Meet the winners of the inaugural AI MedTech Match Grand Challenge
Two teams of clinical and AI experts, who were matched through the program, will receive one year of funding support for their proposed research projects.
AI & Digital Health Innovation (AI&DHI) and e-Health and Artificial Intelligence (e-HAIL), in partnership with the Rogel Cancer Center and the Michigan Medicine Department of Surgery are proud to announce the winners of the inaugural AI MedTech Match Grand Challenge.
Both teams, each comprised of a clinical faculty member from Michigan Medicine and a U-M faculty expert who specializes in artificial intelligence, will receive one year of funding support for their proposed research projects, helping them push their work to a critical next stage and equipping them to apply for external grants at the conclusion of the funding period.
AI-enabled Cancer Diagnostics from Cell-free RNA Liquid Biopsies
Principal Investigators: Matthew Iyer, MD, PhD, Clinical Assistant Professor of Surgery and Pathology;
Hui Jiang, PhD, Professor of Biostatistics
This project aims to develop AI-powered approaches for cancer detection, classification, and monitoring using cell-free RNA liquid biopsies.
Liquid biopsy is a simple blood test that can detect and monitor cancer without the need for invasive tissue biopsies. This project builds on a new approach that analyzes tiny fragments of RNA circulating in the blood, which may carry signals from tumors throughout the body. Because these signals are complex, we will use artificial intelligence (AI) methods to identify patterns that distinguish cancer from healthy conditions, determine where a cancer started, and track how it responds to treatment over time.
By combining large-scale RNA data with cutting-edge AI models, the project seeks to create a more sensitive and accurate diagnostic tool than those currently available. If successful, this work could reduce the need for painful and costly procedures, enable earlier and more precise cancer detection, and help doctors adjust treatments more quickly—ultimately improving outcomes and quality of life for patients.
AI-Driven Tool for Family-Centered Shared Decision Making in Pediatric Surgical Oncology
Principal Investigators: Peter Ehrlich, MD, MSc, Professor of Surgery; Vera Liao, PhD, Associate Professor of Computer Science and Engineering
Parents and caregivers of children with cancer want to stay engaged in their children’s care and surgical decisions, but they often feel overwhelmed and face significant information gaps and communication barriers with providers. Current information delivery methods relying on limited and static materials fail to account for the high degree of clinical variability and the specific emotional or cognitive needs of individual families.
This project will develop an AI-powered “What Should I Ask?” mobile app to guide families’ information gathering process through personalized, continuously improving question suggestions. The app will also support their communication with providers and self-directed learning to improve knowledge, engagement, and psychological comfort before surgery, and in the long run, patient outcomes.
About the AI MedTech Match Grand Challenge
Launched in 2025, AI MedTech pairs clinical investigators with participating AI faculty specialists to collaboratively develop and pitch innovative research proposals. Leaders from the Medical School, the College of Engineering, and the School of Public Health review and score each submission, with the highest-ranking teams moving on to present their work before an expert panel at the virtual “Wolverine Den” pitch day event.
While the first AI MedTech Match competition was open exclusively to faculty from Rogel and Surgery, AI&DHI is expanding the program to encompass additional clinical areas and is actively seeking new partners to support these future iterations. Those who are interested in learning more are encouraged to reach out to Phil Jacokes, Managing Director at AI&DHI. Information is also available on the official AI MedTech Match website. The next AI MedTech Match Grand Challenge is planned to launch in Fall 2026.
About AI & Digital Health Innovation
AI & Digital Health Innovation (formerly Precision Health at U-M) is dedicated to empowering researchers at the University Michigan to change the future of digital healthcare. They work with multi-disciplinary teams of health providers, basic scientists, engineers, and administrators to tackle the most difficult research problems and help rapidly bring ideas to the bedside. For more information visit aidhi.umich.edu.