University of Tübingen and Boehringer Ingelheim launch fellowship program in AI and data science

University of Tübingen, senior member of Cyber ​​Valley, Europe’s largest artificial intelligence (AI) research consortium and Boehringer Ingelheim are launching an AI and data science fellowship program for top talent worldwide. Three to five fellowships will be awarded per year for a maximum of three years with a target of nine to fifteen fellows in the program after five years.

Jan Nygaard Jensen, Global Head of Computational Biology and Computational Sciences at Boehringer Ingelheim. Image credit: Boehringer Ingelheim

The partners will define cutting-edge research topics at the intersection of health and AI applications, which will be selected by a joint steering committee. The first fellowships have been published here and interested post-docs are invited to apply.

The partnership is founded on the shared vision of Boehringer Ingelheim and the University of Tübingen to harness the power of AI and data science to improve human and animal health. The goal is to transform the lives of patients through the discovery of new medical breakthroughs, accelerating timelines, improving scientific and clinical success, and further elevating patient focus. Application areas will span the entire biopharmaceutical value chain, from research and development, to production and supply chain management, to marketing and sales.

The partnership with the University of Tübingen will boost our research in AI and data science and give us the opportunity to develop and recruit the next generation of AI and data scientists. These talents will be essential to achieving our goal of accelerating the development of new treatments and transforming the lives of millions of humans and animals.

Jan Nygaard Jensen, Global Head of Computational Biology and Computational Sciences, Boehringer Ingelheim

“Only if we harness the potential of new digital technologies will we achieve our goal of bringing the future of healthcare to people around the world. This is why digital innovation cuts across all areas of Boehringer Ingelheim as part of a coherent strategy to maximize this opportunity. We are very excited to work with the fellows to extend our leadership in the development of next-generation AI and data science solutions,” added Brigitte Fuhr, Head of Central Data Science at Boehringer Ingelheim.

This collaboration with a research-based biopharmaceutical company like Boehringer-Ingelheim is a partnership of mutual benefit and could pave the way for other initiatives. Here the University establishes another interface between fundamental research and practical application. It is also sharpening its profile in a research area of ​​growing importance: the use of AI in medicine and the life sciences.”

Professor Dr. Peter Grathwohl, Vice President for Research and Innovation, University of Tübingen

“Especially in the combination of AI with relevant medical and pharmaceutical data, there is great potential to significantly improve the well-being of many people,” says Nico Pfeifer, professor of methods in medical informatics at the University of Tübingen and project manager. “Methods Research is able to identify problems in the healthcare sector that require new AI approaches and can develop tailored solutions for them.”

Fellows will carry out their research on-site at the University of Tübingen. They will benefit from the University’s vast expertise, rapid growth in AI and data science, and highly reputable medical research. Additionally, they will have the opportunity to work closely with scientists, subject matter experts and Boehringer Ingelheim executives globally and locally. Additionally, it is expected that Fellows will be invited to participate in company site visits, networking events, and annual symposia.

The University of Tübingen is committed to transferring innovations and results from research to application and to maintaining a continuous exchange with industry and society. In the field of AI, he is a founding member of the Cyber ​​Valley research network and conducts applied fundamental research in a wide range of collaborations. It focuses on applications for science itself – for example in the Center of Excellence “Machine Learning: New Perspectives for Science” -, life sciences and medicine, but also ethical aspects.

Boehringer Ingelheim’s digital strategy aims to establish a leading data science ecosystem by collaborating with leading academic research institutes in the field, nurturing and developing future talent, and partnering with data science initiatives. data globally to create a comprehensive global database of genomic and patient data. . The company works with innovative digital startups across the value chain and invests in early digital entrepreneurs through the company’s BIVF venture capital fund.

With the newly established collaboration with the University of Tübingen, Boehringer Ingelheim continues to foster partnerships in AI and data science across multiple innovation locations in Europe, the US and Asia. Last year, a similar fellowship program was established with Yale University and Boehringer Ingelheim’s Ridgefield R&D site.