VCU Student Brings Computing Power to Cancer Research

Joseph Lin, a computer science major, collaborated with a pharmacy professor on using AI to find innovative solutions to pharmaceutical challenges.

Apr. 10, 2026 at 1:08pm

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A highly structured abstract painting in soft, earthy tones of green, brown, and blue, featuring sweeping geometric arcs, concentric planetary circles, and precise botanical spirals, conceptually representing the complex scientific forces and concepts involved in using AI for cancer research.A VCU student's innovative use of AI in cancer research could help streamline treatment and save valuable time in the lab.Ashburn Today

Joseph Lin, a computer science major at Virginia Commonwealth University, has taken an unexpected academic path by joining a faculty-led project in the School of Pharmacy that uses machine learning and artificial intelligence to find solutions to pharmaceutical challenges. Lin worked with Dayanjan Shanaka Wijesinghe, Ph.D., an associate professor in the Department of Pharmacotherapy and Outcomes Science, on a project titled 'AI in Pharmaceutical Sciences: Bench to Bedside,' which explores how AI can be used to distill the search results of treatment-resistant mutations in cancer cells.

Why it matters

Lin's interdisciplinary work highlights how computer science and AI can be applied to solve complex problems in the medical field, potentially saving months of trial and error when it comes to cancer treatment. The research he conducted with Wijesinghe is accessible and reproducible, which could help labs with limited resources adopt and build on the results to make treatment more efficient.

The details

Through the 'Bench to Bedside' Vertically Integrated Project, Lin first designed 150 possible resistance mutations based on chemistry and then narrowed the list to 25 with the assistance of AI. Wijesinghe praised Lin's ability to follow his inherent curiosity and seek answers using the help of AI, which distinguished him from other students.

  • In the fall of 2025, Lin joined Wijesinghe's project.
  • Lin is set to graduate from VCU this spring (2026).

The players

Joseph Lin

A computer science major in the College of Engineering at Virginia Commonwealth University who collaborated with a pharmacy professor on using AI to find innovative solutions to pharmaceutical challenges.

Dayanjan Shanaka Wijesinghe, Ph.D.

An associate professor in the Department of Pharmacotherapy and Outcomes Science at the VCU School of Pharmacy, who led the 'AI in Pharmaceutical Sciences: Bench to Bedside' project that Lin worked on.

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What they’re saying

“When we got into this project, [Wijesinghe] gave me a lot of space to be curious, and he had this philosophy to approach learning that's unbounded. His mentorship allowed me to just get interested and dive deep into more of the research aspect.”

— Joseph Lin, Computer Science Major

“This is a very quiet guy who sits down and asks questions, subsequent questions and slowly figures out the answer and starts implementing it. It's his ability to follow his inherent curiosity and seek answers using the help of AI that distinguished him a lot from other students.”

— Dayanjan Shanaka Wijesinghe, Associate Professor

What’s next

Lin's research with Wijesinghe on using AI to distill the search results of treatment-resistant mutations in cancer cells has the potential to be adopted and built upon by other labs, making cancer treatment more efficient.

The takeaway

Joseph Lin's interdisciplinary work at VCU, bridging computer science and AI with pharmaceutical research, demonstrates how innovative solutions can emerge when students are given the freedom to pursue their curiosity and collaborate across disciplines.