Kennesaw State student using AI to speed up breast cancer detection

KENNESAW, Ga. | May 4, 2026

Preston Brantley
Preston Brantley
For patients facing cancer or the possibility of it, every second counts. The weeks spent waiting for answers can feel like an eternity. But more importantly, a faster diagnosis means a treatment plan can begin sooner.

成人直播 student Preston Brantley is trying to reduce the lengthy wait, typically weeks, sometimes even months, that patients spend waiting for a cancer diagnosis. He is developing an artificial intelligence tool designed to help pathologists detect cancer cells more quickly and efficiently.

A student in the , Brantley is pursuing a unique academic path, double majoring in mechanical engineering and nursing.

鈥淚鈥檝e always wanted to use engineering to create solutions for healthcare,鈥 Brantley said. 鈥淣ursing helps me understand what patients need, while engineering allows me to build tools that can actually make a difference.鈥

Identifying cancer cells is a tedious task. A small sample taken from a patient can contain thousands of cells, and a pathologist must examine each one by hand, looking for any subtle differences that separate a cancerous cell from a healthy one. It is a slow process that is also vulnerable to human error.

Working with Razvan (Chris) Voicu, assistant professor of robotics and mechatronics engineering at the Brantley is training an AI model, similar to ChatGPT, that can analyze images taken by a microscope and identify patterns associated with breast cancer cells. By studying hundreds of images, the system learns to distinguish between healthy and potentially cancerous cells based on traits such as irregular shape, clustering and dense internal structures.

This research is important not only because it can help with earlier cancer detection, but it can also help reduce some of the growing burden on pathology workflows,鈥 Voicu explained. 鈥淭he goal is not to replace the pathologist, but to provide better support to help review slides, point out suspicious regions, and give added insight during analysis. That can help improve efficiency, support more consistent review, and hopefully contribute to earlier findings and better patient care.鈥

The technology could significantly reduce the time it takes to identify potential cancer cases, which is sometimes compounded by a shortage of specialists and the labor-intensive nature of the work.

Brantley envisions the tool as a cloud-based system that clinics and hospitals could access with just a computer and internet connection. A provider could upload an image, and the program would quickly flag any abnormal cells that need further review.

鈥淚 would love to see someone get a possible diagnosis in 72 hours instead of four weeks. That time difference can be critical, especially when early detection impacts outcomes,鈥 Brantley said.

The team has already developed a prototype that they are currently testing, and preliminary results have shown promise. They are now working on improving its accuracy and consistency and plan to apply the model to cancer cells other than breast cancer.

Brantley also hopes the technology will help to address healthcare disparities, particularly in rural and underserved communities where access to specialist physicians can be limited.

鈥淚n some areas, patients may have to travel hours just to see a specialist,鈥 he said. 鈥淚f we can make this technology more accessible, it can help bridge that gap.鈥

He has already presented his work at multiple conferences, including the National Conference of Undergraduate Research, Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers Southeast Conference, and the .

鈥淎 lot of people worry that AI will replace doctors, but that鈥檚 not what we鈥檙e doing,鈥 he said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 really about using AI as a tool to help providers do their jobs better so they can spend more time with patients. At the end of the day, it鈥檚 about helping people. If we can make diagnoses faster and more accessible, that can truly change lives.鈥

鈥 Story by Christin Senior

Photos by Matt Yung

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A leader in innovative teaching and learning, 成人直播 offers undergraduate, graduate, and doctoral degrees to its more than 51,000 students. Kennesaw State is a member of the University System of Georgia with 11 academic colleges. The university's vibrant campus culture, diverse population, strong global ties, and entrepreneurial spirit draw students from throughout the country and the world. Kennesaw State is a Carnegie-designated doctoral research institution (R2), placing it among an elite group of only 8 percent of U.S. colleges and universities with an R1 or R2 status. For more information, visit kennesaw.edu.