Last Thursday, November 28, PUCRS was visited by a group of researchers from the Netherlands with the main objective of discussing the use of data in the health field. The delegation is on a mission to understand how the main organizations in Brazil are working with big data in the life and health sciences. Visitors participated in a round table on the subject with professors from the University.

The reception and conversation took place at the HealthPlus Innovation Center, at Tecnopuc . The guests were welcomed by the superintendent of Hospital São Lucas da PUCRS (HSL) , Br. Lauri Heck. Then, Professor Rodrigo Grassi , from Escola de Medicina , presented to visitors the Instituto do Cerebro (InsCer) and different research groups. In addition, he anticipated the phase 2 of InsCer, which will have laboratories dedicated to experimental research in neuroscience.

The project coordinator of BioHub , Carlos Klein, spoke about the Porto Alegre hospital network and introduced Tecnopuc, telling a little about the Park's history and highlighted the presence of science and health companies in the place. Before starting the roundtable, professor Felipe Meneguzzi , from Escola Politécnica , presented some projects that involve Artificial Intelligence in health and how the data obtained can collaborate to generate better results.

During the roundtable, Grassi presented the types of data that are being generated from the projects developed at InsCer. In order to explain the health reality in the Netherlands, the research and development consultant in the life sciences and health sector at Netherlands Enterprise Agency , Niels van Leeuwen , presented information about the area's infrastructure in the country - which has one of the best health systems in Europe - and the public-private initiatives carried out. Van Leeuwen also stressed the importance of connecting with the rest of the world in order to understand what is being done elsewhere and, thus, to increasingly develop health care.

Meeting was an opportunity to share experiences

Throughout the conversation, representatives from the Netherlands and PUCRS commented on similarities between the country and the southern region of Brazil, such as the increase in the elderly population and the importance of having a health system prepared to serve this audience. The meeting was an opportunity to learn about research and projects involving the use of data and to understand how there can be collaboration between the two countries in the future.

The delegation from the Netherlands included, in addition to van Leeuwen, the professor at Leiden University Fons Verbeek, the specialist in Technology and Innovation Robert Thijssen , associate professor at University Medical Center Groningen and coordinator of the Machine Learning laboratory at Data Science Center in Health (DASH) < a href = "https://www.linkedin.com/in/petervanooijen/"> Peter Van Ooiijen , in addition to Petra Smits and Rick Breugelmans , from Consulate General of São Paulo ; and Richard Posma and Lucila Almeida , from Dutch Business Support Office (NBSO) in Porto Alegre. From PUCRS, the professor at the School of Medicine Bruno Hochhegger and the professors at the Polytechnic School were also present Marcio Pinho and Luiz Gustavo Fernandes , in addition to the executive coordinator of the Office of International Cooperation at PUCRS Carla Cassol and the assistant for International Affairs, Thais Gonçalves.

Photo: Bruno Todeschini

Photo: Bruno Todeschini