An Uzbek doctor searching for new methods in the early detection of cancer
Shakhnoza Hamidova has been interested in medicine and human health since her youth. This interest led her in 2016 to the Tashkent Pediatric
**An Uzbek doctor searching for new methods in early cancer detection**
Time is a decisive factor in treating severe illnesses. Especially in diseases like cancer, the earlier it can be detected, the wider the opportunities become for the patient. Shahnoza Hamidova's chosen path in medicine is connected precisely with this issue — the early and accurate diagnosis of diseases.
Shahnoza Hamidova has been interested in medicine and human health since her youth. This interest led her to the Tashkent Pediatric Medical Institute in 2016. After six years of education, in 2022, she graduated from the "General Medicine" faculty and qualified as a general practitioner.
During her student years, her interest was not limited only to clinical medicine. Laboratory diagnostics, early detection of diseases, and modern diagnostic methods began to attract her more and more.
This interest was later further strengthened by practical experience.
Shahnoza worked alongside doctors in gynecology, surgery, ENT, and other clinical fields, gaining experience in communicating with patients, maintaining medical records, and participating in clinical processes.
However, one of the important stages that determined her subsequent scientific direction was her activity in the laboratory.
In 2020–2022, she worked at the Korea No.1 / HANA ITC laboratory. During the COVID-19 pandemic, she participated in PCR diagnostics, working with biological samples, processing results, and managing laboratory data.
At a time when the pandemic was a severe test for global medicine, for Shahnoza, this period became a stage that further intensified her interest in laboratory medicine and molecular diagnostics.
Later, she headed to the USA with the aim of developing her knowledge and experience. Currently living in New York, she is working on scientific research while improving her English.
Her main scientific interests are related to laboratory medicine, molecular diagnostics, cancer biomarkers, and early cancer detection. Currently, as an independent researcher, she is studying blood-based biomarkers, circulating cell-free DNA (cfDNA), and diagnostic accuracy issues.
Among the scientific works Shahnoza is preparing are a systematic review and meta-analysis on blood-based colorectal cancer screening, as well as systematic review and meta-analysis projects aimed at studying the diagnostic capabilities of blood cfDNA methylation markers for the early detection of pancreatic cancer. Currently, these studies are in the preparation stage.
Behind her choice of this direction is a simple but important goal — to help people.
She is particularly concerned about the fate of people living in regions with limited modern medical services and diagnostic capabilities. Because in many severe illnesses, including cancer, early diagnosis can play a decisive role in a person's life.
Therefore, Shahnoza is trying to combine her medical knowledge, laboratory experience, and scientific research in one direction: studying methods for detecting diseases as early and accurately as possible.
Her future plan is also to continue this path — conducting scientific research in laboratory medicine, molecular diagnostics, and early cancer detection.
For Shahnoza, medicine is not just a profession. She sees this field as a means to benefit human life, turn scientific knowledge into practical results, and bring modern diagnostic capabilities to more people.