Digital medicine: How AI is changing healthcare

AI is making waves around the world. People have used it to paint artworks, write novels and even compose music. But can it save lives? With generative AI now diagnosing diseases, designing drugs, and even acting as a medical chatbot. Are we staring at the future of medicine or the dark Abyss? This talk explores the breakthroughs, risks, and ethical dilemmas. From AI-created drugs in clinical trials to the dangers of deepfake doctors, we will dive into how AI can be both transformative and disruptive in medicine. Grab a drink and join the discussion, Dr AI is already on call!

Advances in genetic sequencing are transforming medicine, making healthcare more precise and personalised. By decoding the blueprint of life—our DNA—scientists and doctors can now tailor treatments to patients’ unique genetic makeup, instead of using the traditional one-size-fits-all approach. This talk will explore the integration of DNA sequencing technologies into routine healthcare and highlight the challenges it presents, including ethical issues, data privacy concerns, and the need for equitable access to genetic medicine.

Sam Relton is an Associate Professor in Health Data Science at the University of Leeds. His research combines the use of artificial intelligence with electronic healthcare records (GP and hospital data) to help clinicians make better treatment decisions, and to evaluate NHS services. For example, one ongoing project is looking to predict who is at high risk of drug reactions so they can be offered a structured medication review with a trained pharmacist. In his spare time, Sam plays guitar, rides a motorbike, and brews his own beer.

Owen Johnson is an Associate Professor working in Digital Health and Artificial Intelligence (AI). He is Director of Impact for the School of Computer Science at the University of Leeds and is a Co-Director of AI Medical, a centre that is training 50 PhD students in AI for Medical Diagnosis and Care. He holds an Academic Fellowship at the Leeds Institute for Data Analytics (LIDA) and is the Programme Leader for a Masters by Research programme in Data Science and Analytics for Health that is run for NHS England. He has helped lead more than £30m of data science and AI related research projects.

I’m an anaesthetic resident taking an out-of-programme year for an AI in Healthcare fellowship at Bradford Royal Infirmary’s Improvement Academy.
My interest in AI began with The Economist’s Babbage podcast, sparking reflections on bias and regulation. This year, I’ve worked on Shared CAIRE, analyzing clinician-AI interactions, and a regional NHS AI strategy. Outside work, I love climbing, running, hiking, and reading.