The One About AI x Healthcare (Round V)
As AI continues to advance healthcare innovation, new possibilities are emerging across drug development, diagnostics, and clinical care. Explore how researchers and clinicians are applying AI to tackle complex healthcare challenges from engineering viral vectors for gene therapy to improving early detection of cognitive impairment.*
More About the Sharings
Dr. Sheena N. Smith (Assistant Professor, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore, in the School of Chemistry, Chemical Engineering and Biotechnology) will share on "AI for Next-Generation Gene Therapy: Opportunities in Viral Vector Engineering”
Sheena will explore emerging opportunities at the intersection of biotechnology, gene delivery, protein engineering and AI. Examine how AI could shape the next generation of engineered gene therapies, particularly in viral vector and capsid design.
Using examples from gene delivery and capsid engineering, explore where AI may add value across the design-build-test-learn cycle, from sequence- and structure-guided design to library generation, candidate prioritisation, and experimental feedback. Hear about the open challenges that still lie ahead, including targeting specificity, safety, manufacturability, and redosing. (Technical Level: 200)
A/Prof. Liew Tau Ming (Senior Consultant, Psychiatry, Singapore General Hospital) will share on "PENSIEVE-AI: Rapid, Accessible Cognitive Test for Seniors above 65 years"
With 80% of cognitive impairment cases going undiagnosed, early detection remains a significant public health challenge. Tau Ming will discuss how PENSIEVE-AI was developed as a rapid, self-administered digital screening tool that enables seniors to complete a cognitive assessment in just 3.7 minutes.
Drawing on AI models that analyze drawing patterns, the platform is designed to be education- and language-neutral while achieving 93.1% accuracy in detecting cognitive impairment. Beyond screening, examine how the project also incorporates clinical referral pathways and behavioral insights frameworks to improve follow-up and support broader healthcare adoption. Explore how PENSIEVE-AI could help make cognitive screening more accessible, scalable, and integrated into routine care. (Technical Level: 100)
Theo Palios (Founder & CEO, Unicorn Labs) will share on “Noetika: AI and Voice Biomarkers for Early Cognitive Assessment”
Speech may contain subtle patterns that reveal changes in cognitive health long before symptoms become obvious in daily life. Theo will share how Unicorn Labs is using AI and vocal biomarkers to support earlier and more accessible detection of Alzheimer’s disease and cognitive decline.
Through examples from the product development journey, explore how speech analysis models can be applied in real-world healthcare settings, alongside practical challenges around validation, accessibility, and clinical adoption. (Technical Level: 100)
More About the Speakers
Dr. Sheena N. Smith is an Assistant Professor at Nanyang Technological University, Singapore, in the School of Chemistry, Chemical Engineering and Biotechnology (CCRB). Her research focuses on engineering next-generation gene therapy delivery systems at the intersection of protein engineering, synthetic biology, and translational biotechnology. Her group develops advanced delivery platforms, including virus-like particle (VLP) systems, for targeted and localised therapeutic delivery to the cells and tissues where they are most needed. Drawing on experience across both academia and industry, Dr. Smith is particularly interested in how computational and AI-enabled approaches can accelerate the development of more precise, effective, and clinically relevant gene therapies.
Associate Professor Liew Tau Ming is a Senior Consultant Geriatric Psychiatrist and Clinician Scientist at Singapore General Hospital, specialising in memory and mental health care for older patients. He serves as Associate Professor at Duke-NUS Medical School and leads a nationally-funded programme of AI research, including Project PENSIEVE and Project PENSIEVE II—AI tools for scalable detection of dementia and delirium. Beyond his clinical and research roles, A/Prof. Liew is a clinical examiner for the Royal College of Psychiatrists (UK), serves on the editorial boards of journals including BMC Medicine and BMC Geriatrics, and provides professional consultation to pharmaceutical companies on geriatric psychiatry. His work integrates behavioural and data sciences with a focus on enhancing the wellbeing of the ageing population.
Theo Palios is the Founder & CEO of Unicorn Labs, a healthtech startup developing AI systems for early detection and monitoring of Alzheimer’s disease using vocal biomarkers and speech analysis. His work focuses on translating advances in AI and digital health into accessible tools for cognitive assessment and preventive healthcare. Based in Singapore, Theo is particularly interested in how AI can support earlier intervention and more scalable models of care for neurodegenerative diseases.
More About the Series
AI Wednesdays is Lorong AI’s weekly gathering, bringing together practitioners, researchers and innovators for technical discussions on research insights, product development and engineering practices.
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