What a success! Our 7th Annual Symposium of Amsterdam institute for Immunology and Infectious diseases (AI&I) at Amsterdam's Openbare Bibliotheek, with a record attendance of 220 participants. Highlights included plenary talks on AI, discussions on long Covid, and presentations on machine learning in cancer research. The event concluded with a dinner at Sea Palace. Following this year's theme, Derk Amsen, chair of the Seminar Committee, wrote a short report about the day with the help of ChatGPT.
On the 4th of July, the Annual AI&I Symposium took place at the public library in Amsterdam, known as the Openbare Bibliotheek-OBA. This year, we saw a significant increase in attendance with 220 participants, 60 more than the previous record. This higher turnout may have been a reflection of the excitement surrounding the new Institute structure, which now consists of just two pillars - Infectious disease and Immunology. The event saw active involvement from newly appointed topic and theme leaders (-this is the only point where ChatGPT took some liberty-DA), as highlighted by directors Reina Mebius and Joppe Hovius.
The day was packed with a variety of activities including plenary talks on Artificial Intelligence. There were discussions on innovative uses of generative AI, particularly focusing on ChatGPT by Michiel Schinkel from AUMC. Additionally, presentations included a demonstration of machine learning applications in predicting antigenic peptides in cancer by Kaspar Bresser from Sanquin, an overview of the eScience center by Pablo Lopez-Tarifa from the Netherlands eScience Center, showcasing opportunities for projects with an AI component. The symposium also featured insights from Peter van Tienderen, the dean of the Faculty of Sciences at the University of Amsterdam, on the role of AI-driven research at the university.
A dedicated plenary session delved into the topic of long Covid, offering perspectives from medical professionals like Michèle van Vugt and research insights on the mechanisms behind the disease by Jeroen den Dunnen, both active members of AI&I. Parallel sessions, one for each theme, featured speakers selected from submitted abstracts, while poster sessions allowed for lively data discussions. Prizes were awarded to outstanding presenters like Sanne Lith and Pien van Paassen for their sessions and Nienke Goedhart for the best poster.
The symposium concluded with an ad libitum dinner at Sea Palace near OBA, capping off a successful day that provided engaging talks and ample networking opportunities. Looking ahead to next year's event, we welcome any suggestions or ideas for improvement. Kindly share your thoughts with us at aii@amsterdamumc.nl.
Hope to see you all again next year.
On behalf of the Seminar Committee (and with the aid of ChatGPT)
Best wishes,
Derk Amsen - Chair Seminar Committee