As the #1 cause of mortality in the United States, cardiovascular disease has long been a focus for medical researchers like Steven Rothenberg, MD, assistant professor in the University of Alabama at Birmingham Marnix E. Heersink School of Medicine Department of Radiology.

With the help of the Bill L. Harbert Institute for Innovation, the university’s hub that provides the infrastructure to commercialize inventions by the campus community, Rothenberg has co-founded Body Check, a UAB startup focused on developing artificial intelligence algorithms that identify patients with underlying cardiovascular diseases such as cardiomegaly, or enlarged heart.

“Currently, the diagnosis of cardiomegaly is subjective and inconsistent,” said Rothenberg, a cardiopulmonary radiologist. “Even though cardiomegaly is highly predictive of future cardiovascular events, it is typically underreported, resulting in inconsistent care. Body Check, which recently received FDA clearance, can ensure access to care for high-risk individuals.