Gastounioti Receives NIH R01 Grant to Support Breast Cancer Research

Preventative screenings are the best method to detect breast cancer in its earlier, more treatable stages for all populations. But racial disparities exist between white and Black women for not only mortality rates but also predictive artificial intelligence (AI) models that assess cancer risk.

In efforts to reduce these disparities, Aimilia Gastounioti, PhD — assistant professor of radiology for WashU Medicine’s Mallinckrodt Institute of Radiology (MIR) — secured a five-year, $3.1 million R01 grant from the National Institutes of Health to develop a new tool to help accurately assess long-term breast cancer risk in Black women. The R01 funding mechanism supports projects with mature ideas and strong preliminary data.

Research has shown that AI, especially deep learning, can help find new patterns in mammograms that predict breast cancer risk. But most existing AI models were developed using data from primarily white populations, which means they might be inaccurate or unsuitable for Black women who could benefit from tailored screening and prevention strategies. Additionally, most studies have focused on traditional digital mammograms, while a newer method called digital breast tomosynthesis is now more commonly used in the US.

Gastounioti’s research presents an innovative approach to address this gap. Also a principal investigator in MIR’s Computational Imaging Research Center, she ultimately hopes her research leads to better, personalized risk assessments and reduces late-stage breast cancer diagnoses in Black women.