Vall d’Hebron promotes artificial intelligence applied to healthcare through new initiatives and research projects

Artificial intelligence (AI) is becoming an increasingly important tool for transforming biomedical research and healthcare. In this context, the Vall d’Hebron Research Institute (VHIR) held a new edition of its annual AI conference, AIDAY 2026, focused on AI and health research at Vall d’Hebron Campus. The event was dedicated to highlighting the AI initiatives, infrastructures and projects already being promoted within the institution.

Unlike previous editions, which focused on the future potential of AI and the challenges associated with its implementation, this year’s event highlighted the capabilities and initiatives that are already part of the Campus ecosystem, as well as the institutional efforts that over recent years have helped consolidate research in AI, data science, imaging and digital health.

Dr Anna Santamaria, Director of Scientific Strategy at the Vall d’Hebron Research Institute (VHIR), stressed that “at Vall d’Hebron we are committed to developing structures and initiatives that strengthen research into AI applied to healthcare”.

AIDAY 2026: an overview of artificial intelligence and healthcare projects at Vall d’Hebron

The conference highlighted the momentum behind the CORE AI, Data, Imaging & Digital Health at VHIR and the Campus AI for Health Research Community. Dr Raul Herance and Dr Andrea Guala, coordinators of the CORE, presented the first steps and direction of these initiatives, which aim to connect and support professionals working in AI in healthcare in order to advance research in this field.

Next, Dr Xavier de la Cruz, Head of the Clinical and Translational Bioinformatics Group at VHIR and ICREA researcher, shared his experience in data science at VHIR. His research into predicting the pathogenicity of genetic variants is essential for advancing personalised medicine. Recently, his team achieved outstanding results in the international Critical Assessment of Genome Interpretation (CAGI) competition.

The event also featured several examples of AI applications in healthcare currently being developed across Vall d’Hebron Campus. Susanna Aussó, Director of Information Systems at Vall d’Hebron University Hospital, addressed the challenges of incorporating AI into hospital environments and presented initiatives promoted across the Campus such as VHTeDades, a secure and agile data space created to transform healthcare and research through the active involvement of patients.

Meanwhile, Dr Raquel Pérez López, Head of the Radiomics Group at the Vall d’Hebron Institute of Oncology (VHIO) and Miguel Servet researcher at VHIR, presented the potential of AI applied to medical imaging, quantitative biomarkers and multimodal data integration to advance towards more personalised and efficient precision oncology.

Finally, Dr Joan Joseph Munné, consultant in the Microbiology Department at Vall d’Hebron University Hospital and principal investigator of the VHIR Microbiology Group, presented the iDIAGNOSTICS project, an AI-based diagnostic system using low-cost robotic microscopy to detect malaria and other infectious diseases, with potential applications in global health settings.

A conference to strengthen the AI research community

As part of AIDAY2026, several sessions were also held during the morning to strengthen the research community and institutional capabilities in AI applied to healthcare.

The conference began with a meeting of the AI for Health Research Community of VH Campus, a recently created community designed to connect Campus professionals specialising in technical aspects of AI in healthcare, such as programming and data analysis. The initiative aims to foster links between professionals who are often spread across different research groups and to help build a stable critical mass of AI and health talent over time, while also attracting new professionals to the field.

In addition, the VHIR Legal Unit delivered a workshop focused on the legal aspects of research involving data and artificial intelligence, an area that is often complex and constantly evolving. The session addressed the challenges associated with this field, with the aim of providing researchers with tools and guidance to facilitate the development of research projects involving data and AI.