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Objectives
Achieving rapid cell classification with high biomolecular sensitivity to investigate the specific conditions of leukemia observable in particular cells.
Investigating the cellular origin of leukemic diseases.
The challenge
Many of the most recent advances in biomedical research relate to identifying new methods for studying cells. Thanks to the combined application of modern technologies, it is now possible to significantly reduce the time needed to analyze and classify certain cells, revolutionizing the diagnostic systems used for specific diseases.
The “AI&BM for Leukemia” project — proposed by the University of Ferrara and Plastic Jumper, and funded by Fondazione IFAB — aims to develop a new system for the early diagnosis and monitoring of leukemia during and after therapy.
The new system seeks to overcome certain limitations of current diagnostic practices, which are based on specialized laboratory analyses, by simplifying and speeding up analysis and studying treatment effectiveness in a non-invasive, highly accurate way.
Solution
As the name suggests, “AI&BM for Leukemia” combines two technologies: hyperspectral Biophotonic Microscopy (BM) and Artificial Intelligence (AI) applied to images obtained through microscopy.
Biophotonic microscopy is a technology that leverages the interaction between light and biological matter to study its characteristics. It allows cellular features to be visualized without the need for markers that could alter the biological sample itself, generating digital images representative of the light reflection spectrum emitted by the biological material.
The project’s goal is to use biophotonic microscopy on blood cells from a form of human acute promyelocytic leukemia (APL) (HL60), for which a therapy already exists that does not rely on chemotherapy drugs. It will thus be possible to reproduce the therapeutic process in vitro on these cells (achieved through differentiation using substances such as retinoic acid) and monitor the evolution of the blood cells through the various stages of treatment.
From the digital images collected at each stage, applying quantitative analysis through Artificial Intelligence techniques makes it possible to obtain information on the composition of cell membranes.
Artificial Intelligence will also make it possible to automate the identification of these characteristics, which can be correlated with a cell’s pathological state at specific moments during therapy. In practice, the system will be able to provide a health/disease profile of blood cells and their response to treatment, dramatically speeding up and refining diagnosis, and above all monitoring during treatment (response to therapy) and after recovery (relapses).
The project unfolds in three phases:
Phase 1 – Data collected through biophotonic imaging is compared with traditional labeling methods to map how cells respond to light at various stages of differentiation as a result of pharmacological treatment.
Phase 2 – The collected sample is profiled using algorithms that recognize specific imaging features (shape, pixel clusters, etc.), producing an analysis of the blood cells’ characteristics.
Phase 3 – The statistical analyses gathered are also compared against reference literature.
Benefits
Once the experimental phase is complete, the project’s ultimate goal is to develop a new diagnostic technology, based on biophotonic microscopy and Artificial Intelligence techniques, applicable to ex vivo blood cells — that is, taken directly from patients, such as a simple drop of blood obtained via a finger prick.
This would be a simple, quick test, producing no waste and deployable even outside hospital settings (e.g., pharmacies), moving in the direction of strengthening proximity-based healthcare. A new, faster, less costly type of test, bringing undeniable benefits for patients and the community, allowing quicker access to treatment, avoiding other more invasive tests, and preventing precautionary therapies from being extended longer than necessary in patients who have already recovered.
IFAB’s role
IFAB took part in the project as a funding body, selecting it as part of its investment lines in research, innovation, and technology transfer. IFAB’s contribution consisted of recognizing the project’s scientific and practical value and providing financial support, making it possible to carry out the research activities conducted by the technical partners. This involvement confirms IFAB’s mission as an accelerator of high-impact initiatives for the local area and productive system.
Partners
For more information, contact: projects@ifabfoundation.org
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