Avinash Sahu, PhD

2026 Collaborative Research Development Grant – Microsoft’s AI for Good Lab

University of New Mexico

Project Summary
Genetic tests for ovarian cancer risk often produce unclear results, leaving women and their families and doctor in limbo to decide how to prevent or treat ovarian cancer. To empower them making informed decisions, we are developing explainable AI tools to improve ovarian cancer care across the continuum, from prevention to treatment.

Bio
Avinash (“Avi”) Das Sahu, PhD is an assistant professor at UNM Comprehensive Cancer Center, where he leads th TumorAI lab (Tumorai.org) that pairs interpretable artificial intelligence with genomics to make cancer care clearer and more personal. As a recipient of OCRA’s CRDG award, his team is building an Interpretable AI Framework for Variant Interpretation and Precision Outcome Forecasting—technology designed to turn complex genetic changes into transparent, actionable insights. This work aims to empower women, their families, and clinicians to make informed decisions throughout the ovarian cancer continuum, from prevention to treatment.
Avi completed his Ph.D. in Computer Science as a National Human Genome Research Institute fellow at the University of Maryland and his postdoctoral training at Harvard and the Dana Farber Cancer Institute, experiences that shaped his commitment to building trustworthy, clinician ready tools. His innovative work at the nexus of AI and cancer immunology has been recognized with the Michelson Prize, selection among the Irving Foundation’s “40 Most Promising Young Cancer Immunology Scientists,” and NIH Pathway to Independence (K99/R00) support, with recent papers spanning Cancer Discovery, Nature, and Nature Communications. Guided by a simple aim—to “prevent the preventable and treat the treatable”—he collaborates closely with gynecologic oncologists and geneticists to ensure advances in AI meaningfully improve decisions and outcomes in ovarian cancer care.