When investigating complex diseases, the suspects can look ordinary: familiar strands of genetic code, composed of the usual building blocks. But something, somewhere is amiss.
Biostatistics is empowering a new kind of science “detective” — one trained to uncover genetic fingerprints that surface in the earliest stages of cancer and other diseases. These subtle traces, pointing to DNA mutations or faulty cellular mechanisms, could expose the molecular origins of disease embedded in our DNA. By combining machine learning with molecular biology, UAlbany’s S M Ashiqul “Mishu” Islam is working to crack this case.
“The solution we need is often hidden in the problem itself,” said Islam, an assistant professor in the Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics. “Similarly, the cure for an illness can often be found in the information housed within a diseased cell. By carefully studying this information, we can discover important clues that will lead us to a cure.”
Islam works with vast public datasets such as The Cancer Genome Atlas, which includes genomic profiles from dozens of cancer types. Using advanced sequencing tools and computational models, he analyzes tumor DNA to identify recurring patterns linked to disease onset, prognosis and treatment response.
Studying these patterns could inform the development of new tools to detect disease before symptoms appear, allowing earlier interventions and better outcomes for patients.
“By pairing big public genomics with AI, we are learning to read DNA’s faintest whispers — mutational fingerprints that appear long before a tumor takes shape,” said Islam. “These patterns not only reveal which processes, or even environmental exposures like smoking, drove the damage but also hint at therapies most likely to work. Our goal is a single, simple test that flags many diseases early and personalizes care for every patient.”
Beyond oncology, the computational methods that Islam’s team is creating could inform studies of autoimmune and metabolic disorders as well as neurodegenerative diseases, including Alzheimer’s.