Transforming healthcare through digital innovation

How can we apply advanced digital technologies to drive innovation in the life sciences and healthcare? This is the second in a series of sector-focused blog posts showcasing how we are supporting UK industry and society through cutting-edge digital solutions. 

Understanding complex diseases  

In collaboration with IBM through the Hartree National Centre for Digital Innovation (HNCDI) programme, we developed an automated, high throughput AI-enabled software that accelerates the research necessary to identify key factors causing multi-factorial diseases like inflammatory bowel disease and bowel cancer. Without the integration of digital technologies, this would have been challenging as the collection and analysis of data from multiple biological sources is time and resource intensive.  

We have also expedited the process of subtyping cancer cells through AI workflows using quantum computing, through our work with Royal Brompton Harefield Hospitals, Imperial College London and IBM. With accurate and quicker methods to differentiate breast cancer subtypes, we significantly improved our capacity to predict and prevent the onset of the disease, as well as determine and develop appropriate treatments. 

Facilitating drug discovery and development

The timeline for bringing new drugs from inception to market is typically long, averaging at least a decade. Accelerating and optimising these processes while ensuring the safety and efficacy of new drugs play a significant role in improving healthcare. 

Together with IBM Research, we have explored the use of quantum computing to boost the efficiency of the drug discovery process. The incorporation of quantum computing into classical supercomputing workflows has paved the way for more accurate identification of prospective drug candidates. Beyond identifying potential drugs, developing the most promising candidates is another critical step in driving pharmaceutical R&D. To speed up drug development, we collaborated with AstraZeneca, Algorithmiq and IBM to improve the accuracy of molecular modelling using quantum computing. As a result, we developed a better understanding of the molecular interactions involved in drug synthesis, facilitating more efficient drug development. Both projects have demonstrated the power of quantum computing, particularly when combined with other advanced technologies, to reduce risks and costs while streamlining the drug discovery and development process. 

The role of technology convergence in pharmaceutical R&D extends beyond finding potential drug candidates and developing them. Targeting drugs to the right patients is also crucial. In collaboration with REPROCELL and IBM, we developed a novel application that helps identify individuals for clinical trials who are more likely to respond well to specific drug candidates. Powered by AI-driven data science, this application has made precision medicine quicker and easier. It enables clinical trials to be designed around individuals more likely to respond well to treatment, improving success rates and therefore increasing the chances of patients receiving the most effective therapies.

In addition to prescribing the most suitable drugs to the right patients, precision in drug delivery is also a critical consideration in drug development. Recently, we worked with IBM and National Physical Laboratory (NPL) to accelerate the research of virus-inspired drug delivery. Employing high performance computing and automated advanced data analysis techniques, we enabled efficient and accurate molecular modelling at atomic scales, bringing this novel drug delivery method closer to reality sooner than expected. With greater precision, this innovation could usher in a new generation of safer, more effective treatments with fewer side effects.

Overcoming barriers to accessing the appropriate treatment

While pharmaceutical R&D plays a crucial role in improving healthcare, it is equally important that people are able to access the right care at the right time. We have worked with safesteps™ to help prevent falls in elderly patients and enhance healthcare using data science. Our data scientists developed a data dashboard that not only improves fall categorisation but also ensures timely data delivery to GPs and carers, which helps keep patients out of the hospital. Similarly, in a collaboration with Liverpool CCG, the Innovation Agency and University of Liverpool, we used AI to predict the likelihood of hospital admission for patients with alcohol-related illnesses. Using machine learning, we built models that identified key factors from diagnoses, patient history, and demographics to predict the risk of emergency readmission within a year for patients with prior alcohol-related admissions. This enables commissioners to plan services, predict bed usage, and target interventions for high-risk patients, improving health outcomes while reducing readmissions and costs. 

Our efforts in enhancing access to suitable care is not limited to physical health. We have also worked with an SME called Oh My Mood to build an inclusive and personalised application to support healthcare providers in monitoring and treating mental health conditions. Not only have we prioritised data security of the application, we have also considered cultural and contextual factors, which led to experimentation with the expansion of language options. Digital technologies clearly play an important role in amplifying efforts to enhance inclusivity and improve mental healthcare. 

Opportunities to collaborate with us 

Are you in the field of life sciences or healthcare and looking to leverage advanced digital technologies to elevate your work? If you would like to find out more about how to work with us, please contact: hartree@stfc.ac.uk