WEBINAR on Unlocking the Potential of AI in Cancer Research by Prof. Jakob Nikolas KATHER from Dresden University of Technology
Istanbul Aydın University hosted an insightful webinar on January 13, 2025, as part of its Artificial Intelligence Seminar Series, bringing together experts, researchers, and students to explore the role of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in advancing cancer research. The event was organized in collaboration with the Faculty of Medicine, Advanced Research Application and Research Center, and the Health Service Policies Application and Research Center (HPC) of Istanbul Aydın University.
The webinar, titled "Unlocking the Potential of AI in Cancer Research: Image Analysis, NLP, and Drug Discovery," was moderated by Dr. Arta ARMANI, a distinguished faculty member of the Department of Medical Biology and Genetics at Istanbul Aydın University and Director of HPC. Dr. ARMANI welcomed participants and emphasized the increasing significance of AI in healthcare and its transformative potential in the field of oncology.
Renowned expert Prof. Jakob Nikolas KATHER, MD, MSc, Professor of Medicine and Computer Science and Chair of Clinical Artificial Intelligence at TUD Dresden University of Technology in Germany, delivered an enriching presentation on the integration of AI in cancer research. Prof. KATHER began his talk by expressing his gratitude to Dr. Arta ARMANI for her efforts in making this webinar possible, and he noted the honor of being part of the event at Istanbul Aydın University.
In his comprehensive presentation, Prof. KATHER explored the various ways AI is revolutionizing cancer treatment and research, especially in precision medicine. He shared how the complexity of cancer treatment has evolved—citing the changes in lung cancer treatment from 2010 to 2024—and highlighted the various AI-enabled data modalities in oncology such as pathology and radiology images, genomic data, and natural language processing (NLP).
Prof. KATHER presented cutting-edge advancements in AI, such as deep learning models that predict biomarkers and genotypic characteristics, emphasizing how AI is now being used in clinical practice, particularly in Europe. He discussed the use of AI for predicting homologous recombination deficiency (HRD) and molecular biomarkers from pathology slides, and detailed the implementation of AI in improving prognostic predictions and therapy responses in colorectal cancer. He also covered the categorization of AI-based biomarkers and the growing availability of CE-IVD approved AI products in the clinical setting.
A significant portion of the presentation focused on the hurdles for AI adoption in clinical environments, covering technical, validity, regulatory, financial, and cultural challenges. Prof. KATHER also explored the emerging role of Large Language Models (LLMs) in cancer research and patient care. He emphasized that LLMs, such as GPT-4, should be seen as reasoning engines rather than simple knowledge databases, and can significantly contribute to scientific research, patient empowerment, and clinical decision-making.
Prof. KATHER illustrated how LLMs can streamline tasks like scientific text production, programming, and access to medical knowledge, while also enhancing decision-making in oncology through AI agents and providing a powerful tool for clinical decision support systems. The potential impact of LLMs on oncology was explored through examples of how they could assist in guideline comparison, clinical case evaluations, and automated machine learning for clinical studies.
The webinar concluded with an engaging Q&A session, where participants actively discussed the challenges and opportunities presented by AI in cancer research. Dr. ARMANI closed the session by thanking Prof. KATHER for his insightful presentation and expressing appreciation for the attendees' participation and interest in the event.
This webinar marks another important contribution to the ongoing dialogue on the future of AI in healthcare and its potential to shape the landscape of cancer research and treatment.
