Scientists at Nizhny Novgorod State University have developed an AI system to diagnose the type of brain tumor.

      October 20, 2025 13:29 Science Scientists at Lobachevsky Nizhny Novgorod State University (NNSU) have developed an artificial intelligence system capable of accurately diagnosing one of the most dangerous types of brain tumors — glioma. The university’s press service reported this.

      The created AI model can determine the tumor subtype, assess the level of risk for the patient, and, prospectively, help select the most effective treatment strategy. The technology is based on machine learning and analyzes the activity of 13 key genes associated with the three main types of gliomas: astrocytoma, oligodendroglioma, and glioblastoma.

      As explained by Mikhail Ivanchenko, director of NNSU’s Research Institute of the Biology of Aging, traditional methods for diagnosing gliomas do not always yield accurate results. Histology, analysis of individual mutations, and even MRI can be insufficiently informative due to tumor heterogeneity.

      "Our tool evaluates the tumor based on transcriptomic analysis data, when we see which genes are 'off', which are 'on', and can assess the level of activity of these genes in a particular patient," he said.

      A distinctive feature of the development is the use of explainable artificial intelligence (XAI). Thanks to this, the physician can see how the expression level of each of the 13 genes influenced the final diagnosis. This approach increases the model’s transparency and gives the specialist the ability to double-check the AI’s conclusions.

      "For each patient the answer will be unique, even if the tumor type is the same. Justification of the prognosis is necessary for doctors to make clinical decisions and to trust the system. The ability to look inside biological processes opens the way to personalized medicine," added Mikhail Ivanchenko.

      Currently the system can be used in scientific laboratories. In the future, clinical test systems are planned to be developed based on it, allowing gliomas to be diagnosed quickly and accurately by gene activity.

      The development was carried out by specialists from the Research Center in the Field of Artificial Intelligence and the Institute of Biology of Aging at NNSU. The results were published in a special issue of the scientific journal Cancers.

      Earlier it was reported that Nizhny Novgorod scientists from the Research Institute of Epidemiology and Microbiology named after Academician Blokhina patented a new method of combating cancer.

      NIA "Nizhny Novgorod" has a Telegram channel. Subscribe to stay informed about the main events, exclusive materials and timely information. Copyright © 1999–2025 NIA "Nizhny Novgorod". When reprinting, a hyperlink to NIA "Nizhny Novgorod" is required. This resource may contain 18+ materials.