Somayeh Besharat Shafiei, PhD

I am an Assistant Professor in the Department of Urology at Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center in Buffalo, NY. With a background in engineering and computer science, I specialize in applying machine learning, deep learning, and computer vision to address critical challenges in oncology. My research is dedicated to improving the care of cancer patients through five primary focus areas:
(1) developing tools for the early detection of cognitive impairment in cancer patients undergoing neurotoxic chemotherapy, and investigating the underlying neurophysiological mechanisms of chemotherapy-related cognitive decline (“chemobrain”) using brain imaging and machine learning;
(2) designing algorithms to monitor the mental health and psychological well-being of individuals undergoing cancer treatment by analyzing multimodal physiological signals;
(3) creating objective tools to assess cancer-related pain severity using functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) and other neuroimaging techniques;
(4) evaluating the effectiveness of non-pharmacological interventions—such as virtual reality—for cancer pain relief and potential reduction in opioid use; and
(5) developing data-driven models to evaluate surgical performance and improve patient safety using surgeons’ physiological signals.

I have co-authored over 30 peer-reviewed journal and conference publications, and my research has been recognized and funded by the National Institutes of Health (NIH), including R01EB029398 and the administrative supplement 3R01EB029398-03S1 from the National Institute of Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering (NIBIB), where I serve as Principal Investigator.