Waterloo tech talent is powering Skinopathy’s AI revolution in skin cancer screening
By: Christie Zeb (she/her)
Co-op students help build AI technology that’s revolutionizing the future of dermatology.
Skinopathy is leveraging artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning for early skin cancer detection and other skin conditions. The company has created AI solutions that help physicians, nurses and patients globally to pre-screen for skin cancers.
As a medtech startup, Skinopathy depends on skilled tech talent to power this innovation. The company has found these talents in Waterloo’s Engineering, Computer Science, Geomatics and Health Sciences programs.
Co-op students contribute significantly to the codebase that powers Skinopathy. They write codes for the mobile and web app, build billing modules and SMS notification systems and work on other projects to keep Skinopathy’s technology running.
Every term, Skinopathy hires students to work on software development and AI engineering. Health Sciences students spend their co-op work terms carrying out clinical and medical science research to inform the creation of relevant AI solutions. These students bring innovative skills that help put Skinopathy at the forefront of dermatology innovation.
Burak Yildiz, engineering lead at Skinopathy
One of the most impressive things I’ve seen a student do is write error handling code. He was frustrated with how the errors were being handled and decided to do something about it. That code is now being used in the company.
Luke Wu (he/him), an Honours Geomatics student, is spending his co-op work term as an AI engineering intern at Skinopathy. He works with Python-based models like PyTorch and YOLOv8. Skinopathy is using these models to help to assess burns and determine the size of the affected area on a patient's skin.
“My work primarily involves using YOLOv8 to identify the burn area and then leveraging the built-in parameters of the smartphone camera to measure the concavity and convexity of the skin in the affected area. Through this role, I have gained good knowledge about AI and its practical applications," says Wu.
Helping students excel: Skinopathy’s supportive environment
Wu receives mentoring and support at Skinopathy which helps him to be more efficient at his job. The company’s vibrant culture and regular team bonding events are highlights for him. They contribute to his positive co-op experience.
“While the job is challenging and there is still a lot for me to learn about AI modelling, the experience has been invaluable in shaping my future career path and development,” says Wu.
Skinopathy has an onboarding process to help students seamlessly settle into their jobs as AI and software engineers. Students receive documentation and videos that take them through the crucial parts of the company’s codebase.
For their initial tasks, students work on "first contribution" features designed to help them get acquainted with the codebase. The team also allows pair programming, provides in-depth code reviews and offers comprehensive feedback. These resources help students get up to speed quickly and contribute effectively in their roles.
“Waterloo students bring a lot of experience. They usually need little on-the-job training, and we save time getting them up to speed and used to our code base,” says Yildiz.
Students have weekly check-ins and one-on-one meetings with their supervisors to receive guidance.
When hiring, Skinopathy looks for students who are fast learners, take initiative and are problem solvers. “Their knowledge of programming and the ability to learn whatever new language we might want them to learn is important to us,” says Yildiz.
As Skinopathy continues to revolutionize dermatology care, its solutions not only transform patient outcomes, but also shape the careers of the next generation of tech innovators.
With the invaluable contributions of Waterloo co-op students, Skinopathy is set to lead the way in AI-driven healthcare solutions.