Beyond visible: seeing the future in healthcare innovation

Nanda van der Stap completed a Bachelor’s degree in Technical Medicine at the University of Twente in 2008. In 2011, she obtained her Master’s in Robotics and Imaging and continued with a PhD trajectory in the same area. Specifically, her PhD research comprised vision-based navigation of flexible, robotized endoscopes. The research was carried out at the University of Twente and at the Meander Medical Centre in Amersfoort. In 2015, her name was on the `Nerd 101' list of most notable technologists in the Netherlands, as assembled by `Vrij Nederland', a Dutch opinion magazine. Currently, Nanda holds a position as research scientist at the Intelligent Imaging department of technological innovation company TNO. For the past three years, she was task leader for the Hyperspectral Laparoscopy work package within the EXIST project. Her ‘extracurricular’ activities include being executive editor for the popular-scientific e-zine for medical technology ‘MT Integraal’, and a faculty member for the B.E.S.T. course of the iHU Strassbourg.

Dr. Perretta is a Professor of Surgery at the University of Strasbourg. She is the chief of Foregut Surgery and Advanced Gastrointestinal Endoscopy Division and also serves as the director of education at the world leading IRCAD-IHU Institute, director of the Business Engineering & Surgical Technologies (B.E.S.T) Innovation program and of the Surgical Endoscopy fellowship.  Her fields of interest are upper gastro-intestinal surgery, gastro-intestinal physiology, bariatric surgery, interventional endoscopy, image guided therapy, surgical education and innovation. Dr Perretta has been a pioneer in the development of Natural Orifice Transluminal Endoscopic Surgery (N.O.T.E.S), and MOOC-oriented medical education worldwide. She resides in Strasbourg, France. 

Klamer Schutte received an MS degree in physics from the University of Amsterdam in 1989 and a PhD degree from the University of Twente, Enschede, The Netherlands, in 1994. He had a postdoctoral position with the Delft University of Technology’s Pattern Recognition (now Quantitative Imaging) group. Since 1996, he has been employed by TNO, currently as lead research scientist of Intelligent Imaging. Within TNO he has actively led multiple projects in areas of signal and image processing. Recent projects include the EXIST project working on hyperspectral imaging, the SACEI project on ship recognition and joint efforts with Adimec on software based turbulence mitigation. His research interests include artificial intelligence, behavior recognition, pattern recognition, sensor fusion, image analysis, and image restoration.

With a bachelor degree in Biomedical Engineering and a master in Forensic Science, Richelle first came into contact with spectral imaging during her internship where she investigated the visualisation of internal fingerprints using optical coherence tomography. In this period she assisted in research into the age determination of bloodstains at the crime scene using spectral imaging. She continued doing these crime scene measurements after finishing her study and during here PhD, at the Biomedical Engineering and Physics department of the Amsterdam UMC location AMC, where she investigated the age determination of bruises and post-mortem discoloration using different spectral imaging systems. In her current job as a Research Scientist at Quest Medical Imaging she is now involved in the development of several imaging applications that go Beyond Visible. Varying from tumour detection using near-infrared fluorescent imaging to hyperspectral laparoscopy and even underwater spectral imaging of invasive seaweed at the Iberian coast. Quite like spectral imaging, Richelle continues to address challenges in multi-disciplinary environments.

After graduating from University of Twente (Electrical Engineering), Marcel Dijkema worked at Philips Healthcare for 10 years as system architect on camera based detection systems in X-ray equipment. Eleven years ago he switched to Adimec and focused as strategic marketing manager on applications and marketing of imaging technology (cameras) in machine vision, global security and healthcare. Since 2016 Marcel is Business Line Director Healthcare and addresses the application of innovative cameras in medical X-ray diagnostics and Life Sciences Imaging. Specific application areas of interest are Digital Pathology, Next Generation Sequencing and Operation Room assisted imaging.

Dennis McWilliams is a serial entrepreneur in medical devices and biotech, and a frequent educator on innovation in surgery.  He specializes in commercializing breakthrough healthcare technologies.  He currently resides in the United States.

Esther Rodijk is a technical physician with special interest in the entrepreneurial pathway of medical technologies. After completing a PhD in medical robotics, she worked with the University of Twente and IHU institute of Image Guided Surgery (Fr.) to develop innovation challenges for clinicians and technicians. She now works at the TechMed Centre at the University of Twente to further grow the Digital Innovation Hub in Healthcare, which stimulates valorisation of med-tech research and improves the medical impact of new products and healthcare concepts.

Kicky's mission is to create value with data science and artificial intelligence for better and more efficient patient care. That is also what she strives for with Medicx.ai. She has a background in technical medicine, which means she can assist surgery as well as program deep learning networks. With this skill set she strives to bridge the gap between the clinical practice and AI technology.

Rudolf Verdaasdonk is professor of Physics and Medical Technology at the Amsterdam University Medical Center (VUmc) since 2009 and at present assigned as visiting professor to the University of Twente. He contributes to the Erasmus Mundus program and IQ-Med project of Norwegian Colour and Visual Computing Laboratory at the Norwegian University of Science and Technology NTNU in Gjövik. He received his MSc in Applied Physics at the Technical University Eindhoven in 1985 and his PhD in Medicine at the University Medical Center Utrecht in 1990. He research interest and expertise started with medical laser applications and expanded to a broad range of surgical equipment and imaging modalities. He has developed special imaging techniques for diagnostics and to study the interaction of equipment with the patient in view of safety, treatment quality and development of new applications. His advanced imaging facilities are being used for testing medical equipment of international companies. He is working in close collaboration with the clinical professionals and has practical experience in the OR assisting in surgery with complex technologies. He is active in patient safety, innovation and valorisation of new medical technology with several patents and devices being commercialized. He authored over 150 papers, proceedings and book chapters.