Kashmiri scientist pioneers world’s first AI-driven oral cancer database at Jamia Millia Islamia

New Delhi, Aug 30: In a remarkable stride for medical research, a Kashmiri scientist at Jamia Millia Islamia (JMI) has led the creation of the world’s first AI-driven oral cancer database, marking a pivotal moment in the fight against this devastating disease.

The groundbreaking work, emerging from the Multidisciplinary Centre for Advanced Research and Studies (MCARS) at JMI, has been spearheaded by PhD scholar Nisha Chaudhary under the guidance of Tanveer Ahmad.

Their study, soon to be published in the prestigious Scientific Data journal of the Nature Publishing Group, introduces a dataset poised to revolutionise the diagnosis of oral submucous fibrosis (OSMF) and oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC). The AI tool, named ORCHID (Oral Cancer Histology Image Database), has been meticulously developed using over 300,000 high-resolution tissue images, with more than 1 million images screened.

This dataset was compiled from samples sourced from esteemed medical institutions across India, including Ranchi Institute of Medical Sciences, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, Maulana Azad Institute of Dental Sciences, and Banaras Hindu University. “Our dataset is a significant step towards making early diagnosis of oral cancer faster, more accurate, and accessible to everyone, especially in regions with limited pathology resources,” said Nisha, reflecting on the importance of their work.

The study’s senior author, Tanveer, highlighted the unprecedented nature of this achievement, noting, “This is the first such extensive database in the world, and the response has been overwhelming. Researchers globally are eager to access our database and AI tool to advance their studies in digital pathology.” Protected by two patents, the ORCHID dataset has already drawn international attention, positioning India as a leader in integrating AI into cancer diagnostics.

Akhilanand Chaurasia, a senior author and MDS Oral Medicine and Radiology expert, emphasised the transformative potential of this development. “AI and digital pathology have already transformed oral cancer diagnosis, and our database will have a profound impact on patient outcomes worldwide. It is a proud moment for India to be at the forefront of this innovation,” he said.