DAMO Academy, the research arm of Alibaba Group, has partnered with the WHO Collaborating Center on Digital Health to drive advancements in medical artificial intelligence (AI) and digital health, particularly in developing countries.
This collaboration between WHO and DAMO Academy marks the first partnership of its kind in the Western Pacific region and was officially launched at the AI for Good Global Summit in Geneva in May.
“In forging this partnership with the WHO Collaborating Center on Digital Health, DAMO Academy embarks on a mission to make the benefits of medical AI accessible to those in need,” said Le Lu, head of DAMO Academy’s medical AI team. “Together, we aim to improve healthcare through advancements in medical AI development and digital health accessibility.”
The WHO Collaborating Center on Digital Health plays a crucial role in aiding the World Health Organization (WHO) with digital health initiatives. Its focus areas include digital health information exchange, scientific research, international standards, and technical training for its member states. This new alliance with DAMO Academy aims to leverage these capabilities to foster innovation and expand the reach of medical AI solutions to underserved populations.
The partnership will harness both organizations’ resources to conduct research, offer expert advisory services, and advance digital health, AI, and industrial development. This effort is geared toward supporting international bodies such as WHO and the International Telecommunication Union (ITU).
“By pooling our collective expertise and leveraging cutting-edge AI technology, we are set to drive transformation in digital health, especially for developing countries,” said Shan Xu, head of the WHO Collaborating Center. “Our collaboration symbolizes not just a shared vision but a joint commitment to harnessing digital innovations to foster global health and wellness.”
Roles
Training and education form the foundation of this partnership. Both entities plan to deliver comprehensive training programs in medicine, engineering, digital health, and AI. This initiative will help cultivate a new generation of professionals equipped to tackle the complex challenges in the digital health landscape.
A significant aspect of DAMO Academy’s work includes developing AI solutions for medical purposes. The team has made notable strides in cancer detection using AI, collaborating with top medical institutions worldwide. Their AI technology has shown promise in identifying multiple cancers from a single CT scan, including pancreatic, esophageal, lung, breast, liver, gastric, and colorectal cancers. In a study published in Nature Medicine, DAMO Academy’s AI model demonstrated impressive sensitivity and specificity rates in detecting pancreatic cancer, achieving 92.9% sensitivity and 99.9% specificity in large-scale tests.
This technology is already in use at two hospitals in Lishui City, Zhejiang province, as part of Alibaba’s initiatives. The application of these AI-driven screening methods is expected to revolutionize early cancer detection and significantly improve health outcomes in regions with limited access to advanced medical technologies.