. The goal of this project is to develop a less invasive method for detecting endometrial cancer at an earlier stage for women with Lynch syndrome.

Why This Research Matters

For women with Lynch syndrome, current screening and diagnostic approaches can involve repeated invasive procedures while still presenting challenges in detecting cancer at its earliest stages.

This research explores whether blood samples can detect signs of endometrial cancer by identifying very small amounts of tumor DNA. The approach uses deep, ultra-sensitive sequencing focused on genomic regions associated with MSI, allowing researchers to detect cancer-related changes that may otherwise be difficult to find.

Early validation of the approach has shown promising preliminary findings, and ECRF’s seed funding will help move the research to the next stage, including further assay development and evaluation of sensitivity and specificity.

Importantly, the pilot data generated through this work could help support larger future grants and clinical studies, extending the potential impact of ECRF’s initial investment.

About the Researcher

Anicka AbiChedid is a Ph.D. candidate in the Cell and Molecular Biology program at Duke University. She is mentored by Dr. Christopher Counter, with whom she develops and applies ultra-sensitive DNA sequencing technologies to detect DNA mutations found in cancer cells. Her research is driven by her passion for developing diagnostic technologies and translating these tools from the laboratory into the clinic. Beyond her research, she is deeply engaged in entrepreneurship and science communication at Duke.

“Thank you very much for your generous support of my project! I am sincerely grateful for the opportunity to work with your foundation towards our common goal of making endometrial cancer screening less invasive.”

— Anicka AbiChedid

For ECRF, this project represents more than our first research investment. It is an opportunity to help promising science generate the early evidence needed to move forward.

As a growing grassroots organization, we recognize the potential of seed funding to serve as a catalyst—helping researchers develop preliminary data, pursue larger funding opportunities, and move promising ideas closer to future clinical studies.

We are deeply grateful to everyone who has supported ECRF and helped us reach this milestone. Your support is helping put research into motion and build the foundation for what comes next in endometrial cancer research.