NIH Grant of $2.4 million for AI-Enabled Oral Cancer Detection System

• Post by: beeslab
• December 10, 2024
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Dr. Hardik J Pandya from the Indian Institute of Science (IISc) and Dr. Fiona Ginty from GEHTIC have been awarded a $2.4 million grant from the National Institutes of Health to develop a low-cost, AI-enabled system for early detection of oral cancer. The project in collaboration with Dr. Narayana Subramaniam from SPARSH Hospital, aims to address the critical need for accessible and timely diagnosis of oral cancer in India.

Oral cancer is a major public health concern in India, with a high mortality rate often attributed to late-stage diagnosis. The new portable device will enable point-of-care screening using brush biopsy cytology slides, with cloud connectivity for remote analysis by pathologists and AI-powered automated diagnosis. This innovative approach promises to expedite diagnosis and treatment significantly, ultimately improving survival rates for oral cancer patients.

The project is funded for five years and will involve the development and deployment of a prototype device with built-in AI algorithms for automated reporting. This ground-breaking research has the potential to revolutionize oral cancer screening in India and beyond, offering hope for earlier diagnosis and better treatment outcomes.