"Tecnología con impacto real en salud" | Ana Gorodisch | TEDxBarrioSanNicolasSalon

Quick Overview

Ana Gorodisch, a bioengineer, details the development of an AI-powered technology that analyzes biopsy images to detect cancer biomarkers with 95% accuracy in seconds, aiming to democratize oncology diagnostics by making them accessible, fast, and economical, especially in regions where current complex laboratory methods are unavailable or too costly.

Key Points: The speaker and her team developed an Artificial Intelligence (AI) tool to classify cancer based solely on biopsy images, achieving 95% accuracy in five seconds. This technology targets the critical gap where traditional, complex, and expensive laboratory diagnostic inputs are inaccessible to many patients, particularly in Argentina and the region. The team initially applied the technology to detect a colon cancer biomarker, later expanding it to endometrial cancer, achieving even better results in the latter. The speaker highlights that the process of developing and validating the algorithm required six months of intensive work, including clinical application and data generation. She emphasizes that the engineers, who were not medical doctors or biologists, found their engineering skills uniquely suited to bridging the gap between complex medical data and practical application. The ultimate goal is to democratize access to oncological diagnostics by creating accessible, fast, and economical tools. The speaker credits the intense collaboration and sacrifice of her founding team (four best friends) for their success, including foregoing personal time for the project.

Context: Ana Gorodisch, a bioengineer, recounts the journey of developing a novel diagnostic tool that leverages artificial intelligence to analyze biopsy images for cancer detection. She frames this work against the backdrop of the emotional difficulty patients face upon receiving a cancer diagnosis without immediate answers, and the current inaccessibility of advanced diagnostic methods in many areas. Her presentation, delivered at TEDxBarrioSanNicolasSalon, emphasizes the intersection of engineering and medicine to create impactful, democratic healthcare solutions.