Enabling The Development And Application Of Artificial Intelligence In The NHS

THE PROMISE OF AI IN HEALTHCARE
Artificial intelligence (AI) is a field of study which tries to get computers to behave in ways we would consider intelligent if those same behaviours were exhibited by humans - for example, the replication of human cognitive skills such as problem solving. But AI has huge potential beyond the mimicking of human behaviours - it is a fundamental technology that can allow meaningful processing of data beyond the comprehension of the human brain. The promise of AI for healthcare is thus clear - it could allow every diagnosis and treatment to be personalized on the basis of all known information about a patient, incorporating lessons from collective experience. By streamlining workflows, providing automated diagnosis of routine, non-serious conditions, and by allowing liberation from keyboards, AI could ultimately also provide healthcare professionals the "gift of time" - the dedicated time really required to provide the best possible care for patients.

OBJECTIVE
Much of the recent progress in the application of AI to healthcare has come in the evaluation of eye disease. My fundamental vision for this fellowship will be to drive the development and application of AI-enabled healthcare, both in the NHS and globally, using ophthalmology as an exemplar for other medical specialties.

TRAINING AND DEVELOPMENT
Renewal of this fellowship will allow me to greatly enhance my standing as a leader in clinical AI, consolidating the leadership and technical skills I have developed to lead a multi-disciplinary research group, establish international networks, and drive innovation.

CASE FOR SUPPORT
FLF renewal will support a portfolio of interlinked research projects that cover the broad spectrum of clinical AI, going "from idea to algorithm" and "from code to clinic".

A central focus of my team's early stage work will be on the scaling and validation of a foundation model ("RETFound'') that we have recently developed for ophthalmology. By going...