The study, titled “Machine Learning to Optimize Lung SBRT Dose Prescription,” examines whether artificial intelligence can help doctors predict the optimal radiation treatment plan based on each patient’s anatomy, medical history, and unique location of the tumor.
In collaboration with the Nova Scotia Health Authority and Cape Breton University, Dr. Kafai and her team are using data-driven models to help physicians design more accurate and personalized care plans, reducing delays and minimizing risk to surrounding organs.
“Right now, it can take several days to create a radiation treatment plan,” she explains. “It requires multiple adjustments by the medical team before a final decision is made. We are exploring how machine learning can act as an intelligent assistant, not to replace doctors, but to help them predict appropriate settings more efficiently and with greater confidence.”
Improving care where it’s needed most
Her path to this career was shaped early on by her father, whose quiet encouragement to “do something meaningful” stayed with her. “He dreamed of me working at a university,” she recalls. Today, that same drive to teach, learn, and help others underpins her research and uses her knowledge to improve care where it is needed most.
Dr. Kafai’s passion for medical innovation took root during his postdoctoral research, where he began to understand the impact data could have on the real world. “You really get to see how your work impacts people,” she says. “That’s what keeps me going.”
She grew up in an area far from major hospitals and research centers, where advanced treatments often required long-distance travel. “Even here in Nova Scotia, people sometimes have to travel hours or even to other provinces for specialized care,” she recalled. “If we can bring technology and expertise closer to small or rural communities, the impact can be huge.”
It’s a sentiment that resonates far beyond the walls of academia. Lung cancer remains one of the most aggressive and challenging cancers, affecting nearly every family in some way. Waiting for treatment can be excruciating for patients and their loved ones. Technologies that reduce latency while improving accuracy can change outcomes and change lives.
Expanding the impact of innovation
Dr. Kafaie’s collaboration with Nova Scotia Health’s Dr. Mike Sattarivand began with a simple question: “Can we plan treatments for lung cancer faster and more accurately?” This question then evolved into a cross-disciplinary partnership that combines medical expertise and advanced analytics.
