Pitt’s Department of Pathology, recognized as one of the largest and among the best in the United States, analyzes more than 24 million pathology specimens across Pennsylvania each year. 

The growing demand for timely, accurate diagnoses requires new tools to keep up. A $10 million partnership between Pitt and the technology company Leidos positions Pitt to lead the way in developing these artificial intelligence–powered tools. 

Announced in April, the partnership will advance Pitt’s Computational Pathology and AI Center of Excellence (CPACE). The first focus of the five-year partnership will be quicker detection of diseases, notably heart disease and cancer, reducing diagnostic turnaround times and enabling earlier, more effective care management.  

Dean Anantha Shekhar, an MD, PhD, said digital pathology will become the “gold standard” for all pathology diagnoses during a joint announcement ceremony with Leidos in Alan Magee Scaife Hall’s West Wing auditorium.  

“When considering digital versus human pathology—led by highly trained and renowned pathologists—part of the challenge is that no matter how intelligent or experienced you are, it’s impossible to retain all relevant information at the moment of diagnosis,” Shekhar said. “This isn’t going to only change how we think of pathology, but also the ability to collect this information longitudinally across millions of patients.”  

Liron Pantanowitz, an MD, PhD, MHA and the Maud L. Menten Professor and Chair of Pathology, said emerging technologies designed to augment clinical capacity make it possible for research advances to reach patients sooner and to personalize health care.  

AI models can predict cardiovascular disease with nearly 90% accuracy by analyzing and correlating imaging and patient history, leading to early interventions that improve patient outcomes and reduce invasive procedures, saving patients more than $10,000 annually, according to Liz Porter, an MBA and president of Leidos’ Health and Civil Sector.  

Pitt’s Hooman Rashidi, an MD, MS, associate dean for artificial intelligence in medicine, professor of pathology and executive director of CPACE, said Leidos’ investment in CPACE will help patients in rural and other underserved areas receive the same early diagnosis and treatment plans as those living near top medical centers. 

Read more from the Summer 2025 issue.