A3 Lab

Applied AI Accelerator (A3) Lab
Subtitle
The Applied AI Accelerator (A3) Lab at UMCG bridges the gap between artificial intelligence research and daily clinical practice. We develop, test and validate trustworthy AI technologies to ensure they are safe, transparent, effective and ethically sound, enabling integration into healthcare workflows.

While AI is advancing rapidly in healthcare, few solutions make it to the bedside. Translating research into safe clinical tools requires rigorous validation. The A3 Lab serves as a dedicated testing ground and implementation accelerator within University Medical Center Groningen (UMCG). By combining technical expertise with clinical insight, we evaluate both internally developed and externally sourced AI tools before they reach the clinic/patient care.

The A3 Lab operates across several core AI domains, with projects frequently bridging across them:

  • Prediction & Computer Vision: Predicting diagnosis, incidence, and prognosis to optimize treatment planning, often through robust, automated medical image analysis.
  • Generative AI (LLMs): Validating tools designed to transform clinical documentation and workflows.
  • Agentic AI: Testing autonomous, task-oriented systems for clinical environments.

Ecosystem & Strategic Partnerships

The A3 Lab serves at the intersection between clinical practice, academic research, and industry. We actively collaborate across local, national, and international networks to advance trustworthy AI in healthcare:

  • Regional & National Integration: We support regional data initiatives like Datapoort and Health Data Valley to enable secure, high-quality data sharing. Nationally, we engage with the ICAI network and the Dutch AI Factory (NLAIF), translating clinical needs into robust, model-ready datasets.
  • Global Academic Alliances: We foster international knowledge exchange through high-profile networks, including the Harvard-Holland PhD Exchange, the Machine Learning Consortium, and the Australian Institute for Machine Learning (AIML).
  • Industry & Clinical Collaborations: We collaborate with industry partners, ranging from innovative SMEs to multinational healthcare enterprises, to co-develop, evaluate, and validate AI solutions within real clinical environments.

How our research benefits society

As AI tools proliferate in medicine, ensuring patient safety, clinical efficacy and ethical implementation is paramount. Unvalidated or poorly integrated AI risks compromising care, increasing clinician fatigue, and eroding trust in digital health.
The A3 Lab delivers direct societal value by acting as a trusted filter and validator. By prioritising human-centered design, we ensure that AI technologies complement the human relationship between clinician and patient.

Our research directly contributes to:

  • Improved Patient Outcomes & Empowerment: Validating algorithms for accuracy and safety, ensuring that they deliver measurable benefits to patients and support shared decision-making.
  • Reduced Clinician Burden: Integrating AI technologies seamlessly into clinical workflows to streamline administrative and analytical workloads, giving healthcare providers more time to focus on patient care.
  • Sustainable Healthcare Solutions: Developing and validating scalable AI tools that improve health outcomes while optimising resource utilisation across the health system.

Our Experts

Hamed Ayoobi
Assistant Professor

Ishaan Jagota
Operations Director Applied AI Accelerator Lab

Paul Jutte
Professor of Orthopedics

Jacobien Oosterhoff
PhD student

Rosanne Schoonbeek
Scientific Director of Applied AI Accelerator (A3) Lab

  • Are you looking to bridge the gap between AI innovation and real-world medicine? The A3 Lab regularly hosts Master’s (and higher) students for thesis projects and internships.

    Why join us?

    • Hands-on Experience: Work directly on active, cutting-edge AI research applied to real healthcare challenges.
    • Multidisciplinary Environment: Collaborate closely with a team spanning technical AI researchers, data scientists, and clinical specialists at UMCG.
    • Academic Impact: Contribute to high-quality research with potential for scientific publications.

    Who are we looking for?

    We welcome motivated students with backgrounds in Artificial Intelligence, Computer Science, Biomedical Engineering, Technical Medicine, Medicine, or related fields.

    How to Apply?

    If you are interested in joining the A3 Lab, please email us at [email protected] with the following:

    • A brief motivation letter explaining your research interests
    • Your CV
    • Academic transcripts / grades
    • Specific requirements or guidelines from your study program

Contact

For more information, please Send a message

To stay up to date with the A3 Lab’s activities, please visit LinkedIn