Alliance for Safe Use of AI and Genomics
A group to promote the safe use of advanced analytical technologies to better diagnose genetic diseases will be established with the support of federal government funding.
The Centre for Population Genetics, a joint initiative between the Garvan Institute of Medical Research and the Murdoch Children’s Research Institute, has received an AU$8 million ($5.4 million) grant from the Medical Research Future Fund to establish the Australian Alliance for Safe Genetics and AI in Rare Diseases (AASGARD).
At least one in 17 people in Australia have a genetic condition such as muscular dystrophy. Half of those patients are reportedly unable to get a definitive diagnosis and access vital new precision medicines.
“[The AASGARD consortium] “We will develop and rigorously test new AI-driven analysis tools, apply them to help tens of thousands of Australian patients, and share the frameworks and knowledge gained so that others can benefit too,” said Daniel MacArthur, professor and director of the Centre for Population Genetics.
The consortium will include international partners, Microsoft Research, Genomics England and the Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard.
National inter-university network promotes digital data for healthcare
Australia’s first national university network has been established to drive the application of digital technology, computing and data science to healthcare in the country.
Formed by 36 universities, the Australian Council of Senior Academic Leaders in Digital Health will “help accelerate the integration of digital health research into practice,” said Annette Schmiede, CEO of the Digital Health Collaborative Research Centre (DHCRC). The council will be chaired by Clair Sullivan, professor and director of the Queensland Digital Health Research Centre at the University of Queensland.
According to the DHCRC, the council will focus on providing strategic leadership in digital health scholarship, enhancing digital health education and scientific research, advocating for investment in digital health education and research, and helping to increase the impact of higher education institutions.
The project will also explore solutions to address issues related to the adoption of digital technologies in healthcare and upskilling the current and future workforce.
eHealth NSW expands CDNP to regional Sydney
A platform that enhances communication between hospitals and ambulances across Sydney will be expanded to rural and remote areas of the city in the second half of this year.
The Clinical Device Notification Platform (CDNP) seeks to improve communications across 70 ambulance stations and 12 hospitals in the state capital, allowing paramedics and clinicians to provide timely diagnosis and expert advice. The platform is delivered by eHealth NSW, in partnership with NSW Ambulance, NSW local health districts and the Clinical Innovation Agency.
In April, new communication capabilities were added to CDNP, including voice calling, messaging, and in-app image sharing, streamlining handoffs and facilitating information sharing between paramedics, emergency physicians, and cardiologists.
