The Department of Computer Science at the University of Turku has secured €6.6 million in funding for their project focused on utilizing artificial intelligence (AI) to improve the sharing and security of health data. The project, funded by the European Commission under the Horizon Europe program, aims to protect patient privacy through machine learning techniques.
With the University of Turku’s share amounting to approximately €929,000, the three-year project will involve 20 partners from ten different European countries. The ultimate goal is to enable more efficient sharing and secure utilization of health data within the European healthcare ecosystem.
Assistant Professor Antti Airola, from the University of Turku’s Health Technology department, highlighted the project’s objective. Our goal is to enable more efficient sharing and secure utilization of health data, while guaranteeing privacy within the European healthcare ecosystem, Airola stated.
By employing AI systems in the processing of health data, the project aims to not only protect patient privacy but also assist in preventive care and decision-making for healthcare professionals. The development of machine learning algorithms and computational methods specifically designed for handling health data will be a key aspect of the project.
To ensure that individual privacy is maintained, the solutions will be based on pseudonymization and anonymization of data, preventing the identification of individuals. Professor of Data Analytics Tapio Pahikkala emphasized the project’s commitment to minimizing the risk of personal data breaches. Our aim is to generate test datasets and statistical models based on real health data, minimizing the risk of personal data breaches. For this purpose, we are also developing new metrics, Pahikkala explained.
The project will focus on case studies related to lung cancer, prostate cancer, and stroke, testing the developed solutions in real-world scenarios. The consortium involved in the project brings together a diverse range of expertise, including researchers, healthcare organizations, and IT companies.
The University of Turku’s project represents a significant step toward more secure and efficient utilization of health data, with the hope of bringing about advancements in healthcare practices and patient outcomes. With the integration of AI and the guarantee of privacy, this initiative has the potential to revolutionize the European healthcare ecosystem while prioritizing patient welfare.
