R01DE030656

Deep Learning Image Analysis Algorithms to Improve Oral Cancer Risk Assessment for Oral Potentially Malignant Disorders - Abstract

Oral Potentially Malignant Disorders (OPMD) are a group of mucosal diseases in the oral cavity with a risk of progressing to oral squamous cell carcinoma. Risk assessment is traditionally done through a combination of clinical and histologic evaluation. Leukoplakia is a common type of OPMD that is given a histologic grading score that is supposed to be related to its risk of progression. However, there is tremendous intra- and inter-observer heterogeneity in dysplasia grading, leading to variability and uncertainty in risk assessment and treatment planning. This also hinders the ability to study the biology of these lesions.

We propose to use whole slide imaging on routine Hematoxylin and Eosin (H&E) stained sections in combination with deep learning methods to build a consistent risk scoring system for OPMD. Our methods will identify cell, nucleus, and tissue architectural features relevant to the risk of progression in OPMD. These features will be tested in a large retrospective case-control study and then validated prospectively. We will also explore combining them with genomic and immune biomarkers in order to improve the prognostic power and explore the biology of progression in OPMD.

We hope that these efforts will improve and standardize risk assessment for OPMD. This could lead to improved treatment and prevention options by enabling risk stratification and allowing future clinical trials to be conducted in a more uniform patient cohort. Similarly, it could improve our understanding of the biology of OPMD and the process of progression to cancer.

