The Crick AI club and DSxHE present a London Data Week event:

Health Data Equity in the age of genome editing

Genome editing promises to transform the way we tackle disease, however, it also threatens to promote healthcare inequalities. As we enter a world where genome editing and digital medicine collide, what role might our data play in the future of this technology? Join us for a discussion exploring this theme for London Data Week, set in the Francis Crick Institute's Cut + Paste exhibition on genome editing.

Panelists:

Akshika Wijesundara is a research associate in machine learning at the biomedical informatics group of King's College London. He holds a PhD in Computer Science and possesses a diverse background in machine learning, user modelling, human-computer interaction, and privacy. With his experience as a lead data scientist in the industry, Akshika maintains a strong interest in various fields including explainable AI, machine learning for healthcare, generative AI, longevity, the future of living, and the space economy (space mining and habitats). His previous endeavours have involved collaborations with institutions such as Google, MIT International Design Centre, the National University of Singapore, and UNICEF.

Oliver Bower is a PhD student in the Human Embryo and Stem Cell Laboratory at the Francis Crick Institute in London. His research focuses on using CRISPR/Cas9 gene editing to understand the function of genes crucial for early development. By using CRISPR/Cas9, genes of interest can be disrupted and the effect of their loss on development can be studied. Before joining the Crick, Oliver worked as a research assistant at the University of Sheffield Centre for Stem Cell Biology. Oliver obtained his BSc in Biomedical Sciences at the University of Sheffield, with a final year dissertation on the suitability of using CRISPR/Cas9 for treating muscular dystrophies.

Chair:

Alden Conner is a Senior Researcher for Research Applications in the Tools, Practices and Systems programme at the Alan Turing Institute. At the Turing, Alden works with research teams to consider pathways to real-world impact and incorporate user needs into the development of data science and AI tools while advocating for open and reproducible outputs. Previously, she worked as a product manager for optical microscopy systems and as a consultant with the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative to facilitate open science practices in the Neurodegeneration Challenge Network. She holds a PhD in Molecular and Cell Biology from the University of California, Berkeley.

As usual there will be free networking drinks afterwards!

If you are not a Crick employee, you will need to be registered as a visitor for the event, so please RSVP here! On the day, please come to the reception at the front entrance of the institute (this is the entrance on Midland Road) 5-10 min before the talk to be admitted.

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** The image shows wild type mouse B lymphocytes (curtsey of the Crick Electron Microscopy STP) and has been processed with the Google Deep Dream generator

Crick AI Club (CrAIC) 7th of July 2023