Areej Alsaafin, PhD

2026 Mentored Investigator Grant

Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center

Project Summary
This project aims to uncover the earliest warning signs of ovarian cancer by tracking immune changes and DNA damage in the fallopian tubes before cancer forms. Using advanced AI-driven analysis of spatial proteomic and transcriptomic data, we will study tissue samples from the earliest signs of abnormality through to late-stage cancer. By identifying patterns that predict which early lesions may become cancerous, this research could lead to earlier detection, when treatment is most effective, and help guide prevention strategies for those at highest risk.

Bio
Areej Alsaafin, PhD is a Research Scholar in Computational Oncology at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center (MSK) in New York, specializing in multimodal artificial intelligence across digital pathology, genomics, and real-world clinical data. She serves as the scientific lead for the multimodal ovarian cancer program within the MSK MIND (Multi-Modal Integration of Data) initiative, where she integrates histopathology whole slide images with molecular profiles to identify predictive biomarkers and patient subgroups for targeted therapies. Her research leverages advanced machine learning to extract predictive tumor features, model therapeutic response, and enable robust patient stratification, advancing AI-driven precision oncology through clinically actionable insights. Previously, Areej conducted advanced AI research at Mayo Clinic, focusing on multimodal representation learning for computational pathology and immunogenomics. She earned her PhD in Systems Design Engineering, specializing in Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning, from the University of Waterloo, Canada. Her work has been recognized through multiple competitive research awards and grants supporting high-impact, translational oncology research.