Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD) is a global health concern, often progressing silently until later stages and taking a tremendous toll on patients and their families. Traditional methods for CKD diagnosis rely on invasive procedures, such as kidney biopsies or blood tests, which can be a costly and uncomfortable barrier to early detection.

AI has the potential to transform many aspects of our healthcare system, from administration and analysis through to patient adherence and physical robots. However, this collection of technologies can present as many challenges as solutions, and Health New Zealand|Te Whatu Ora has a simple request: talk to us first.

Bioengineer Dr Alys Clark is building a virtual pregnancy model – a world first – to help with both detecting and monitoring risk during pregnancy. The goal is a new kind of atlas – a computational atlas that combines anatomy and function of the entire uterus and fetus during pregnancy. While researchers around the world are studying aspects of this system during pregnancy, the model Clark and her team is world-leading in its scope and coverage of the whole uterus.