MMS + WEHI Partnering for Impact Series: AI in Discovery Science
The Melbourne Medical School (MMS) and Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research (WEHI) hosted the first Partnering for Impact Series event on 26 March 2026.
This hybrid event explored the theme of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in Discovery Science, with the aim to connect discovery science with clinical research and open pathways for meaningful collaboration.
The session featured insightful presentations on cutting-edge AI research platforms and different ways AI can be applied in research from the following speakers:
- Professor Melanie Bahlo AM, Genetics and Gene Regulation, WEHI
- Dr Ryan Cross, Personalised Oncology, WEHI
- Dr Emerson Keenan, Department of Obstetrics, Gynaecology and Newborn Health, MMS
- Anna Khanina, Department of Infectious Diseases, MMS
- Dr Rahul Rane, Senior Research Consultant (Applied Genomics and AI), CSIRO
- Maureen Turner, Chief Executive Officer, BioGrid Australia
- Dr Joep Vissers, Department of Clinical Pathology, MMS
The program was divided into four structured sessions:
- Session one focused on AI platforms, featuring presentations from Dr Emerson Keenan and Dr Rahul Rane.
- Session two showcased research presentations by Dr Joep Vissers on Using Genomics to classify difficult-to-diagnose cancers and Professor Melanie Bahlo AM on AI for medical image analysis and integration.
- Session three focused on infrastructure and governance required for AI data readiness, with a presentation by Maureen Turner.
- Session four showcased research presentations by Dr Ryan Cross on Lab-in-the-Loop: Engineering a synthetic immune system for brain cancer and Anna Khanina on Transforming infection surveillance in cancer populations with Artificial Intelligence: A learning health system approach.
Looking ahead, MMS and WEHI plan to deliver the next Partnering for Impact Series event in mid-2026, focusing on a new research theme to continue strengthening cross-institutional collaboration.