UCL named as one of top 10 innovation hotspots in the world

UCL has been ranked top in the UK for the number of academic articles published in digital health and named as one of the top 10 ‘innovation hotspots’ worldwide.

Digital health intelligence company HealthXL in its Digital Health Evidence Report 2019 ranked UCL 2nd in Europe and 7th globally for number of academic publications - a key measure of impact in the digital health field.

Digital health research at UCL includes ground-breaking work on artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning. Researchers in collaboration with UCLH have established a clinical research informatics unit (CRIU) to develop tools for using data for research, including within UCLH’s electronic health record system.

UCL and UCLH researchers have also developed an AI programme that can predict which patients will attend or miss outpatient neurology clinics and MRI scans, and an AI-based method for detecting the brain’s response to treatment in multiple sclerosis.

Other projects include the UCLH BRC’s AboutMe initiative which will seek to embed genomics and testing of other personal biological information into the NHS.

Digital health research at UCL and UCLH is supported by the BRC’s Healthcare Informatics, Genomics/Omics, Data Science (HIGODS) theme which aims to improve healthcare and accelerate drug discovery through the use of data.

In HealthXL’s report, the UK as a whole came second (behind the United States) for number of publications.

Top fields of study in which digital health research has been done were imaging, genetics and mental health.