Dr Soudeh Nezamivand-Chegini, Consultant Head and Neck Surgeon at BFT, has received a prestigious Innovate Future Leaders Fellowship from UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) to enable this groundbreaking work.
A nasendoscopy is where a thin tube with a camera on the end is inserted into the nostril, to allow the areas where head and neck cancer develops to be examined. This includes the nose, throat and voice box.
At the moment, the only reliable way to examine these areas is through a nasendoscopy. However, as these areas are difficult to examine, less obvious cancers can be missed.
In England, more than half of patients with head and neck cancers are diagnosed when the disease has reached stage 4. Detecting cancer earlier greatly improves survival and quality of life.
As well as being a head and neck surgeon, Soudeh also has a PhD in biomedical engineering and has founded health-tech company ChaseAI. She has developed Blaise, the first AI platform designed to help doctors detect head and neck cancer in real time during a nasendoscopy. Blaise is the patron saint of people with head and neck illnesses.
Blaise connects directly to existing hospital equipment. It analyses images instantly and provides doctors with clear, easy-to-understand feedback, supporting rather than replacing clinical judgment. In early testing on thousands of images, Blaise correctly identified 95% of cancers, while also correctly identifying 91% of patients without cancer. This means it outperformed even experienced specialists.
Soudeh’s pioneering work is made possible thanks to the highly competitive UKRI Innovate Future Leaders Fellowship. This is the first time a BFT member of staff has received one.
Soudeh said:
“My experience as a surgeon coupled with my PhD and health-tech work bridges the gap between clinical expertise and technology.
“What makes Blaise unique is its comprehensive coverage - it can analyse all regions where head and nose cancer occurs - and its practical design. It works with existing NHS systems, is secure and cloud-based, and can even run without an internet connection if needed.
“I’m delighted this Future Leaders Fellowship will allow me to expand and test Blaise in real NHS settings. It will also help me develop the skills and partnerships needed to lead future innovations that bring new technologies safely and effectively into cancer care.
“Ultimately, Blaise could transform how head and neck cancer is diagnosed, reducing delays and improving survival.”