NORFOLK, Va. — Old Dominion University is teaming up with Google in a first-of-its-kind AI collaboration.
Ph.D. student Walia Farzana about how she’s using a new artificial intelligence incubator to improve outcomes for brain cancer patients.
“The challenge is that we’re trying to understand the most aggressive brain tumor,” Farzana said. “We have a very complicated mathematical model, and we are running against time.”ODU’s new partnership with Google features MonarchSphere, a first-of-its-kind AI incubator powered by Google Cloud.
So, what’s an AI incubator?
“It’s an ecosystem that brings the solution to solve real problems, identify the proper solution and apply it,” said Dr. Chrysoula Malogianni, senior associate vide president for Digital Innovation at Old Dominion University.
In the fight to treat aggressive brain tumors, speed and accuracy matter. Each patient may have hundreds of medical images—or “slices”—that need to be reviewed.
“It’s hugely time-consuming. In fact, if you want to do one of these small models per patient, it could take two to three days,” said Dr. Khan Iftekharuddin, professor in the electrical and computer engineering department at ODU.
With the Google-powered MonarchSphere, it can be done in about an hour.
Google’s director of education, Matthew Schneider, called the collaboration a major step forward:
“This partnership marks a defining moment—not just for ODU, not just for Google, but for all of higher education as we define the new standard. This is a groundbreaking model.”
Beyond health and research, the technology will also be used to enhance the student experience at ODU.
“With these tools we capture different interactions, and we are able to provide students the support they need—in the form they need it,” said Malogianni.
Aiming to lead the way in AI technology and innovation, ODU’s MonarchSphere is making a positive impact in Hampton Roads.
“When you’re doing research in MonarchSphere, or taking advantage of the opportunities ODU provides as part of being a Monarch, it actually gives you a purpose,” Farzana said.
