6
Nov

Federated Learning in Healthcare Data: Pathfinder and Interest Group Launch

Join us to hear about our pathfinder and interest group addressing the specific challenges and opportunities of federated learning using healthcare data.
Three medical researchers in a lab, 2 looking at a computer monitor and having a discussion

About the Event

We invite you to the launch of our pathfinder and interest group for federated learning in healthcare data, developed as a companion to the Framework for Advanced Analytics for National Healthcare Research Infrastructure through the Advanced Analytics in Healthcare activity of the ARDC’s People Research Data Commons for health and medical research.

While the framework, co-developed by the ARDC and the Australian Data Science Network (ADSN), captured an array of issues in health data analytics, the pathfinder delves deeper into the specific sensitive data related challenges and opportunities presented by federated learning – a method that allows the analysis of sensitive, distributed healthcare data while maintaining privacy and confidentiality. The pathfinder project aimed to:

  • explore the uses, needs, and challenges of federated learning in healthcare, with a focus on sensitive health-related data
  • identify and establish a collaborative network of research groups working on similar challenges
  • develop demonstrator artefacts to guide discussions and implementation.

Our partners on this project include the Australian Cancer Data Network (ACDN), NINA and the Australian Centre of Excellence in Melanoma Imaging and Diagnosis (ACEMID), which have helped create a test bed for federated learning in healthcare.

At this launch event, we will present an overview of federated learning requirements and current experiences in the field, including:

  • healthcare-focused conclusions and recommendations for the ARDC on infrastructure and other forms of support required to enable and encourage federated learning by Australian research groups
  • a comparison of leading federated learning tools, infrastructure needs, and a blueprint for establishing a sustainable and secure federated learning architecture in healthcare
  • use cases that illustrate the potential of federated learning, including key designs and deployments that inform or could become central to developing a national infrastructure.

This event is perfect for researchers, data scientists, healthcare professionals and policy makers interested in privacy-preserving machine learning and collaborative data science.

This event is brought to you via Australia’s AI Month 2024 by members of the Machine Learning Community of Practice (ML4AU), including the ARDC, Intersect, Monash University, NCI, the New Zealand eScience Infrastructure (NeSI), Pawsey and QCIF. The federated learning interest group will be part of ML4AU but operate with its own governance structure.

Recording

A recording of this event is now available:

Who Should Attend

  • Researchers
  • Data scientists
  • Healthcare professionals
  • Policy makers
  • Anyone interested in the practical applications of federated learning in healthcare and advanced analytics

Learn More

Read more about our Advanced Analytics in Healthcare activity.

This project is a companion to the national Framework for Advanced Analytics for National Healthcare Research Infrastructure, co-developed by the ARDC and the ADSN. Read the framework.

About the ARDC People Research Data Commons

The ARDC People Research Data Commons (People RDC) is delivering national-scale data infrastructure for health research and translation. It is a long-term program supported by the Australian Government.

Researchers, innovators and policymakers seek to improve health outcomes for society, and yet the data and digital platforms they need span multiple layers of government, health service operations, health research studies, institutes, facilities and the private sector. The People RDC initiative develops, operates and coordinates national-scale capabilities to support digital health research and translation.

Learn more and register your interest in the People RDC.

Do you have questions about this event? Contact us.

Please note that this event may be recorded and published by the ARDC. This may include your contributions during the session. Attendees are expected to comply with the Code of Conduct for ARDC Activities during this event. The ARDC respects the privacy of individuals. Information collected is in accordance with the ARDC Privacy Policy.

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