Project using AI to detect skin cancer shortlisted for major award

A pioneering partnership between Check4Cancer and the University of Essex looking at new ways to detect skin cancer has been shortlisted for a major award.

The Knowledge Transfer Partnership, funded by Innovate UK, is in the running for the Science and Engineering Health Technologies Alliance (SEHTA) Healthcare Business Awards.

The partnership has seen Dr Haider Raza, Professor John Gan and Dr Alba Garcia, all from the School of Computer Science and Electronic Engineering, work with Check4Cancer to build an artificial intelligence (AI) model which can analyse suspicious skin lesions and help detect all forms of skin cancer.

The AI model will allow scalability of Check4Cancer’s teledermatology pathway which has already been successful in slashing waiting times, reducing the biopsy rate to 11 per cent and detecting a higher proportion of early-stage melanomas.

Check4Cancer is now working with Dr Raza and the wider team to produce an AI model which will allow the pathway to be scaled significantly in the private and public health sectors in the UK, as well as internationally.

The research has identified seven novel risk factors for all skin cancer types, and weighted risk score will form part of a patent application

The AI model will continue to be tested against human reporting of skin lesions in Check4Cancer’s existing teledermatology pathway to prepare a technical file to apply for regulatory approval as a medical device and, to explore other potential patent applications.

The AI model and app will be introduced to the existing pathway as a decision aid or, to partly automate the triage process when regulatory approval is received.

Dr Raza said: “From the start on this ground-breaking partnership with Check4Cancer, our aim is not just to innovate but to transform lives. Through the power of artificial intelligence, we're revolutionizing the detection of skin cancer, slashing waiting times, and reducing unnecessary biopsies.

“It's more than just a project; it's a commitment to improving healthcare outcomes for all.”

Professor Gordon Wishart, Check4Cancer’s founder and Chief Medical Officer said: “It is fitting that we have been shortlisted with the University of Essex in the Partnership between Academia and Business category as this has been a fantastic collaboration, and AI model performance has already surpassed that of published in-person human reporting and that of our industry competitors."

The SEHTA awards showcase the best collaborations between industry, academia and the NHS across Southern and Eastern England.

The winners are automatically entered into the Medilink UK National Awards, which will take place on 11th July 2024 in London.