Dr. Avijit Chatterjee, Head of AI/ML at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center (MSK), has always been captivated by patterns. As a child, his love for geometry laid the foundation for a career at the intersection of mathematics, technology, and healthcare. This fascination led him to pursue a Ph.D. at the University of Southern California, where he explored the visualization of multi-dimensional polytopes and convexity through the groundbreaking lens of Parallel Coordinates. His mentor, Dr. Al Inselberg—whom Avijit reverently calls the “René Descartes of the 20th century”—pioneered this approach. Unlike Cartesian Coordinates, which limit visualization to three dimensions, Parallel Coordinates utilize parallel axes to map n-dimensional geometry to two-dimensional space without losing information, unlocking a rich world of possibilities.
Avijit’s passion for patterns extends beyond academia. A self-taught stock market analyst, he deciphers complex trends and shares his insights through Substack blogs and YouTube videos. This blend of analytical rigor and creative curiosity defined his 30-year tenure at IBM, where he held various leadership roles. His contributions spanned research, product innovation, and consulting, including the development of a visual data-mining tool Parallel Visual Explorer and the launch of InsightLink, a life sciences collaboration and knowledge management solution. As a Chief Data Scientist and Mainframe Evangelist, Avijit became a trusted leader in AI and analytics, earning respect for his ability to turn complex ideas into practical solutions.
In 2020, Avijit transitioned to healthcare, taking on the role of Head of AI/ML Solutions at MSK. This shift was deeply personal and professional, allowing him to channel decades of expertise into transforming patient and provider experiences in cancer care. Leading a team of data scientists, machine learning engineers, and program strategists, Avijit has built a robust AI infrastructure that supports cancer research and clinical applications across the enterprise.
One of his team’s notable achievements includes DeepLIIF, an AI-powered digital pathology solution developed in collaboration with Dr. Saaad Nadeem, a deep learning expert and clinical researcher at MSK. This state-approved tool analyzes multiplex immunohistochemistry slides to classify and quantify cancer biomarkers, revolutionizing diagnostic precision. Beyond pathology, Avijit’s team is breaking new ground with ViLaMET, a vision-language model designed to assist in generating radiology reports for brain MRI scans. They are also creating patient-facing bots to provide insights on herbal supplements and developing a cancer knowledge graph that integrates genomic and clinical data for more personalized care.
Avijit describes his career as a humbling journey, from innovating in AI and analytics to directly impacting lives through healthcare transformation. His ability to visualize the unseen, be it through Parallel Coordinates or groundbreaking AI applications, continues to drive his mission: leveraging technology to unravel the complexities of cancer care and create meaningful change for patients and providers alike.
