Josh Chen, a postdoctoral associate at Binghamton University, is working at the forefront of cancer detection through the Excellence in Entrepreneurship and Discovery (EXCEED) program. Previously a research scientist in New York City medical centers, Chen’s work often involved medical AI technology. Now, alongside Professor Nancy Guo, he is helping develop AI tools for biometric data and cancer image analysis while also learning how to translate research into real-world applications.
EXCEED, funded by the U.S. National Science Foundation’s Accelerating Research Translation grant, supports commercialization of innovative research. Chen won an EXCEED Innovation Fellowship to advance his work on data privacy protection, focusing on federated learning methods that safeguard both patient data and model privacy. His approach, inspired by deep mutual learning, allows public and private models to learn from each other while ensuring sensitive data and intellectual property remain secure. This dual-protection mechanism aims to create highly accurate cancer image analysis models across multiple medical centers.
Chen’s efforts are complemented by other members of Guo’s group. Undergraduate Stephen Barnum worked on GPU parallel processing to accelerate image analysis, reducing processing time from a week to a single day. Graduate assistant Mason Dziadulewicz Tipton bridges radiomics with image analysis, integrating tissue-level and molecular data to provide deeper insights into cancer detection. Together, the team is building tools that combine computer science and oncology to improve diagnosis and treatment.
The EXCEED program has enabled Chen to move beyond theoretical simulations to develop real-world prototypes that could be deployed across medical centers in New York. He emphasized that this experience gave him a developer’s perspective, ensuring that tools are designed with real-world users in mind. Other participants, like Barnum, found the program valuable in shaping their career paths, even outside research.
EXCEED continues to grow, with increasing applications each year, demonstrating the viability of translational research at Binghamton. For Chen, the program has been transformative, allowing him to combine engineering, AI, and entrepreneurship to push cancer detection technology closer to commercialization.
