Cambridge & SAS collaborate to accelerate healthcare innovation

The University of Cambridge's Maxwell Centre and SAS have launched a collaboration aimed at accelerating healthcare innovation through the use of advanced analytics.

This new partnership will introduce the SAS Viya data and AI platform and SAS experts into the academic environment, fostering collaboration with researchers and early-stage entrepreneurs to derive insights from extensive datasets more effectively.

The SAS Advanced Analytics Hub, which will be established at the Maxwell Centre on the Cambridge West campus, is designed to concurrently support numerous high-calibre academic research projects and emerging startups in the health-tech sector. The objective is to provide these initiatives with additional momentum, facilitating the development and deployment of innovative healthcare solutions.

A recent University of Cambridge-led project on kidney transplants has already demonstrated the potential benefits of this collaboration. The project, known as PITHIA, utilised the SAS dynamic analytics platform to develop an AI-based decision support system. This system automates the scoring process for kidney biopsies, identifying viable organs for transplantation. The anticipated results include an increased number of transplants, improved kidney function post-transplantation, significant cost savings for the NHS, and enhanced quality of life for patients who would otherwise depend on dialysis.

Dr Alex Samoshkin, Deputy Head of the Office for Translational Research at the University of Cambridge's School of Clinical Medicine, spearheaded this collaboration. Dr Samoshkin commented on the initial success of the PITHIA project, stating: "In 2018 I supported the PITHIA project led by Prof. Gavin Pettigrew, looking to optimise qualification of kidneys for transplantation, for which SAS turned out to be the perfect industrial partner. We demonstrated that synergy between the University and SAS was instrumental in accelerating the process of transitioning from ideas to the clinic."

This collaboration's success has laid the groundwork for a more extensive partnership between the University of Cambridge and SAS. In June 2023, a Cambridge team visited the SAS headquarters in Cary, North Carolina, USA, where they discussed potential collaboration opportunities with the SAS senior leadership team, including co-founder and CEO Dr Jim Goodnight. A year later, this vision has begun to materialise with the establishment of the SAS Advanced Analytics Hub at the Maxwell Centre, which aims to develop a robust pipeline of collaborative projects with the potential to enhance healthcare outcomes globally.

Dr Aga Iwasiewicz-Wabnig, Director of the Maxwell Centre, expressed their enthusiasm about the partnership, stating: "We are excited to interface Cambridge's world-class research and innovation with SAS's leading expertise in advanced analytics and AI forming a partnership for societal good. We are starting with a strong focus on healthcare and will build momentum to support future interdisciplinary projects on sustainability and social equality."

Roderick Crawford, Senior Vice President of SAS Northern Europe, also highlighted the transformative impact of AI in various sectors, including healthcare. He remarked: "There are many examples we're seeing of how AI can have a truly transformational effect, not just on businesses, but in areas such as healthcare and society as a whole. We're delighted to deepen our relationship with the University of Cambridge through this partnership, and there is enormous potential when you consider the additional expertise our partners, such as Microsoft, and customers, such as AstraZeneca, can provide."

The SAS Advanced Analytics Hub is set to celebrate its opening in July, marking a significant milestone in the partnership's mission to enhance healthcare innovation via advanced analytics.