MBZUAI researchers developed ClinGRAD, a multimodal graph neural network that analyzes genomic data, MRI scans, and clinical information to classify dementia types (Alzheimer's, vascular, etc.). The system addresses the challenge of high misdiagnosis rates (up to 30%) in dementia, where incorrect diagnoses can significantly impact patient life expectancy. ClinGRAD aims to be an interpretable AI system, providing explainability to clinicians. Why it matters: Accurate and early diagnosis of dementia subtypes is crucial for slowing disease progression and improving patient care in the region, where the prevalence of dementia is expected to rise significantly.
The paper introduces MedPromptX, a clinical decision support system using multimodal large language models (MLLMs), few-shot prompting (FP), and visual grounding (VG) for chest X-ray diagnosis, integrating imagery with EHR data. MedPromptX refines few-shot data dynamically for real-time adjustment to new patient scenarios and narrows the search area in X-ray images. The study introduces MedPromptX-VQA, a new visual question answering dataset, and demonstrates state-of-the-art performance with an 11% improvement in F1-score compared to baselines.
KAUST held its Spring 2014 graduation ceremony on June 7, honoring 11 Ph.D. and 20 master's degree candidates from nine countries. KAUST President Jean-Lou Chameau congratulated the graduates, noting their contributions to research and KAUST's global influence. Faculty members advised the graduates to aim high and uphold KAUST's values in their future endeavors. Why it matters: While routine, the graduation highlights KAUST's ongoing role in developing scientific talent within Saudi Arabia and internationally.
KAUST celebrated its Spring 2017 graduation, adding 75 new alumni to bring the total alumni community to 1,350. Graduates were encouraged to stay connected with KAUST and participate in alumni activities. Several graduates shared positive reflections on their experiences at KAUST and its impact on their academic and career paths. Why it matters: This event highlights KAUST's continued role in developing talent and contributing to research and innovation within Saudi Arabia.
Dr. Pooja Khosla, formerly an academic, co-founded Entelligent, a climate fintech startup that uses big data and machine learning to help companies manage climate change risk. Khosla recently spoke at MBZUAI, advising academics to translate research into real-world applications, leveraging their unique access to data and analytical thinking. She emphasized the importance of simplifying complex work to make it accessible, noting AI's role in accelerating complex tasks. Why it matters: This highlights the growing trend of translating academic research into practical, impactful business solutions within the AI and climate tech sectors, potentially inspiring more researchers in the region to pursue entrepreneurial ventures.