Science Minister visits WEISS to celebrate new funding in AI & Healthcare

We were delighted to welcome Michelle Donelan, MP, to WEISS yesterday. WEISS was chosen as the setting to announce that the UK government is investing £13 million to accelerate AI innovation in healthcare. As part of that funding, UCL has been allocated £2.2 million for four AI-driven research projects designed to find more efficient and effective solutions to current health challenges. Michelle Donelan toured the Centre's facilities, met staff and discussed the research work WEISS carries out.
 
In our mock operating room, Dr Sophia Bano, Assistant Professor in Robotics and Artificial Intelligence at UCL, explained how her research is using AI to help advance endoscopy technology in pituitary surgery, assisting surgeons as they perform delicate keyhole surgery to remove small tumours from inside the skull.
 
During the visit, Hani Marcus, Consultant Surgeon and Honorary Associate Professor (UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology), gave the SoS a hands-on demonstration. He assisted the Minister as she guided an endoscope and surgery tool inside a ‘phantom head’ used for research and training.

Watch the Department of Science, Innovation and Technology video on ‘How AI can change technology’, which features WEISS members Sophia Bano, Hani Marcus and Dan Stoyanov.

Link to article on UCL News

Photo Credit: Rebecca Wilson, Department for Science, Innovation and Technology