The goal of this research is to develop a data-driven diagnostic tool that supports clinicians in making rapid, accurate, and personalized therapeutic decisions for patients with urothelial carcinoma.
Richelle Gao (Class of 2027), Associate Professor of Biology and Global Public Health Bineyam Taye, and Dr. JianYu Yao, vice chair of the Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine at UCLA Health, have been awarded a $10,000 Picker ISI Scholars Program grant for their collaborative research project, “Biomarker-Driven Diagnostic Modeling to Complement Urine Cytology in Urothelial Carcinoma.” The project aims to improve the diagnostic sensitivity of high-grade urothelial carcinoma (UC) by integrating molecular biomarker analysis with quantitative machine learning models to complement traditional urine cytology techniques. By combining automated chemiluminescence immunoassays with statistical validation and classification modeling, the team will transform biomarker measurements into standardized, clinically actionable diagnostic insights. The goal of this research is to develop a data-driven diagnostic tool that supports clinicians in making rapid, accurate, and personalized therapeutic decisions for patients with urothelial carcinoma.