The exquAIro event in Groningen on Friday, October 25, brought together the exquAIro Pilot Grant awards ceremony and a mini-symposium to celebrate recent advancements in AI-driven research. The presentations from participants of exquAIro’s second bootcamp during the mini-symposium marked a significant step forward in the application of AI in healthcare. The audience included researchers, exquAIro team members, and representatives from key partners such as UMCG and REWIRE, creating a collaborative atmosphere focused on innovation.
The event opened with a welcome address from Geerte Koster, teacher and facilitator of the AI & Data Bootcamp. Koster: “Today marks a key milestone for exquAIro as we celebrate two major things. We acknowledge the innovative work of our grant recipients, whose AI-driven projects hold great promise for advancing healthcare. Moreover, we are proud to witness the impressive learning journeys of the second bootcamp participants, who have embraced the challenge of integrating AI into their research, demonstrating the spirit of innovation and collaboration that defines exquAIro. These moments highlight exquAIro’s mission to accelerate medical breakthroughs by empowering researchers with AI skills and securing funding for cutting-edge studies. ”
Bootcamp Participants Present Their Research
The event commenced with presentations from the 10 participants of exquAIro’s second bootcamp, who shared their initial research ideas and early results. After three weeks of intensive training in AI applications for healthcare, these biomedical experts showcased a wide array of innovative projects that demonstrated the growing role of AI in solving complex medical challenges.
Paola Mian and Carola Haven
The presentations covered a range of topics, highlighting how artificial intelligence can be integrated into various aspects of healthcare, from improving diagnostic accuracy to developing personalized treatments. The participants’ enthusiasm and creativity were evident, showing great promise for the future of AI in the biomedical field.
Ilya Petoukhov, board member of exquAIro and lead facilitator of the AI & Data Bootcamp, expressed his confidence in all participants: “I am very proud of the participants in our second bootcamp. Their dedication and innovative ideas show great potential, and I have full confidence in their development. I look forward to seeing their plans come to life and the impact they will make in their respective fields within healthcare.”
Tom van der Laan presenting his research
Recognition of exquAIro Pilot Grant Recipients
A highlight of the event was the presentation of the exquAIro Pilot Grants, awarded to two outstanding researchers for their innovative projects in healthcare.
Gerard Koppelman (Professor in Pediatric Pulmonary Diseases at the UMCG and chair of exquAIro) and Dorthe van Waarden (Partner & Advanced Analytics Practice Lead at REWIRE and board member at exquAIro) announced the first grant, which was awarded to prof. dr. Martin de Borst (Nephrologist at the UMCG) for his project, “A novel artificial intelligence-powered nuclear magnetic resonance-based blood test to improve cardiovascular risk prediction.”
Though Mr. De Borst was unable to attend the event, his grant was announced in recognition of his promising research, which aims to revolutionize cardiovascular risk assessment through the use of AI-powered diagnostic tools. De Borst: “This grant serves as a crucial springboard to me for expanding the use of AI in kidney and cardiovascular research, which is essential for accelerating progress in the field. I found the first edition of the bootcamp to be extremely valuable, and I am deeply grateful to exquAIro for the insights and of course, the honor of receiving this grant.”
Martin de Borst (left) and Gerard Koppelman
The second grant was presented to dr. Menno Douwes (Paediatric Cardiologist at the UMCG), for his project titled “Automated right ventricular segmentation in echocardiographic images to provide valuable clinical biomarkers in children with pulmonary arterial hypertension.” His research focuses on enhancing clinical diagnostics for young patients by leveraging AI to improve imaging techniques, offering valuable insights that could significantly impact patient care. Douwes: “The use of AI in medical imaging is advancing rapidly; a machine can detect more than the human eye. Research like this starts small but has the potential to grow significantly. This grant enables me to take that first step, and for that, I am grateful.”
Gerad Koppelman and Menno Douwes
Both grants were awarded based on the assessment of national and international reviewers, who noted the projects’ high potential to advance their respective fields and their alignment with exquAIro’s mission to support AI-driven innovation in healthcare.
Closing and Networking
The formal program concluded with a networking reception, allowing attendees to discuss the ideas presented, explore potential collaborations, and connect with fellow researchers and industry professionals. This provided an excellent opportunity to deepen conversations sparked by the event and to build relationships within the exquAIro community.
We look forward to following the progress of these projects and to future events that will further shape the future of biomedical research.
Text: exquAIro
Photo’s by Jan Buwalda, with the exception of the grant of Martin de Borst (photo by Bart Scheerder)