Artificial Intelligence Implementation in Tuberculosis Diagnosis and Care

Authors:

Alisha Sri-Ram, Maha Farhat

Date Created:

2025-01-01

Course Title:

Professor:

Not specified

About Paper:

Tuberculosis (TB) remains a leading global health challenge, products such as CAD4TB and qXR demonstrating sensitivity particularly in certain low-resource settings where limited above 90% in triage settings. Microbiological models predicted screening capacity and delayed diagnostics hinder effective care, drug resistance using whole-genome sequencing data, while leading to poor treatment outcomes. Artificial intelligence (AI) clinical models relied on symptom profiles and cough sounds for offers promising solutions to these challenges, and this study screening. However, less than 20% of studies reported real-world evaluates current AI implementations in TB care, providing a implementation, especially in low-resource settings. critical assessment of future research priorities in this rapidly Our findings highlight the benefits of AI in enhancing TB care, but evolving field. implementation is hindered by algorithm complexity, data access, We conducted a systematic keyword-based literature review and standardization challenges, and ethical considerations. Supporting categorized AI tools according to their data input (imaging, local biotech innovation and tailoring tools to low-resource microbiological, or clinical variables) and stage of development. environments are critical for sustainable integration. When used Weassessedeachtool’sapplicationacrossfourcoreTBcareareas: asacomplementarytoolalongsidetraditionaldiagnostics,AIholds screening, diagnosis, treatment monitoring, and drug regimen substantial potential to transform TB care globally and accelerate design. progress toward WHO’s End TB targets. Future research should AI tools were most commonly applied in imaging-based TB focusonimprovingmodelgeneralizability,reliability,andcontext- diagnosis, such as chest x-rays, ultrasounds and CT scans, with specific threshold calibration, to maximize AI’s impact in high- burden, resource-limited settings. Optimization of Extracellular Vesicle Protein Readout Following Immunocapture Leela Strand, Maia Norman, David Walt Harvard College | Cabot House | Neuroscience | 2028 To date, much of the focus of neurodegeneration research has To develop an AQP1 assay, I started by testing several antibodies been on neurons. Increasingly, there is an understanding that to be used as captures and detectors for the SIMOA AQP1 assay. glia, the support cells of the brain, play a major role. Typically, Next, I optimized the buffer solution and number of washes. I then in response to injury or disease, astrocytes will change their tested the validity of the assay through dilution linearity and spike function to protect neurons, entering reactive astrocytosis. This and recovery in both CSF and Plasma. has been identified as a contributor to neurodegeneration and The results show strong binding of our antibodies to AQP1, with a studied in animal models but not in living humans. Understanding limit of detection in the single femtomolar range. Furthermore, we the proteomic and transcriptomic profiles of astrocytes in living individuals as neurodegeneration progresses could elucidate novel have established good assay parameters with spike and recovery as therapeutic avenues. One way to gain this understanding is to well as dilution linearity. In future experiments I will use size exclusion chromatography analyze extracellular vesicles (EVs) which are released by all cells and contain the proteins and RNA from their cell of origin. The to fractionate CSF and plasma and determine whether AQP1 Walt lab has developed immunocapture procedures for astrocyte elutes primarily in the EV-associated fraction. Next, I will follow EVs. In order to confirm the specificity of this procedure, I am our astrocyte immunocapture procedure along with nonspecific developing an assay of AQP1, a known transmembrane protein on binding controls and attempt to detect AQP1 to confirm astrocyte astrocytes. specificity. 128 Program for Research in Science and Engineering Establishing Methods and Resources to Investigate the Regulation of Ambystoma mexicanum Cell Cycle and Fate Regulation During Regeneration Anthony Striker, Julia Paoli, Jessica Whited Harvard College | Pforzheimer House | Molecular and Cellular Biology | 2028 The axolotl, Ambystoma mexicanum, is a neotenic salamander process of creating a line of Axolotls with a CRISPR-Cas9 that has long served as a model in regenerative biology for its knockout of the well-known tumor suppressor TP53, which has unique ability to regenerate almost any nonvital organ or complex previously been implicated in regulating the process of urodele structure. This phenomenon, fascinating in its implications for limb regeneration. This will help examine this gene’s role, human regenerative medicine and tissue repair, should by all while hopefully creating the possibility of generating spontaneous reasoning be accompanied by a great downside. Such mass axolotl tumors. Additionally, we are conducting trans- and explant proliferation events, through compounding probabilities and the experiments to investigate the role of a potentially altered self- need for rapid cell division, create an extraordinary potential nonself paradigm in axolotl immunity and immunosurveillance. for malignant tumours. Yet, shockingly, axolotls and other These experiments will also include injections of cells, including salamanders exhibit almost no cancer, with countably few cases transgenic cell lines and, if a stable cell line can be generated, rare recorded throughout their history of study. This rigorous control spontaneous axolotl tumor isolate. We are also conducting in vitro over cell cycle and fate, though often addressed, is barely experiments to determine the role of required exogenous signalling studied from a molecular perspective, and understanding it could forregeneration-associatedcellcyclecontrol, suchasprolactinand contribute greatly to both regenerative medicine and cancer epinephrine. Preliminary results paint a picture of a regenerative biology. This study therefore aims to establish resources and environment in which the cell cycle is tightly regulated to both methods to study molecular mechanisms of cancer defense and enable rapid proliferation and hinder malignancies. proliferation control in Axolotls. To this end, we are in the

Abstract:

