A diagnostic tool developed to identify one of the world’s deadly pregnancy complication has been named “AI Innovation of the Year” at the inaugural Public Sector Digital Transformation Awards.
AI_PREMie addresses the significant challenge of diagnosing preeclamptic toxaemia (PET) by using biomedical, clinical and machine learning techniques to provide a straightforward assessment of pregnancies at risk of PET complications.
Development of the pioneering diagnostic tool - which is currently being piloted in three major maternity hospitals in Dublin - is led by Professor Patricia Maguire, UCD School of Biomolecular and Biomedical Science, and its team includes Dr Paulina Szklanna, and Professor Mary Higgins and Professor Fionnuala Ní Áinle, UCD School of Medicine.
“Every seven minutes, an expectant mother loses her life due to pre-eclampsia complications, and every 40 seconds, a baby is lost for the same reason,” said Professor Maguire.
“The mission of AI_PREMie is to get the test to every person who needs it as the whole team really believes it will save lives.
“Years of translational research has unearthed crucial biomarkers that, when coupled with clinical data, serve as the foundation for an advanced machine learning model underlying AI_PREMie.
“This model is poised to revolutionise clinical decision-making in the realm of pre-eclampsia, a condition with no rapid diagnostic test currently available.
Adding that winning the ‘AI Innovation of the Year’ award “would not have been possible without the incredible support of the amazing interdisciplinary team based across UCD and the three Dublin Maternity Hospitals as well as Challenge Funding from Science Foundation Ireland.”
On social media, Prof Maguire made a point of thanking the School of Medicine’s Professor Fionnuala Ní Áinle, ‘10 yrs ago I received an email from a stellar professor to meet for a coffee that changed my life. @fniainle you’re a superstar!’
Congratulations to Prof Mary Higgins, Prof Fionnuala Ní Áinle, Professor Patricia Maguire and all involved.
To read more, see the full UCD article by David Kearns here.