iSTARS Health AI Summit Brings Together Experts to Discuss AI, Data, and the Future of Medicine

On May 15th and 16th, 2025, the iSTARS project hosted its second international meeting — the iSTARS Health AI Summit – at Lisbon Medical School. This two-day event brought together a diverse community of health professionals, researchers, students, data scientists, and patient advocates to explore how data and artificial intelligence are shaping the future of medicine and healthcare.

The summit opened with a presentation by Professor João Guimarães, ERA Chair holder at iSTARS, who outlined the project’s mission to build capacity in biomedical data science and encourage interdisciplinary collaboration. His talk, “iSTARS and the Future of Health Data Science,” highlighted the importance of equipping researchers with advanced tools and skills to take advantage of medical datasets to generate more scientific knowledge and actionable insights for clinical contexts.

Over the course of the summit, members of the iSTARS team presented ongoing research projects that demonstrate the application of data science and bioinformatics in real-world medical challenges. These included the implementation of the REDCap platform at FMUL, which supports secure and efficient data management for clinical research; the use of machine learning to identify genomic biomarkers linked to cancer progression; and research into RNA-binding proteins and their role in immune system regulation. These sessions showcased the interdisciplinary nature of the project and the importance of collaboration for innovation in medicine, and biology.

A strong emphasis on ethics and inclusivity was present throughout the programme. Bioethicist Cíntia Águas delivered a reflection on the societal implications of health data collection, addressing key issues such as privacy, consent, data transparency, and equitable governance, while Paulo Gonçalves of RD-Portugal brought the voice of the patient community into the conversation. His talk focused on the experiences of those living with rare diseases and emphasized the importance of building health data systems that are inclusive, participatory, and responsive to the needs of those they are designed to serve.

The keynote session, delivered by Dr. Francisca Leite of Luz Saúde, provided a thoughtful overview of the opportunities and challenges posed by artificial intelligence in healthcare. In her talk, “AI in Healthcare in 6 Prompts,” Dr. Leite encouraged a balanced and responsible approach to innovation that supports clinical decision-making, upholds patient safety, and reinforces the human dimension of care.

The programme concluded with a hands-on workshop on data visualization, led by information designers Stefan Pullen and Martina Zunica. Participants worked with real health datasets using intuitive tools such as Flourish, developing practical skills to communicate complex information more clearly and effectively. The workshop highlighted the role of visual storytelling in making scientific data accessible to a wide range of audiences.

The iSTARS Health AI Summit welcomed participants from diverse professional and academic backgrounds, including clinical medicine, research, public health, and innovation, creating a valuable space for open dialogue, knowledge exchange, and future collaboration. As iSTARS continues to grow, the summit marked an important step in reinforcing its commitment to advancing data-driven, ethical, and inclusive healthcare within Lisbon Medical School.