Isansys Lifecare is playing a pivotal role in a €10 million project to develop novel personalised AI models (virtual twins) and decision support tools for atrial fibrillation related stroke.
Spearheaded by Liverpool John Moores University and supported by a €10 million grant from the European Union's Horizon programme and the UK Research and Innovation, the TARGET project brings together clinical teams, data scientists, physiotherapists, machine learning experts, human factors specialists, patient groups and medical technologists to address a major healthcare challenge that is amongst the commonest causes of death and the leading cause of disability in Europe.
At the heart of the TARGET project is the creation of personalised machine learning (AI) models and decision-support tools for people at risk of stroke due to atrial fibrillation (AF) a common but often “silent” heart problem. Since those with AF have a significantly increased risk of ischaemic stroke, TARGET will address three pillars of the stroke pathway:
- Diagnosis, with the objective of being able to predict the onset of AF and therefore prevent the occurrence of AF-related stroke in the first place.
- Clinical management if a patient has had a stroke.
- Rehabilitation, providing personalised, recovery programs including gamification and other digital support tools.
Isansys (Berlin and Oxford) will supply its Patient Status Engine (PSE) patient data acquisition and analysis systems initially to three collaborating hospital sites, who will collect the ultra-high resolution real-time data from stroke patients involved in the studies. This real-world data will be vital for verifying the risk prediction models developed by the project's various modelling groups.
Isansys will also integrate the risk prediction models into the PSE, offering them as apps for use by healthcare professionals and patients in each pillar of the stroke pathway.
Furthermore, Isansys will oversee the regulatory aspects of the project, ensuring alignment with best practices and standards. This effort will help expedite the path to final clinical validation and regulatory approval, making it quicker to obtain CE marking and subsequent full commercial deployment by hospitals, care teams and patients themselves.
Dr. Sandra Ortega, Project Leader and Reader in Data Science at Liverpool John Moores University, said: "TARGET will shape cutting-edge virtual twins and AI technologies to develop reliable and personalised models for the benefit and well-being of AF and stroke patients. These novel AI-based models will further enhance our understanding (causality) of the drivers of disease onset and their impact on disease progression, at the level of the individual, facilitating the exploration and validation of treatments tailored to each patient. TARGET will pave the way to deliver optimised clinical decision-making and rehabilitation strategies for the AF and stroke patient journey, superior to the current standard of care.”
Dominic Hillerkuss, Business Development Manager for Isansys Lifecare Europe GmbH, said: "We are delighted to be participating in this vitally important project. It is a great privilege to be working with the exceptional individuals and organisations in the TARGET consortium to develop new tools and methods that will reduce the dire effects of AF related stroke on individuals, their families and healthcare organisations throughout Europe.”
