Pingkun Yan, co-director of Rensselaer’s Biomedical Imaging Center, recently received a National Institutes of Health (NIH) Bench-to-Bedside award grant with his NIH collaborator Dr. Brad Wood for their research focused on improving cancer detection through ultrasound imaging.

Right now, Yan said, ultrasound imaging is the most commonly used tool for interventional procedures. It is easy to use, provides real-time pictures, and is cost-effective. It also isn’t very specific or sensitive when it comes to detecting cancer. The goal of Yan’s research, with this NIH grant, is to develop a better way to detect and view tumors during interventional procedures using a deep learning approach.

The research project is a
partnership between Yan’s team, which is located within the Center for
Biotechnology and Interdisciplinary Studies at Rensselaer, and Wood Lab at NIH.
The joint team is receiving $300,000 over two years for this work. The
Bench-to-Bedside Program funds research teams that are looking to develop
therapeutic interventions for patients by translating basic scientific findings.