Microsoft backs new Global Ovarian Cancer Research Consortium and $1m AI-powered grant
National charities from the U.S, Australia, Canada and the UK unite for a shared global strategy
Four leading ovarian cancer research charities from around the world have joined forces to launch a $1 million global grant aimed at harnessing the power of artificial intelligence (AI) to improve outcomes for those diagnosed with ovarian cancer.
The initiative, unveiled today on World Ovarian Cancer Day, is backed by Microsoft’s AI for Good Lab, which will contribute a further $1 million in cloud computing support.
The Global Ovarian Cancer Research Consortium, formed in 2024 but now launching its first major initiative, brings together organizations from the United States (Ovarian Cancer Research Alliance (OCRA)), Australia (Ovarian Cancer Research Foundation), Canada (Ovarian Cancer Canada), and the United Kingdom (Ovarian Cancer Action). This is the first time these national charities have formally united under a shared global strategy.
Tackling a global issue of slow progress
Each year, more than 324,000 women globally are diagnosed with ovarian cancer, and over 200,000 die from the disease. Despite medical advances in other cancer types, outcomes in ovarian cancer remain grim. Projections show that without intervention, deaths could rise to more than 350,000 annually by 2050. AI has already shown promise in other cancer fields - from radiology to pathology - but its application in ovarian cancer research remains underexplored.
The Consortium’s inaugural initiative, dubbed the AI Accelerator Grant, will fund international, multidisciplinary research teams focused on using AI to confront some of the most persistent challenges in ovarian cancer - from delayed diagnoses to limited treatment options.
“For far too long, survival rates have barely budged, and women around the world continue to face devastating odds,” said Audra Moran, President and CEO of OCRA.
“We cannot afford to wait another decade for meaningful progress... which is why we envisioned a grant of this global magnitude and scope specifically for AI.”
The grant will fund a collaborative project that includes researchers from each of the four participating countries.
AI for good
Alongside the monetary award, Microsoft will provide up to $1 million in Azure compute credits to power data-intensive research through its AI for Good Lab, which has been collaborating with OCRA in the United States.
“New discoveries are needed to find lifesaving treatments for ovarian cancer, a cancer that tragically still has a low survival rate,” said Juan Lavista Ferres, Microsoft’s Chief Data Scientist and Director of the AI for Good Lab.
“Equipping leading researchers around the globe with powerful AI tools and computing resources will help accelerate their critical work, hopefully leading to breakthroughs that save women’s lives.”
The Consortium’s move signals a growing recognition that coordinated, international investment - especially in technological innovation - is essential to making overdue progress in ovarian cancer survival.