05/27/2026
We’re excited to introduce another of our 2026 Young Investigator Award recipients: Brandon Jackson Baird, MD, of University of Chicago.
Dr. Baird is exploring how artificial intelligence and voice analysis could help detect laryngeal cancer earlier, potentially before symptoms become more serious. Laryngeal cancer is the second most common head and neck cancer in the United States, and early diagnosis is critical for both survival and preserving a patient’s voice and quality of life.
His research aims to develop a lower-cost, more accessible screening tool that can analyze subtle voice changes associated with early vocal cord cancer. Using advanced AI modeling and a large dataset of voice recordings, early versions of his system were able to distinguish between patients with cancer and those with healthy vocal folds nearly 80% of the time.
Building on these promising findings, Dr. Baird will continue refining this technology with the goal of improving access to screening, supporting earlier detection, and helping physicians monitor patients after treatment.
Research like Dr. Baird’s is helping advance innovative, patient-centered approaches to cancer detection and care, exactly the kind of bold science the Cancer Research Foundation is proud to support.
