Inspiring International Matchmaking Symposium on the use of Data Tech to corner AMR
Over 50 participants from 12 different countries including Uganda, USA, Sweden, France, Poland, UK and many others have attended the first ever international matchmaking symposium on the use of Data Technologies to corner #Antimicrobialresistance or #AMR. The event was organized by #AMRInsights and took place on 5 June 2019 in #Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
The inspiring event offered keynote lectures, matchmakings, technology updates by SME’s and students, a novel serious game to combat AMR, a forum discussion on ‘next steps’, an open call to connect databases, information market, ample networking opportunities and above all: the commitment to fight #antimicrobialresistance!
The event focused on three concrete technologies:
#artificalintelligence: the use of machine learning and underlying algorithms to analyze genomics and sequencing data and patient data as well as deep learning technologies on basis of neural networks to combat AMR.
#internetofthings: the network created from objects, which have the ability to communicate with other devices. The number of internet-connected objects will increase to somewhere between 20 and 100 billion by 2020. Connected point-of-care diagnostics, wearables for remote patient monitoring and smartphone capabilities can potentially revolutionizing the fight against AMR.
#blockchain: a distributed virtual ‘balance book’ in which transactions are bundled by using cryptography and further processed, validated and recorded. Relevant applications include supply chain management of (last resort) antibiotics, smart contracts to control the sales, prescription and use of antibiotics. Other applications include the use in clinical development of novel antibiotics to manage confidentiality of patient information and integrity of trial data.
The leading theme
The leading theme of the event was how mentioned Data Technologies can and will be used to enhance the global fight against Antimicrobial resistance (AMR). Basically the global fight against AMR has 5 core elements:
- Preventing infectious diseases
- Enhancing antibiotics stewardship
- Developing new, improved microbiological diagnostics
- Developing new, improved (classes of) antibiotics
- Developing alternative antimicrobial strategies (like phage therapy).
This approach lead to the following incomplete (!) matrix:
Technology updates
During the day many different applications were presented at two levels:
- Early stage Data Tech ideas by our academic partners
- Later stage applications and commercially available Data Tech solutions by SME’s and multinational companies
For the entire program of the day see here.
For the slides of the presentations see here.
Matchmaking
The guided matchmaking was an integral part of the symposium. All participating organizations had joined the matchmaking program which resulted in some 40 (1:1) matchmaking sessions during the parallel program.
Forum discussion
The concluding Forum discussion focused on ‘next steps’ to be taken. To this end the Forum, with representatives from MSD, NADP, AIGHD, Deloitte and AmsterdaminBusiness, came up with their views on how Data technologies can be instrumental in facilitating the R&D of novel antibiotics, curbing global AMR and improving the businesscase for pharma for novel antibiotics. In addition the Forum focused on critical success factors for novel Data Tech applications and how the city of Amsterdam may be instrumental in driving the implementation of Data Technologies to corner AMR.
Our next event: Emerging Antimicrobials and Diagnostics in AMR 2019 on 20 November in Amsterdam. Save the date!