Yale Univ

NIDCR EXTRAMURAL RESEARCH PROVIDES RESEARCH FUNDS TO SUPPORT BASIC, TRANSLATIONAL, AND CLINICAL RESEARCH IN DENTAL, ORAL, AND CRANIOFACIAL HEALTH AND DISEASE THROUGH GRANTS, COOPERATIVE AGREEMENTS, AND CONTRACTS THAT SUPPORT SCIENTISTS WORKING IN INSTITUTIONS THROUGHOUT THE UNITED STATES AND INTERNATIONALLY. EXTRAMURAL PROGRAMS PLAN, DEVELOP, AND MANAGE SCIENTIFIC PRIORITIES THROUGH PORTFOLIO ANALYSES AND CONSULTATION WITH STAKEHOLDERS, ENCOURAGING THE MOST PROMISING DISCOVERIES AND EMERGING TECHNOLOGIES FOR RAPID TRANSLATION TO CLINICAL APPLICATIONS. THE INTEGRATIVE BIOLOGY AND INFECTIOUS DISEASES PROGRAMS SUPPORTS BASIC AND TRANSLATIONAL RESEARCH PROGRAMS ON ORAL MICROBIOLOGY, SALIVARY BIOLOGY AND IMMUNOLOGY, ORAL AND SALIVARY GLAND CANCERS, NEUROSCIENCE OF OROFACIAL PAIN AND TEMPOROMANDIBULAR DISORDERS, MINERALIZED TISSUE PHYSIOLOGY, DENTAL BIOMATERIALS, AND TISSUE ENGINEERING AND REGENERATIVE MEDICINE. THE BRANCH AIMS TO ACCELERATE PROGRESS IN BASIC AND TRANSLATIONAL RESEARCH IN THESE AREAS, AND FURTHER STIMULATE THE DISCOVERY PIPELINE BASED ON CLINICAL NEEDS. THE TRANSLATIONAL GENOMICS RESEARCH PROGRAMS SUPPORTS BASIC AND TRANSLATIONAL RESEARCH IN GENETICS, GENOMICS, DEVELOPMENTAL BIOLOGY, AND DATA SCIENCE TOWARD THE GOAL OF IMPROVING DENTAL, ORAL, AND CRANIOFACIAL HEALTH. THE FOCUS IS ON DECIPHERING THE GENETIC, MOLECULAR, AND CELLULAR MECHANISMS UNDERLYING DENTAL, ORAL, AND CRANIOFACIAL DEVELOPMENT AND ANOMALIES. THE BEHAVIORAL AND SOCIAL SCIENCES RESEARCH PROGRAMS SUPPORTS BASIC AND APPLIED RESEARCH TO PROMOTE ORAL HEALTH, TO PREVENT ORAL DISEASES AND RELATED DISABILITIES, AND TO IMPROVE MANAGEMENT OF CRANIOFACIAL CONDITIONS, DISORDERS, AND INJURY. THE PROGRAM PRIORITIZES MECHANISTIC RESEARCH THAT CONTRIBUTES TO A CUMULATIVE SCIENCE OF BEHAVIOR CHANGE, TO MAXIMIZE THE RIGOR, RELEVANCE, AND DISSEMINATION OF EFFICACIOUS BEHAVIOR CHANGE INTERVENTIONS. THE CLINICAL RESEARCH PROGRAMS SUPPORTS PATIENT-ORIENTED, POPULATION, AND COMMUNITY BASED RESEARCH AIMED AT IMPROVING THE DENTAL, ORAL, AND CRANIOFACIAL HEALTH OF THE NATION. THE CENTER FOCUSES ON A VARIETY OF DISEASES AND CONDITIONS THROUGH CLINICAL TRIALS, EPIDEMIOLOGIC STUDIES, PRACTICE-BASED RESEARCH, THE HIV/AIDS AND ORAL HEALTH PROGRAM, AND STUDIES OF ORAL HEALTH DISPARITIES AND INEQUITIES IN ALL AREAS OF NIDCR PROGRAMMATIC INTEREST. THE PROGRAM ENCOURAGES INVESTIGATIONS THAT HAVE THE POTENTIAL TO TRANSLATE FINDINGS INTO EVIDENCE-BASED CLINICAL APPLICATIONS. THE RESEARCH TRAINING AND CAREER DEVELOPMENT EXTRAMURAL PROGRAMS SPAN THE CAREER STAGES OF SCIENTISTS, SUPPORTING RESEARCH TRAINING AND CAREER DEVELOPMENT FOR PHD AND DUAL DEGREE DDS/DMD-PHD STUDENTS, POSTDOCTORAL SCHOLARS, AND EARLY CAREER, MIDCAREER, AND ESTABLISHED INVESTIGATORS. THE PROGRAMS MANAGE SUPPORT FOR FELLOWSHIPS, RESEARCH TRAINING GRANTS, CAREER DEVELOPMENT AND CAREER TRANSITION AWARDS, NIH LOAN REPAYMENT AWARDS, AND DIVERSITY SUPPLEMENTS TO SUPPORT RESEARCH EXPERIENCES FOR HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS THROUGH INVESTIGATORS. NIDCR PARTICIPATES IN THE SMALL BUSINESS INNOVATION RESEARCH (SBIR) AND SMALL BUSINESS TECHNOLOGY TRANSFER (STTR) PROGRAMS. THE SBIR PROGRAM IS INTENDED TO INCREASE PRIVATE SECTOR COMMERCIALIZATION OF INNOVATIONS DERIVED FROM FEDERAL RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT, TO INCREASE SMALL BUSINESS PARTICIPATION IN FEDERAL RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT, AND TO FOSTER AND ENCOURAGE PARTICIPATION OF SOCIALLY AND ECONOMICALLY DISADVANTAGED SMALL BUSINESS CONCERNS AND WOMEN-OWNED SMALL BUSINESS CONCERNS IN TECHNOLOGICAL INNOVATION.THE STTR PROGRAM IS INTENDED TO STIMULATE AND FOSTER SCIENTIFIC AND TECHNOLOGICAL INNOVATION THROUGH COOPERATIVE RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT CARRIED OUT BETWEEN SMALL BUSINESS CONCERNS AND RESEARCH INSTITUTIONS, TO INCREASE PRIVATE SECTOR COMMERCIALIZATION OF INNOVATIONS DERIVED FROM FEDERAL RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT, AND TO FOSTER AND ENCOURAGE PARTICIPATION OF SOCIALLY AND ECONOMICALLY DISADVANTAGED SMALL BUSINESS CONCERNS AND WOMEN-OWNED SMALL BUSINESS CONCERNS IN TECHNOLOGICAL INNOVATION. EXTRAMURAL PROGRAMS ARE ACCOUNTABLE FOR THE EFFICIENT AND EFFECTIVE USE OF TAXPAYER FUNDS TO SUPPORT RESEARCH ON DENTAL, ORAL, AND CRANIOFACIAL DISEASES AND DISORDERS AND IMPROVING THE ORAL HEALTH OF ALL AMERICANS. EXTRAMURAL PROGRAMS SUPPORT RESEARCH AND RESEARCH TRAINING TO ESTABLISH THE FOUNDATION FOR SCIENTIFIC DISCOVERIES THAT INCLUDE TRANSPARENT AND RIGOROUS PLANNING, PRIORITY SETTING, CONTINUOUS AND CONSISTENT REVIEWS OF PROGRESS, AND FOCUS ON THE DEVELOPMENT OF A DIVERSE, HIGHLY SKILLED, AND NIMBLE WORKFORCE THAT CAN RAPIDLY RESPOND TO SCIENTIFIC BREAKTHROUGHS AND PUBLIC HEALTH CHALLENGES. EXTRAMURAL PROGRAMS ARE ACCOUNTABLE FOR THE EFFICIENT AND EFFECTIVE USE OF TAXPAYER FUNDS TO SUPPORT RESEARCH ON DENTAL, ORAL, AND CRANIOFACIAL DISEASES AND EMPLOY EVALUATION DOMAINS, FROM NEEDS ASSESSMENT AND STRATEGIC PLANNING TO IMPLEMENTATION AND PROCESS EVALUATION, PERFORMANCE MEASUREMENT, AND OUTCOMES AND IMPACT ANALYSIS TO EVALUATE STRATEGIC OBJECTIVES

93.121 - Oral Diseases and Disorders Research

National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research (NIDCR) [HHS - NIH]

New Haven, Connecticut 065191369 United States

Single Zip Code

Precision Imaging of Oral Lesions (R01- Clinical Trial Not Allowed) (PAR-18-787)

Amendment Since initial award the total obligations have increased 392% from $691,555 to $3,400,243.