New Horizons in Cancer Research with Artificial Intelligence

The 8th Scientific Meeting, which explored the transformative impact of artificial intelligence in cancer research, brought together leading experts and a large audience in Ankara. The event comprehensively evaluated new-generation approaches at the intersection of oncology and artificial intelligence, emphasizing the importance of interdisciplinary studies and collaborations.

The 8th Scientific Meeting themed “AI Applications in Cancer Research,” organized by the Ankara Innovative Theranostics Development Center (AnkaTheraHub), was held on 9 December 2025 at the 50th Year Conference Hall of Ankara University Faculty of Medicine with strong participation. The event, which evaluated innovative approaches and applications at the intersection of artificial intelligence technologies and cancer research and clinical practice, emphasized that collaboration between different countries, institutions, and disciplines is the key driving force behind progress in this field. Throughout the event, participants gained valuable insights into how multi-center studies are conducted in Europe and had the opportunity to learn comprehensively about how engineering approaches to advanced image analytics in cancer and AI-powered tools are transforming cancer diagnosis.

The program, moderated by Tutku Ünver Aktulga, Head of the AI and Bioinformatics Unit at AnkaTheraHub, began with an opening speech by Prof. Dr. Hakan Akbulut, Director of AnkaTheraHub, who highlighted the Center’s ongoing work in the field of innovative health technologies. This was followed by a presentation from Prof. Luís Martí Bonmatí of La Fe University and the Polytechnic Hospital of Valencia, who explained how the cancer imaging ecosystem is being shaped within the scope of the European Cancer Imaging Initiative (EUCAIM – European Federation for Cancer Images) and described the transformations enabled by artificial intelligence. He also evaluated the impact of large-scale data infrastructures on research and clinical practice and provided insights into how researchers and clinicians in Türkiye can work with the EUCAIM platform.

In the subsequent session, Prof. Dr. İlknur Türkmen from Memorial Healthcare Group emphasized that AI is one of the driving forces behind the digital transformation in pathology, noting its contributions to improving diagnostic accuracy and accelerating workflow processes in cancer care. Prof. Dr. Gözde Bozdağı Akar from Middle East Technical University then presented the benefits of AI-driven tumor segmentation and grading, sharing example studies in which advanced analytical techniques were applied to various cancer types. Through these presentations, participants had the opportunity to examine the growing role of artificial intelligence in both research and clinical decision-support processes from the perspectives of different disciplines.

Throughout the event, the high level of interest from participants representing universities, research centers, start-ups, and healthcare institutions stood out. During the interactive Q&A session following the presentations, topics such as model validation, data security, regulatory frameworks, and the integration of AI tools into clinical workflows were actively discussed. The depth of engagement demonstrated a growing awareness of the strategic importance of AI-driven technologies in advancing cancer research.

AnkaTheraHub will continue to promote scientific knowledge-sharing through future meetings and programs in the field of health innovation. For updates on upcoming events and initiatives, you may regularly follow the Center’s website and social media channels.