Tuberculosis (TB) remains a leading global health challenge, products such as CAD4TB and qXR demonstrating sensitivity particularly in certain low-resource settings where limited above 90% in triage settings. Microbiological models predicted screening capacity and delayed diagnostics hinder effective care, drug resistance using whole-genome sequencing data, while leading to poor treatment outcomes. Artificial intelligence (AI) clinical models relied on symptom profiles and cough sounds for offers promising solutions to these challenges, and this study screening. However, less than 20% of studies reported real-world evaluates current AI implementations in TB care, providing a implementation, especially in low-resource settings. critical assessment of future research priorities in this rapidly Our findings highlight the benefits of AI in enhancing TB care, but evolving field. implementation is hindered by algorithm complexity, data access, We conducted a systematic keyword-based literature review and standardization challenges, and ethical considerations. Supporting categorized AI tools according to their data input (imaging, local biotech innovation and tailoring tools to low-resource microbiological, or clinical variables) and stage of development. environments are critical for sustainable integration. When used Weassessedeachtool’sapplicationacrossfourcoreTBcareareas: asacomplementarytoolalongsidetraditionaldiagnostics,AIholds screening, diagnosis, treatment monitoring, and drug regimen substantial potential to transform TB care globally and accelerate design. progress toward WHO’s End TB targets. Future research should AI tools were most commonly applied in imaging-based TB focusonimprovingmodelgeneralizability,reliability,andcontext- diagnosis, such as chest x-rays, ultrasounds and CT scans, with specific threshold calibration, to maximize AI’s impact in high- burden, resource-limited settings. Optimization of Extracellular Vesicle Protein Readout Following Immunocapture Leela Strand, Maia Norman, David Walt Harvard College | Cabot House | Neuroscience | 2028 To date, much of the focus of neurodegeneration research has To develop an AQP1 assay, I started by testing several antibodies been on neurons. Increasingly, there is an understanding that to be used as captures and detectors for the SIMOA AQP1 assay. glia, the support cells of the brain, play a major role. Typically, Next, I optimized the buffer solution and number of washes. I then in response to injury or disease, astrocytes will change their tested the validity of the assay through dilution linearity and spike function to protect neurons, entering reactive astrocytosis. This and recovery in both CSF and Plasma. has been identified as a contributor to neurodegeneration and The results show strong binding of our antibodies to AQP1, with a studied in animal models but not in living humans. Understanding limit of detection in the single femtomolar range. Furthermore, we the proteomic and transcriptomic profiles of astrocytes in living individuals as neurodegeneration progresses could elucidate novel have established good assay parameters with spike and recovery as therapeutic avenues. One way to gain this understanding is to well as dilution linearity. In future experiments I will use size exclusion chromatography analyze extracellular vesicles (EVs) which are released by all cells and contain the proteins and RNA from their cell of origin. The to fractionate CSF and plasma and determine whether AQP1 Walt lab has developed immunocapture procedures for astrocyte elutes primarily in the EV-associated fraction. Next, I will follow EVs. In order to confirm the specificity of this procedure, I am our astrocyte immunocapture procedure along with nonspecific developing an assay of AQP1, a known transmembrane protein on binding controls and attempt to detect AQP1 to confirm astrocyte astrocytes. specificity. 128 Program for Research in Science and Engineering Establishing Methods and Resources to Investigate the Regulation of Ambystoma mexicanum Cell Cycle and Fate Regulation During Regeneration Anthony Striker, Julia Paoli, Jessica Whited Harvard College | Pforzheimer House | Molecular and Cellular Biology | 2028 The axolotl, Ambystoma mexicanum, is a neotenic salamander process of creating a line of Axolotls with a CRISPR-Cas9 that has long served as a model in regenerative biology for its knockout of the well-known tumor suppressor TP53, which has unique ability to regenerate almost any nonvital organ or complex previously been implicated in regulating the process of urodele structure. This phenomenon, fascinating in its implications for limb regeneration. This will help examine this gene’s role, human regenerative medicine and tissue repair, should by all while hopefully creating the possibility of generating spontaneous reasoning be accompanied by a great downside. Such mass axolotl tumors. Additionally, we are conducting trans- and explant proliferation events, through compounding probabilities and the experiments to investigate the role of a potentially altered self- need for rapid cell division, create an extraordinary potential nonself paradigm in axolotl immunity and immunosurveillance. for malignant tumours. Yet, shockingly, axolotls and other These experiments will also include injections of cells, including salamanders exhibit almost no cancer, with countably few cases transgenic cell lines and, if a stable cell line can be generated, rare recorded throughout their history of study. This rigorous control spontaneous axolotl tumor isolate. We are also conducting in vitro over cell cycle and fate, though often addressed, is barely experiments to determine the role of required exogenous signalling studied from a molecular perspective, and understanding it could forregeneration-associatedcellcyclecontrol, suchasprolactinand contribute greatly to both regenerative medicine and cancer epinephrine. Preliminary results paint a picture of a regenerative biology. This study therefore aims to establish resources and environment in which the cell cycle is tightly regulated to both methods to study molecular mechanisms of cancer defense and enable rapid proliferation and hinder malignancies. proliferation control in Axolotls. To this end, we are in the

Source:

Harvard / Liam Spencer, Cait Moffatt, Dan Kahne / 2025

Topics:

cell, axolotl, aqp1, astrocyte, care, assay, implementation, setting, model, understanding, role, experiment

Co-authors:

@alishasriram372 , @mahafarhat373