Irving, Texas, USA, August 8, 2026
Caris Life Sciences® announced that the University of New Mexico Comprehensive Cancer Center (UNM Comprehensive Cancer Center) has joined the Caris Precision Oncology Alliance® (Caris POA), expanding a global collaborative network focused on precision oncology, biomarker-driven research, molecular profiling, and personalized cancer care. The partnership brings UNM researchers and clinicians into a network of cancer centers, academic institutions, research organizations, and healthcare systems working to accelerate cancer research and translate molecular insights into improved patient care. Through the collaboration, UNM Comprehensive Cancer Center will have opportunities to participate in investigator-initiated studies, translational research, biomarker discovery, scientific publications, and clinical trial sequencing support. The addition strengthens collaborative efforts to use molecular science, clinical expertise, and real-world evidence to advance cancer treatment strategies and improve outcomes for patients with complex malignancies.
UNM Cancer Center Joins Global Precision Oncology Network
The addition of the UNM Comprehensive Cancer Center expands the reach of the Caris Precision Oncology Alliance, which is focused on advancing precision medicine and biomarker-based cancer research. As a member, UNM researchers and clinicians can collaborate with institutions across the alliance on research programs designed to better understand cancer biology and identify molecular characteristics that may influence treatment response. The alliance supports activities spanning patient care, research and publications, education, mentoring, biomarker discovery, and clinical trial support. According to Caris, the network has contributed to more than 800 investigator-initiated publications since its establishment, demonstrating the scale of its research activity. By connecting institutions with complementary clinical and molecular expertise, the alliance aims to accelerate the validation of novel molecular signatures and generate evidence that can support more individualized approaches to cancer treatment.
Collaboration Advances Biomarker and Molecular Research
The partnership will provide opportunities to combine Caris’ comprehensive molecular profiling and advanced data science capabilities with the clinical and research expertise of UNM Comprehensive Cancer Center. Caris uses whole genome, whole exome, and whole transcriptome sequencing, alongside artificial intelligence and machine learning, to generate and analyze large-scale clinico-genomic datasets. These technologies can support research into cancer biomarkers, disease biology, treatment selection, and therapeutic development. UNM researchers will be able to collaborate with other Caris POA members on translational research programs and biomarker discovery efforts, potentially generating new insights into the molecular characteristics of cancer and their relationship to patient outcomes. Such collaborations are increasingly important in precision oncology, where integrating genomic information with clinical data can help researchers identify patient populations and molecular signatures relevant to emerging treatment strategies.
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UNM Strengthens Research and Clinical Trial Capabilities
The UNM Comprehensive Cancer Center is the only National Cancer Institute-designated cancer center within a 500-mile radius and serves patients throughout New Mexico. The center includes more than 130 board-certified oncology specialists and more than 600 additional cancer healthcare professionals across multiple disciplines. In 2025, the center treated nearly 15,000 patients through more than 100,000 ambulatory clinic visits, while 1,444 patients participated in cancer clinical trials investigating new treatments, prevention strategies, and cancer genome sequencing. More than 120 cancer research scientists affiliated with the center received approximately $30.5 million in federal and private research grants and contracts in 2025. Joining the Caris POA therefore adds substantial clinical and research expertise to the alliance while creating opportunities for broader collaboration in cancer genomics, precision diagnostics, biomarker development, and clinical research. For Caris, the partnership further expands its precision oncology ecosystem and supports its goal of using molecular data, advanced analytics, and collaborative research to accelerate the development of more personalized cancer care approaches.
Source: Caris Life Sciences press release
