How is AI transforming disease diagnosis, and what happens when cutting-edge technology meets medical expertise?
On May 12, the symposium “Smart Diagnostics – Pioneering a New Medical Era” brought together researchers, medical specialists, and policymakers in the Erasmus Data Collaboratory – House of AI, to explore how AI is transforming diagnostics and shaping the future of healthcare.
Marcel van Oosterhout 🟥, executive director at Erasmus Centre for Data Analytics opened the event by stressing the need for a Convergence approach in the successful adoption and implementation of AI for diagnostics. Multiple perspectives and disciplines need to collaborate: the medical and patient perspective (Erasmus MC), the AI technology perspective (Delft University of Technology), and the socio-economic, ethical, and legal perspective (Erasmus University Rotterdam).
Next, Mahyar Salek, the co-founder of hashtag#Stanford spin-off Deepcell, took the audience on a trip down memory lane to show how AI in biomedical sciences builds on discoveries such as the microscope by Antoni van Leeuwenhoek and pioneering computer science by Alan Turing. Deepcell’s integration of advanced microscopic technology (eye), robust calculation power (brain) and smart and incredibly fast sorting (arm) makes it possible to make and compare 100k’s of microscopic images and interpret and apply the outcomes almost in real time for diagnostic purposes.
Peter J. van der Spek, professor of pathology and clinical bioinformatics, transplant cardiologist Olivier Manintveld, and oncological surgeon Linetta Koppert explained how this leads to faster and more accurate diagnosis of disease and prognosis of therapy response, helping medical specialists make decisions.
Hedwig Blommestein, researcher at Erasmus School of Health Policy & Management (ESHPM), demonstrated how the benefits of hashtag#AIdiagnostics for patients and society can be measured. She made a case for integrating health socio-economic studies from the start in order to collect data for research-driven policymaking.
Interactive Q&A sessions led by Fred Balvert, strategic communication advisor, sparked lively discussions on implementation, ethics, and the road ahead.
👉 As the symposium made it clear, advancing diagnostic innovation requires not only groundbreaking technology but also shared commitment from academia, healthcare providers, policymakers, and industry. Together, we can responsibly implement AI to deliver more accurate, accessible, and sustainable healthcare for all.
