Florida Tech Alumnus Talks Cancer, Radiomics and Health Disparities
Matthew Schabath ’98 visited campus last week to present his latest research as part of the university’s Biomedical Engineering & Science seminar series. He also toured the site of Burrell College of Osteopathic Medicine’s new medical school and the Scott Center for Autism Treatment, along with meeting students and faculty members.
Schabath is a leader of the Cancer Epidemiology Program at Moffitt Cancer Center in Tampa. A Moffitt Distinguished Scholar, he has published over 220 peer-reviewed papers and has expertise in molecular epidemiology, artificial intelligence methods for biomarker development and validation and health disparities, with a focus on LGBTQ+ patients with cancer.
His talk, held in Evans Library, highlighted research related to the application of image analysis (i.e. “radiomics”) and artificial intelligence for lung cancer precision medicine. Radiomics is a research field that involves converting standard-of-care medical images into quantitative, image-based data.
Schabath also presented data from Moffit, a National Cancer Institute-designated cancer center, regarding cancer disparities among LGBTQ+ patients and discussed how next-generation and multidisciplinary epidemiologic research is addressing clinically relevant issues in the 21st century.
“Dr. Schabath’s presentation was a remarkable convergence of cutting-edge science and a commitment to equity,” said Tristan Fiedler, seminar program coordinator and federal government programs manager at Florida Tech.
He continued, “Dr. Schabath’s pioneering work in radiomics and AI not only advances the frontiers of precision medicine for lung cancer, but also underscores the importance of leveraging these technologies to reduce health disparities, particularly among LGBTQ+ cancer patients. This comprehensive approach is reshaping the epidemiological research landscape and laying a foundation for a data-driven, more equitable future in health care. As an esteemed alumnus of Florida Tech, Dr. Schabath’s work inspires us all to reach higher and explore new horizons in research and education.”
