NVIDIA, often considered one of the world’s top AI companies, is pursing its further ambitions in healthcare by teaming up with the Scripps Research Translational Institute to apply deep learning technology to disease prevention.
While the initial focus of the partnership will be on using genomic and digital medical sensor data to detect pre-indications atrial fibrillation, the ultimate aim is to apply these analytics tools to a range of different disease states and datasets.
Deep learning refers to a subset of AI that is analogous to the function of the human brain is able to make determinations and perform contextual reasoning with unstructured data.
The research collaborative is relying on the wider consumer availability of clinical grade sensor technology and genomic sequencing which has exponentially increased the amount of healthcare data being created and collected.
One example is the recently released Apple Watch, which has been cleared by the FDA for its ability to perform EKGs and identify irregular heart rhythms which may be a signal for atrial fibrillation.
Scripps was also recently chosen as a participant in an NIH-led research initiative called the All of Us Research Program which is attempting to guide the development of personalized medicine through data collection of 1 million Americans.
“AI in medicine has tremendous promise,” said Scripps Research Translational Institute Director Eric Topol in a statement.
“Eventually, it will markedly improve accuracy, efficiency, and workflow in medical practice with the potential to lower cost. But so much of this depends on validating AI algorithms and proving clinical efficacy. The data inputs from sensors and sequencing, in particular, will play an important role.”
The organizations are planning on developing a center of excellence to determine best practices and developing tools and infrastructure necessary to perform this kind of data analysis.
NVIDIA, which is undertaking a major AI-assisted medical imaging initiative known as Project Clara, is using the partnership as a way to explore the use of deep learning in disease prevention.
“AI is already transforming healthcare by using electronic health records and medical imaging to better diagnose and treat disease,” said Kimberly Powell, vice president of healthcare at NVIDIA in a statement.
“Our collaboration with Scripps expands these opportunities by tapping into the rapid accessibility of genomic and digital wearable data, and furthers the quest to better predict and prevent disease.”
Picture: Getty Images, wigglestick
