Tagged / Hamid Bouchachia

European research project exploring use of ‘virtual twins’ to better manage metabolic associated fatty liver disease

A €10 million research project is exploring how digital duplicates called ‘virtual twins’ could help in managing and treating metabolic associated fatty liver disease (MAFLD).

MAFLD is the leading cause of chronic liver disease in Europe, surpassing viral hepatitis and alcohol-related causes. It can also play a role in the development and progression of cardiovascular disease.

Bournemouth University is one of the partners on ARTEMIs, a four-year research project funded by the European Union’s Horizon programme.

The project will explore how ‘virtual twins’ – digital duplicates of the liver, heart and other organs – can be used to track the development of the disease, leading to better and more personalised diagnosis and management of the condition.

This could help enable early detection of the disease, better prediction of the disease’s progression and more effective management of MAFLD and associated conditions.

The ARTEMIs project consortium group gathered in front of a buildingThe ARTEMIs project consortium

22 institutions from across Europe and beyond – ranging from hospitals to SMEs, academic partners and a patients’ association – are working together on the project.

Experts in data science and medical imaging at Bournemouth University are developing AI-based digital tools to support the digitisation and personalisation of the virtual twins.

“Through AI, we will investigate various clinical questions such as the progression of liver disease in MASLD patients and cardiovascular complications,” said Professor Hamid Bouchachia, Professor in Data Science and Intelligent Systems, who is the principal investigator for BU

“We will also develop the machine learning and AI tools to recognise and analyse patterns in patients and related factors, using data from various sources – including clinical data, imaging, and biological molecules.

“The outcome of such investigations will be integrated in a multi-scale computational virtual twin to facilitate the diagnosis and management of patients with MALFD. Such research will undoubtedly benefit patients suffering from this prevalent disease.”

To find out more about the project, please visit: www.bournemouth.ac.uk/ARTEMIS

BU research to explore how artificial intelligence can help detect and investigate crime

A European research project will explore how artificial intelligence (AI) could be used to support crime detection and prevention.

A hooded silhouetted figure on a laptop in front of computer code

The PRESERVE project will look at ways to support law enforcement agencies in tackling crimes including sexual abuse, extremism, and drug trafficking through automating the collection and analysis of large amounts of data from across the internet.

This could include sources such as chat rooms, social media, and the dark web – identifying key communities and users involved in activities such as hate speech, human trafficking or terrorism, and using this information to better allocate police resources.

The €6 million project, funded by the European Commission’s Horizon Europe programme, involves partners from 8 countries across Europe – including researchers, law enforcement agencies from Greece, Spain, Romania and Czechia, and industrial partners with expertise in technology and software development.

As part of the project, researchers from Bournemouth University (BU) will develop the digital tools and AI algorithms to help monitor trends and detect crimes – particularly targeting the prevention and investigation of child sexual abuse, hate speech, extremist activities, and illegal drug trafficking.

The team will also look at ways to make the process fair, ethical and transparent to avoid potential bias.

Professor in Data Science and Intelligent Systems Hamid Bouchachia is leading the project at BU.

He said: “Through PRESERVE we are investigating ways to fight various types of crime that are instigated and amplified in cyberspace. Having the privilege of working with law enforcement authorities across Europe, including Europol, will support this exciting work in having real-world impact, resulting in ethical AI and machine learning-based technology that assists in combating cybercrimes towards the common good of the society.”

The project will run for three years and aims to embed the tools in an information management system to support European law enforcement authorities in collaborating more effectively and securely, without compromising the privacy of citizens.

Find out more about the PRESERVE project on the BU website