Amazon Web Services (AWS) and Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center (MSK) have announced a collaboration aimed at advancing cancer research through artificial intelligence, high-performance computing, and cloud technology. This partnership seeks to address the growing global challenge of cancer, with projections indicating that cancer deaths could reach 15 million annually by 2040.
AWS will support MSK in utilizing its clinical research and treatment data to develop AI-driven cancer research and personalized treatments. The initiative will focus on creating a comprehensive longitudinal data resource for cancer research, which can also be used to validate and improve studies conducted with partners.
“MSK’s collaboration with AWS is rooted in our shared vision and commitment to accelerate the pace with which we ideate, create, and bring lifesaving innovations to cancer patients,” stated Dr. Anaeze Offodile II, MSK Chief Strategy Officer.
The partnership will leverage large language models through Amazon Bedrock and Amazon SageMaker to enhance data quality for AI model development. This approach aims to provide insights into disease trajectories and improve patient care through advanced tumor predictions.
Dave Levy, AWS Vice President of Worldwide Public Sector and Healthcare and Life Sciences, commented: “Pairing MSK’s cancer research expertise…with AWS’s advanced cloud and AI capabilities creates a powerful engine for innovation.”
Additionally, the collaboration will support MSK’s Innovation Hub by scaling its efforts in AI innovation. The hub aims to foster collaborations between MSK innovators and companies working on digital oncology solutions. Startups participating in the hub will receive access to resources from both organizations.
An AI Technology Development Fund will be established to support high-impact AI technologies benefiting oncology patients. Furthermore, AWS plans to assist MSK in enhancing its entrepreneurship program for oncology innovators by providing cloud services, mentoring, and networking opportunities.
The collaboration also focuses on accelerating drug discovery for cancers with unmet needs using AWS’s Drug Discovery Workbench. This tool aids researchers in screening compounds quickly while reducing costs associated with traditional methods.
