A Research Crew to Make the Dream Come True
Although individuals with narrow expertise in a niche field can be coveted by employers in many areas, interdisciplinary knowledge is incredibly valuable in uniting various sub-groups to productively work towards a common goal. One would be hard-pressed to find a more eloquent example of the importance of interdisciplinary understanding than biotechnology companies such as aifred health. In particular, the research division of aifred health is tasked with undertaking a structured research effort in order to solidify the scientific foundation on which our algorithms are built. The goals of the research team are well-articulated by Kelly Perlman, aifred health’s Director of Scientific Content. She concisely describes the duties of the research division as ensuring all information going to the learning algorithms is vetted and validated so all information coming from the technology is grounded in objective scientific fact.
Essentially, Kelly Perlman and the rest of the research team are on the hunt for authenticated biological predictors of depression treatment efficacy. In order to avoid random correlations, the team parses in-depth current literature found in scientific databases, systematically extracts and corroborates evidence for various biological predictors, and then synthesizes this key information in order to gain a fuller understanding of predicting treatment efficacy in depression.
What are some of the more clinically relevant predictors found so far in the literature? Perlman logically points out that predictors which can be measured by familiar and comparatively inexpensive methods such as blood tests appear to be the most realistic avenues for the current healthcare system. However, she makes an excellent point that with developing technologies like aifred health, the research team has an additional obligation to keep one eye on emerging equipment and practices which will become relevant in the coming years. An example of this is the rapid advent of consumer grade EEG hardware, unlocking another potential mine of biological predictors with the promise of affordable versions of equipment on the horizon for healthcare at all levels. It’s important for a research division to keep an ear to the ground and stay ahead of trends; as Perlman puts it, “What aifred health will accomplish will only become more apparent and relevant with time and increased availability of technology.”
In a similar vein, when asked about innovation in depression treatments Perlman mentions neuromodulation techniques as a personal interest, as well as rapid acting antidepressants which are not yet FDA approved. The vast majority of depression treatment literature revolves around pharmacotherapy, the golden child of psychiatric treatment. However, the popularity of pharmacotherapy in itself can manifest in publication bias, which is acknowledged by the aifred health research team. The sheer amount of research in the domain of antidepressant medication can skew the focus of research by influencing funding and creating a reciprocal network of evidence in favour of the most popular type of treatment. Therefore, it has been important for the team to objectively look into other methods of depression treatment and extract relevant findings.
In addition to treatment predictor research, the aifred health team has established a core interest in artificial intelligence ethics. Specifically, aifred health has been a proponent for meticulous transparency, a concept developed within the company where the essential idea is for developers of technology to demonstrate intentionality and precisely outline what is trying to be accomplished, how this will occur, and what potential risks may be associated. This allows society and policy makers in particular to judge for themselves how and if they will interact with the technology. As a core module within aifred health, artificial intelligence ethics play a large role in the workings of the company and this extends to the research team. As innovation continues and technology accelerates, discussion about ethics only becomes more critical; aifred health is prepared to have a strong voice in the conversation.
The aifred health research team is a crucial pillar supporting the company and will continue to extract and organize invaluable data which will form the ultimate input to the company’s technology. From systematic research and objective evaluation comes solid reasoning, and this reasoning will be instrumental in defining better treatment efficacy for patients with depression.
