Revolutionizing Cancer Diagnosis: AI-Powered Tool Detects Tumors in Seconds

Tuesday, February 18, 2025
Scott Hopkins

Dr. Scott Hopkins, a professor in the Department of Chemistry at the University of Waterloo, has been awarded Awarded $250,000 from the Cancer Digital Intelligence’s Grand Challenge, Hopkins to further develop an innovative diagnostic tool to improve treatment outcomes for brain and spine cancers. Each year, approximately 3,300 Canadians are diagnosed with central nervous system (CNS) cancers, with a mortality rate of 79%. Current treatment protocols involve neurosurgery to remove tumors, which are then analyzed post-operatively to determine their type. This process often necessitates multiple surgeries, as surgeons lack immediate information to guide their approach during the initial operation.

In collaboration with Princess Margaret Hospital, Dr. Hopkins is creating a diagnostic platform that can identify CNS cancer types within 10 seconds, enabling real-time, intraoperative decision-making. This advancement aims to reduce the need for multiple surgeries and improve patient outcomes.

For more information, read the full article: Dr. Scott Hopkins using Artificial Intelligence for on-the-spot cancer diagnosis platform | Science | University of Waterloo