University College Dublin (UCD) recently hosted Dr Yasir Bin Nisar 
from the World Health Organization (WHO) together with a group of global health researchers and policy makers as they sought to further develop the BIOTOPE project. BIOTOPE is an initiative using Artificial Intelligence (AI) and innovative diagnostic tests to combat pneumonia in children across Malawi, Africa.
Pneumonia is the leading cause of mortality in children globally, particularly in regions such as Sub-Saharan Africa and South East Asia. The BIOTOPE project is at the forefront of addressing this challenge through the collaborative efforts of researchers from UCD, Queen's University Belfast, University of Galway, University College Cork, Mzuzu University, University of Livingstonia, and the Malawi Ministry of Health.
A two-day workshop held in UCD on 16th and 17th April provided a platform for sharing advancements in the BIOTOPE project in machine learning algorithms to assess disease severity, the development of cost-effective, quick diagnostic methods for bacterial pneumonia, and discussions on AI ethics and governance. The goal is to seamlessly integrate these breakthroughs into Malawi's healthcare system.
The BIOTOPE project aligns with global efforts to not only improve health outcomes for children but also tackle broader concerns like antimicrobial resistance and use of AI in healthcare - issues that resonate in Ireland and internationally.
The BIOTOPE project is funded by Science Foundation Ireland and Irish Aid.