A piece of the future is currently being created in the operating theatre at Freiburg University Hospital - and in a very concrete way: in the FRAI.Lab, an interdisciplinary project at the interface between the clinic, research and industry, previously unused data potential from neurosurgery is being systematically tapped for the first time. The aim is to use artificial intelligence to help provide seriously ill patients with more precise therapies. Project manager Dr. Christian Haverkamp talks about the background and potential.
"The operating theatre is a highly technical room, but the data generated there is often only stored internally. There is no structured consolidation, no systematic learning from the information," explains Dr. Christian Haverkamp. The medical doctor and digitalization expert heads the Institute for Digitalization in Medicine at Freiburg University Hospital. Together with his team, he wants to change this - and is focusing on networking: "We bring together clinical knowledge, entrepreneurial innovation and data science expertise."
Using data - offering solutions
This is exactly how the idea for the FRAI.Lab came about - a project of the AI Alliance, funded by the Baden-Württemberg Ministry of Economic Affairs. The basic idea behind the FRAI.Lab is as simple as it is effective: data generated during operations is to be brought together, standardized and made available for sustainable use via professional research data management. The focus here is primarily on neuro-oncology - an area in which decisions are made down to the millimeter.
"The challenge with brain tumors is enormous: if the surgeon removes too little tissue, the tumor remains active. If he removes too much, the patient may lose vital functions," says Haverkamp, describing the medical dilemma. AI-based analyses could help to make even more precise decisions in future - for example through intraoperative imaging or molecular genetic evaluations in real time.
From the idea to the structure
The Frai.Lab relies on a three-pillar concept to turn good ideas into concrete innovations:
- Single point of contact
Companies are given structured access to the clinic - not by chance or through personal contacts, but through designated contact persons who accompany projects.
- Research data management
Existing data is systematically cataloged and made available for research and development, taking data protection into account.
- Innovative data collection
New, high-dimensional data is generated in a targeted manner - for example through sequencing or spectroscopic imaging directly during surgery.
"This is precision medicine in its purest form," emphasizes Haverkamp. And it only works if all stakeholders work closely together - on an equal footing, openly and in a structured manner.
An ecosystem of possibilities
The AI Alliance plays a key role in this. "It brings together exactly the players that are needed for this change: innovative medical technology companies in the country, researchers, clinics - and all of this on a platform that is also accessible to SMEs," says Haverkamp. This creates a network that accelerates solutions instead of relying on chance contacts. "I think this is an incredibly powerful tool."
FRAI.Lab is now working with five corporate partners - further collaborations are planned. The data remains protected, but companies can use the AI alliance's data platform to identify where relevant information is available - and make targeted inquiries.
The patients themselves also support this approach. Almost all of them agree to the use of their data - voluntarily, after careful explanation. "In neuro-oncology in particular, we see an enormous willingness to participate - many patients want to put their experience at the service of the future," says Haverkamp.
Freiburg as a pioneer
The Frai.Lab is part of a larger translational center that is structurally anchored in the Freiburg University Medical Center. In the future, it could serve as a model for many other locations: "We don't need the same system everywhere - but we need the same attitude everywhere: to use AI where it can help people in a concrete way," says Haverkamp.
The former hospital swimming pool area, which is currently being converted into a laboratory, is a visible symbol of this: Where patients used to be rehabilitated, workplaces for a new form of medicine are now being created - networked, data-supported and people-centered.
About Dr. Christian Haverkamp
The physician has his roots in neurology and has been working at the University Hospital in Freiburg for 20 years. He noticed early on that digital progress in medicine was not keeping pace with what has long been standard in other areas. Since 2016, he has been actively working to change this - with success.
