AI and big data integration revolutionizes medical care, enabling early disease detection

Samsung Medical Center's Future Medicine Research Institute has been honored with the Excellence Award in the User category at the 11th Human Tech Awards for its pioneering work in combining medical big data and artificial intelligence. The institute is driving innovation across the entire healthcare spectrum, from diagnosis to treatment.

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The entry of artificial intelligence into the medical field means a change in the existing medical paradigm. We must quickly enter fields and systems that are of practical benefit to patients.

Established in 1994, the institute has evolved into a hub for cutting-edge research, focusing on genomic precision medicine, cell and gene therapy-based regenerative medicine, and AI-centric convergence medicine. Since establishing its AI Research Center in 2019, it has expanded its scope to integrate and analyze diverse patient data, including medical records, genomic information, and daily life data.

The institute's technological advancements are translating into practical applications and industry collaborations. Selected for the 'Future Patient-Centered K-DEM (Korea-Digital & Electronic Medicine) Construction Project' in 2021, it has developed numerous medical devices capable of simultaneous data collection and treatment in daily life. These include AI-based treatment robots for pediatric cancer pain management, digital therapeutics for sleep disorders, and virtual reality-based devices for depression treatment.

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Mental illnesses such as depression, panic disorder, and anxiety do not end with seeing a doctor in the clinic; they require continuous management in daily life, and AI can be of great help in this area.

Furthermore, the institute is building comprehensive databases for cancer genomics and single-cell analysis to realize precision oncology and is creating databases for rare and intractable genetic diseases. These research outcomes are being commercialized through partnerships with startups and biotech firms. Dr. Huh Woo-sung, Director of the Future Medicine Research Institute, emphasized that AI's integration into healthcare signifies a paradigm shift, particularly in managing chronic conditions like depression and anxiety, where AI can offer substantial support in daily life.

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It is impressive that artificial intelligence is leading the entire process, from early diagnosis of severe diseases to predicting the deterioration of hospitalized patients, by comprehensively analyzing various medical data such as images (CT, MRI), test results, genetic data, and electronic medical records.