Early career researchers
Helping future healthcare through AI To some of us, terms such as artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning can still seem unsettlingly sci-fi, not least when applied to healthcare. It’s an anxiety that Dr Tianhua Chen understands – despite being a Senior Lecturer in Artificial Intelligence and Programme Lead for the University’s MSc in Artificial Intelligence. He also undertakes extensive collaborative research in AI and healthcare, while sitting on the editorial board of the prestigious Artificial Intelligence in Medicine journal. Fusing AI with healthcare excites Dr Chen – not least “because it’s a matter of human life eventually”. However, he is also an enthusiast for developing ‘Explainable AI’ – recognising the need to make the technology more transparent for patients. Born in China, Dr Chen arrived at Huddersfield as a Research Fellow after completing both his MSc and PhD in Computational Intelligence at Aberystwyth University in 2017.
18 | DISCOVER 2022
Dr Tianhua Chen
He quickly engaged with colleagues on a major on-going project, funded by South West Yorkshire Partnership NHS Foundation Trust, to study AI’s potential in diagnosing attention deficit hyperactivity disorder in adults. While the final diagnosis is made by a clinician, Dr Chen says the AI approach is saving valuable clinical time and reducing waiting times. This focus on the use of AI to understand human health was also evident in recent research into the pandemic’s impact on university students’ mental health. However, having completed PhD on fuzzy systems (an interpretable AI technique that mimics human reasoning), one of his proudest achievements was leading research in that field selected for the ‘spotlight’ slot in a top journal, which he is applying to support clinical decision making.
