Over the EATRIS Combined Board Meetings 24 December in Madrid, EATRIS Spain presented an impressive overview of activities that took place during the inaugural rotation of the EATRIS Spotlight Programme. The beginning of December also marks the official start of Sweden’s term in the EATRIS Spotlight Programme, designed to showcase scientific excellence of our member states across Europe, will now bring into the limelight Sweden’s groundbreaking efforts in translational medicine, with a specific emphasis on Artificial Intelligence (AI) in healthcare.
Sweden, a full member of EATRIS since 2018, has built a robust national network with the support of Vinnova and as part of SciLifeLab. Over the next six months, the Swedish team, led by Pontus Aspenström (National Director) and Ulrika Bäckman (National Coordinator), will delve into the opportunities, challenges, and ethical considerations of AI in healthcare. They are supported by the Governors of EATRIS Sweden: Katrin Brandt, Programme Manager at Vinnova, and Annika Jenmalm Jensen, Infrastructure Director at SciLifeLab.
Spotlight highlights
During its Spotlight term, EATRIS Sweden will focus on three core areas:
- Scientific Research: Exploring AI’s potential in healthcare for rapid diagnostics, time management, and economic efficiency, while addressing associated ethical, resource, and sustainability challenges.
- Community Engagement: Bridging civil society, academia, and stakeholders to ensure research aligns with real-world experiences and priorities.
- Capacity Building: Strengthening national partnerships with AI-related initiatives like Data-Driven Life Sciences (DDLS), AI Sweden, and AI for Science (Knut and Alice Wallenberg Foundation).
Looking ahead
The term will culminate in a symposium in Stockholm on 26 May 2025, preceding the combined EATRIS Board of National Directors (BoND) and Board of Governors (BoG) meeting. This symposium aims to foster collaborations within the EATRIS community and beyond, laying the groundwork for future innovations in AI and healthcare.
EATRIS Sweden’s Spotlight term is not just a milestone but a launchpad for enduring contributions to AI in translational medicine.
The selected topic of AI in healthcare is also in full alignment with the EATRIS-CONNECT project, where the main goal is to advance the digital transformation of translational research. EATRIS Sweden node coordinator Uppsala University is also a partner in the EATRIS-CONNECT project and ensures that synergies are fully exploited between the project and the Spotlight Programme.
- Stay tuned for updates and insights from Sweden on its country page.
- For more details about the Spotlight Programme, visit EATRIS Spotlight Programme.
