AI in Cancer Research and Care: Insights from Columbia’s AI Summit

On March 4, 2025, Columbia University hosted its inaugural AI Summit, a day-long series of events gathering the university's extensive expertise in artificial intelligence across neuroscience, medicine, social work, engineering, and the arts. The expert panel "AI for Cancer Care: From Cells to Systems," held at Columbia University Irving Medical Center, explored how artificial intelligence is shaping the future of cancer research, screening, and treatment.

Noémie Elhadad, PhD, chair of the Department of Biomedical Informatics, began the session, setting the stage for a discussion on AI’s transformative role in oncology, especially in prediction, early detection, and new treatments. She also introduced the AI Initiatives at VP&S and all the activities happening as part of the initiative Following her introduction, Raul Rabadan, PhD, delivered a talk emphasizing the unprecedented opportunities AI presents for cancer research. “We are in a very exciting moment in cancer research,” he stated, pointing to the power of large datasets that have moved AI in cancer research from the descriptive to the predictive.

Looking ahead, Rabadan underscored the opportunities for AI in scaling up beyond current limitations and integrating and connecting data modalities. He noted that progress depends on multidisciplinary collaboration and called for teams that bring together both quantitative and experimental researchers to shape the next generation of cancer scientists.

Following Rabadan’s talk, Gamze Gursoy, PhD, moderated the expert panel, which opened with an overview by Anil Rustgi, MD, Herbert and Florence Irving Director of the Herbert Irving Comprehensive Cancer Center (HICCC). Rustgi described AI’s role in cancer research, spanning discovery science, translational medicine, and clinical care, and advocated for expanding the benefits of AI to

“Can we take these aspects of AI and have an impact on cancer screening and cancer surveillance?” Rustgi asked, posing a critical question in expanding the benefits of AI to all. He also addressed the need for AI to be applied in practical, scalable ways, emphasizing, “We have to marry AI with very practical healthcare considerations at a societal level.”

It’s a revolution," said Rabadan, "and this is the right moment to be here—in the middle of the revolution.

The panel then delved into key AI applications in cancer care:

• Chin Hur, MD, discussed how AI is improving cancer screening and prevention. He described simulation models that assess screening strategies for stomach, pancreas, esophageal, colon, and liver cancers, helping to predict risk and guide early detection efforts. Hur also raised the importance of carefully implementing new screening technologies, such as liquid biopsy, at the population level.
• Despina Kontos, PhD, highlighted the dominance of AI in medical imaging, noting that 80% of FDA-cleared AI tools are in radiology. While acknowledging AI’s impact, she called for more rigorous evaluation methods to ensure these tools are effectively integrated into clinical practice.
• Rita Kukafka, PhD, examined the rise of direct-to-consumer AI in healthcare. As healthcare systems become increasingly complex and fewer people have access to primary care, more patients are turning to AI-driven tools. She emphasized the need for responsible development and deployment of these technologies to ensure they serve patient needs effectively.

The session ended with the expert panel looking forward to the future of AI in cancer research and care over the next decade. Rustgi reiterated the HICCC's commitment to integrating AI in cancer research, emphasizing the importance of fostering multidisciplinary teams to leverage AI in addressing significant challenges in cancer research, ultimately aiming to have the most substantial impact on patients.

In closing, Rabadan shared his enthusiasm for what the future holds for AI in cancer research. "It’s a revolution," said Rabadan, "and this is the right moment to be here—in the middle of the revolution."

More About the Speakers

• Noémie Elhadad, PhD – Chair and Associate Professor, Department of Biomedical Informatics; Member, Data Science Institute; Member, Herbert Irving Comprehensive Cancer Center
• Raul Rabadan, PhD – Professor of Systems Biology and Biomedical Informatics; Director, Program for Mathematical Genomics; Co-Director, Cancer Genomics and Epigenomics Program, Herbert Irving Comprehensive Cancer Center
• Gamze Gursoy, PhD – Herbert Irving Assistant Professor of Biomedical Informatics (in Computer Science); Member, Program for Mathematical Genomics; Member, Data Science Institute; Member, Herbert Irving Comprehensive Cancer Center
• Anil Rustgi, MD – Herbert and Florence Irving Professor of Medicine; Herbert and Florence Irving Director, Herbert Irving Comprehensive Cancer Center; Associate Dean of Oncology, Columbia University Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons; Chief, Cancer Services, NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital/Columbia University Irving Medical Center
• Chin Hur, MD – Professor of Medicine and Epidemiology; Co-Director, Cancer Population Sciences Program, Herbert Irving Comprehensive Cancer Center
• Despina Kontos, PhD – Herbert and Florence Irving Professor of Radiological Sciences (in Radiology and Herbert Irving Comprehensive Cancer Center) and Professor of Biomedical Informatics and Biomedical Engineering; Vice-Chair of AI and Data Science Research, Department of Radiology; Director, Center for Innovation in Imaging Biomarkers and Integrated Diagnostics (CIMBID); Chief Research Information Officer (CRIO), Columbia University Irving Medical Center (CUIMC); Director of Biomarker Imaging, New York-Presbyterian Hospital; Member, Herbert Irving Comprehensive Cancer Center
• Rita Kukafka, PhD – Professor of Biomedical Informatics and Sociomedical Sciences, Columbia University; Director, Health Communication and Informatics Lab, Columbia University

  AI for Cancer Care: From Cells to Systems | Columbia AI Summit