TumorScope: Digital health research on data, AI and legal challenges at the VUB and UZB

Medical practice is evolving rapidly. New computer systems make it possible to store large amounts of information about patients, such as the treatment they receive and scans that were taken. Other new technologies make it possible to swiftly collect data at the molecular level, such as genetic information for individual patients. Such health information may not be shared with anyone, which also means that these data are not freely available for further research. However, access to this health information is very important to realize further development of technology in the medical world. If we can make health data available with respect for privacy and patient autonomy, this will help doctors to better understand the disease and to choose the best treatment for the patient. The use of, in particular, artificial intelligence methods can contribute to this, as has already been shown in various studies.
In this project we want to further develop a generally applicable digital health research platform between the VUB and UZ Brussels that allows us to conduct research without violating the rights of patients. By bringing together physicians, hospital IT experts, researchers in image and molecular analyses, and ethical-legal experts, we create an interdisciplinary team that can tackle these urgent problems in today's healthcare. Our initial focus is primarily on improving the diagnosis and treatment of brain tumors, and on creating a good management structure that enables the sharing of this valuable data within the current legal framework.