Dr. Eugene Manley Jr., Founder and CEO of the SCHEQ Foundation (STEMM & Cancer Health Equity), was recently interviewed on the BioCircuit Podcast hosted by Varyas Pila. The BioCircuit is a light-hearted science show where complex bioengineering and medical concepts get broken down in a fun, simple way. In the conversation, Dr. Manley discussed SCHEQ’s work to advance lung cancer health equity by improving health literacy, strengthening community-engaged education, and addressing the real-world barriers that underserved patients face in care.
The episode also explored the growing role of artificial intelligence in cancer care, including the promise of AI-enabled tools in early detection and risk prediction. Dr. Manley emphasized that AI must be developed responsibly and validated across diverse populations to avoid reinforcing existing disparities, and that technology should augment, not replace, human-centered medicine.
Key topics discussed
- SCHEQ’s mission and why lung cancer health equity requires focus, intention, and listening
- Patient-reported barriers in lung cancer care, including navigation challenges and lack of tailored resources
- How SCHEQ increases health literacy through plain-language infographics and educational programming
- Why readability and accessibility are essential for patient-facing information
- Where AI can help in cancer care and what it cannot replace in clinician–patient relationships
- The equity risks of AI when tools are not built and validated for diverse populations
- Practical patient advocacy points, including second opinions and comprehensive biomarker testing (such as NGS)