January 23, 2017
Algorithms to treat diabetes? AXA opens a medical informatics chair at the University of Edinburgh
On Monday, January 23, the AXA Research Fund is launching a research chair that will use Big Data to better predict diabetes risk. Professor Helen Colhoun, the chair holder, will work at the University of Edinburgh, whose excellence is genetics and computer science is recognized worldwide.
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Diabetes is a chronic disease affecting 347 million people worldwide. It is characterized by chronic hyperglycemia – an abnormally high level of sugar (glucose) in the blood. Diabetes has a number of direct consequences, which include a higher risk of cardiovascular disease, blindness or kidney failure. It may become the seventh leading cause of death by 2030.
Professor Colhoun is exploring how to use health data to build predictive models assessing the risk of diabetes and related complications and thereby improve their treatment and care. She will work closely with experts in data privacy and machine learning to create effective solutions while ensuring the security and confidentiality of the health data used.
The early detection of diabetes risk will enable the development of personalized prevention solutions adapted to each patient. Professor Colhoun’s research will also contribute more broadly to predictive medicine and developing collective prevention strategies that can be applied more to other chronic diseases.
About the AXA Research Fund
The AXA Research Fund was created by the AXA Group in 2007 to support outstanding risk research projects contributing to risk prevention and to share this knowledge with the broadest possible audience. In its nine years of existence, the AXA Research Fund has committed more than €149 million to support 492 research projects in 33 countries and to help researchers better inform public dialogue on environmental, socio-economic and healthcare issues.
The AXA Research Fund supports other important projects on health issues. Learn about the research conducted by Carol Jagger, the Chair on Longevity and Healthy Active Life in the United Kingdom; Abdul Barakat, who occupies the Chair for Cardiovascular Cellular Engineering; and Pedro Saturno, who holds the AXA Chair for the Improvement of Healthcare Quality.
