AI in Healthcare: The UK's Latest Financial Endeavor
In the world of artificial intelligence and robotics, healthcare stands out as a priority for numerous investors and researchers. The British government is no different. They've dedicated £13 million towards investigating AI applications in healthcare.
Funds are set to flow from the UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) Technology Missions Fund, an initiative designed to foster and accelerate the study benefits of AI in healthcare.
This financial commitment supports 22 projects championed by British educational institutions and trusts. With this backing, scholars aim to drive innovation, translate research into real-world applications, and elevate patient care to unparalleled heights.
By leading on the international stage, we will improve lives at home. AI will revolutionize the way we live, including our healthcare system. That’s why we’re backing the UK’s fantastic innovators to save lives by boosting the frontline of our NHS and tackling the major health challenges of our time,remarked Michelle Donelan, the Minister for Digital Technologies.
Funded Projects
University College London (UCL)
University College London is at the cutting edge, poised to bring about significant shifts in the medical sector. UCL's Centre for Interventional and Surgical Sciences has been allocated over £500,000 to devise a semi-autonomous robotic surgical system. This initiative aims to assist surgeons in excising common brain tumors.
The anticipated innovation is expected to enhance surgical results, diminish complications, and curtail the recovery span for patients afflicted with malignancies.
University of Oxford
The University of Oxford will receive a £640,000 infusion to expedite the creation of an AI-centric system. This avant-garde mechanism is designed to forecast prospective health complications in patients, grounded in their existing health profile.
University of Sheffield
Sheffield University's project focuses on chronic nerve pain. Studies show that this issue affects one out of every ten individuals over the age of 30.
Researchers from the university have been granted £463,000 to develop more effective methods to tackle this condition.
University of Surrey
At the University of Surrey, scientists are collaborating intensively with radiologists to craft AI technology that refines mammogram evaluations. This innovation aims to empower radiologists to align with specialists in oncological diseases, facilitating earlier tumor detection. Funding for this project has reached £456,000.
In addition to these, grants have been awarded to projects exploring the analysis of medical documentation quality, predicting arthritis outcomes, diagnosing retinal diseases, advancing in neuroimaging, enhancing surgical skills, and more.
The potential for AI to accelerate and improve all aspects of our health is vast. The UK is in a strong position in this field but with a range of challenges across many aspects of society, including the healthcare system, novel solutions are needed. That is why UKRI is investing in these projects in order to advance our research and improve health diagnostics and outcomes,said Dr. Kedar Pandya, Executive Director, Cross-Council Programmes at UKRI.
