IBM’s Watson to tackle brain cancer treatment

Officials at The New York Genome Center and IBM recently announced an initiative to use IBM’s cognitive supercomputer, Watson, to tackle the complex process of delivering personalized care for brain cancer patients.

Major breakthroughs into the genetic drivers of cancer have illuminated more effective DNA-based treatment opportunities. However few patients have benefited so far. Clinicians lack the tools and time necessary to identify patients’ genome patterns as is necessary to use DNA-based treatments, according to IBM officials.

By using Watson, which became famous after a successful stint playing “Jeopardy!,” researchers hope to dramatically reduce the time it takes to identify an individual”™s genetic mutations to allow clinicians to consider various treatment options.

“With this knowledge, doctors will be able to attack cancer and other devastating diseases with treatments that are tailored to the patient”™s and disease”™s own DNA profiles,” Dr. John E. Kelly III, director of IBM Research, said in a press release. “If successful, this will be a major transformation that will help improve the lives of millions of patients around the world.”