Can Artificial Intelligence Help Cure Disease? How Machines are Learning Medicine - Prof. Oren Tzfadia

Artificial intelligence (AI) is transforming medical research, serving as a powerful new tool for predicting how viruses evolve, discovering new drugs, and helping doctors diagnose diseases faster. But how do these systems actually work, and what are their limitations?

In this talk, we will explore how AI "learns" from the vast amounts of data in modern medicine, from genetic sequences to medical images. Using simple examples, we’ll show how AI can uncover hidden patterns that humans might miss, potentially accelerating breakthroughs in areas like cancer, infectious diseases, and rare conditions.

We'll also address the key challenges: bias, privacy, and the risk of over-promising. By the end, you will have a clearer sense of how AI can support—but not replace—scientists and doctors in the search for better health.

Prof. Oren Tzfadia is a bioinformatician at the Institute of Tropical Medicine in Antwerp. His work combines computational biology, multi-omics, and AI to tackle drug resistance in Mycobacterium tuberculosis. With over 40 peer-reviewed publications, he brings a clear, data-driven approach to some of the most urgent questions in global health.

Doors open at 19:00 – Arrive early, grab a seat, and settle in.

Talk starts at 19:30 and runs until around 21:00.

Price includes light drinks.

Stick around afterward—good conversations don’t have closing times.