Collaborative program with the University of Virginia will investigate how the tumor microenvironment shapes drug response and scale a new approach to oncology drug development.

 

BIRMINGHAM, Ala., (Aug 23, 2026) – CerFlux, Inc., a Birmingham-based cancer biotechnology company developing human-relevant tumor models and drug-response testing capabilities, today announced that it has received a $1.25 million award from the U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF). The funding will advance a collaborative program between CerFlux and the University of Virginia focused on generating more predictive evidence for oncology drug-development decisions.

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The project, titled “Predictive ex vivo solid-tumor new approach method for screening anticancer drugs,” will advance the CerFlux Bioprinted ex vivo Slice Tissue, or BEST, platform. BEST models are designed to preserve and reproduce important features of the human tumor microenvironment while enabling multiplexed testing of anticancer therapies.

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“This Phase II program lets us pursue our most important goal: matching treatments to tumors. It sounds simple, but to do that, we need technologies that can tell us in advance which treatments are most likely to work in human tumors – and which are not. This project brings us one step closer,” said Dr. Karim I. Budhwani, co-founder and CEO-Scientist of CerFlux. “Cancer drugs are still too often tested in systems that do not reflect human disease. In this project with UVA, we will create large numbers of engineered tissue designed to mimic patient tumors and test a range of cancer drugs in them. This will reveal not only which drugs work, but also how the surrounding tumor environment shapes treatment response so that we can match treatments not just to cancer cells, but also to the environment sheltering them.”

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The program combines CerFlux capabilities in human-relevant tumor modeling and drug-response testing with UVA expertise in clinical and translational cancer research. UVA will serve as the clinical anchor for the patient-derived work, providing colorectal tumor tissue and clinical context to support the development and evaluation of BEST models and explore how laboratory findings relate to patient outcomes.

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The work builds on an established collaboration with Dr. Allan Tsung, professor of surgery and chair of the UVA Department of Surgery. Drs. Budhwani and Tsung have a proven history of collaboration in translational oncology, particularly in gastrointestinal cancers. Under their leadership, the CerFlux–UVA teams will extend that foundation from human tumor characterization to patient-derived model validation and human-relevant drug-response testing.

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“Human tumors are extraordinarily complex, and the microenvironment around them can profoundly shape how they respond to treatment,” said Dr. Tsung. “By combining our clinical research capabilities at UVA with Dr. Budhwani’s tumor-modeling technologies at CerFlux, we can study that complexity in a way that is grounded in patient biology. Creating engineered tumors from patient tissue will allow us to examine how drugs affect cancer cells and how each tumor’s environment shapes that response. If we get this right, we will be able to move better therapies from discovery through development, and ultimately match them to the patients most likely to benefit.”

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The program has three objectives: (a) test more drugs across a broad range of colorectal cancer models, (b) use tumor tissue from patients to build and evaluate human-relevant BEST models, and (c) automate analysis and inference using AI/ML. By connecting tumor microenvironment characteristics with drug-response patterns, CerFlux aims to help biopharmaceutical companies make more informed go/no-go decisions, reduce dependence on poorly predictive animal models, and accelerate effective cancer therapies from the laboratory to patients.

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The project is particularly timely as the biomedical research community moves toward New Approach Methods, or NAMs, that can produce more human-relevant evidence while reducing reliance on animal testing.

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CerFlux also recognizes the catalytic support of Innovate Alabama. Through its Supplemental Grant Program, Innovate Alabama previously awarded CerFlux $200,000 in non-dilutive funding to complement the company’s federal SBIR support and advance the technology. That state-level backing helped CerFlux strengthen its commercial readiness, invest in local workforce development, and grow its Alabama-based foundation.

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About CerFlux, Inc.

CerFlux, Inc. is a Birmingham, Alabama-based cancer biotechnology company developing human-relevant ex vivo and in silico (AI/ML) platforms to improve how anticancer therapies are evaluated and selected. CerFlux aims to apply these capabilities across the oncology continuum: improving AI-enabled cancer drug-response prediction with PROPHET, generating evidence about the likely clinical efficacy of preclinical compounds with PEER, strengthening clinical trials with POETRY, and supporting individualized treatment selection with POET. By quickly and clearly distinguishing treatments most likely to work from those unlikely to benefit, CerFlux will improve drug-development and treatment decisions, patient outcomes, and quality of life. Learn more at www.cerflux.com.

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About UVA Department of Surgery

The University of Virginia Department of Surgery advances patient care through clinical excellence, scientific discovery, education, and innovation. As part of UVA Health and the University of Virginia School of Medicine, the Department brings together surgeons, scientists, trainees, and multidisciplinary partners to translate research discoveries into new approaches to the prevention and treatment of disease. Its research programs span basic, translational, clinical, and outcomes science, with a commitment to developing new therapies, advancing surgical care, and improving outcomes for patients in Virginia and beyond. Learn more at https://www.uvahealth.com/about.

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About the NSF SBIR Program

The National Science Foundation (NSF) Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) program is highly competitive and provides non-dilutive funding to small businesses developing technologies in areas of high national priority. The program supports early-stage research and development while allowing companies to retain control of their technologies, teams, and intellectual property. Learn more at seedfund.nsf.gov.