On October 2, 2022, IFE’s launched its newest program, “TechBio: Disruptive Innovation at the Intersection of Computer Science, Artificial Intelligence/Machine Learning (AI/ML), and Medicine.”
The dinner was hosted at the stately home of IFE Trustees Count Bernard de Hemptinne and Countess Azine de Hemptinne in Brussels, Belgium. Our evening began with introductory remarks from Count de Hemptinne, followed by a brief statement from Coach Kemper about IFE and its mission. Next, I introduced the audience to the new and exciting field of TechBio. As our delicious dinner was served, every attendee engaged in open, free-flowing conversation informed by their own perspectives and experiences, which added unprecedented nuance and depth to the evening.
Diplomats in attendance pulled from their work directly liaising with pharmaceutical companies and governments around the world to foster innovation while Matthieu de Hemptinne, son of Count and Countess de Hemptinne, reflected on his experience as a graduate student studying AI/ML to help us understand where the field is now, and where it is expected to go in the future.
Suffice it to say that I was surprised and thankful by how seamlessly everyone incorporated their unique experiences and backgrounds into our lively discussion. By the end of the dinner, we all agreed: TechBio will revolutionize modern medicine, and it’s time we started talking about it. The evening ended with tea, snacks, and an urge for global cooperation and diplomacy to tackle the biggest issues facing human health. As we have learned from the COVID-19 pandemic, diseases know no borders – robust international cooperation is quintessential to maintaining our citizens’ health.
SPOTTED Count Bernard de Hemptinne and Countess Azine de Hemptinne; Dr. Matthieu de Hemptinne, PhD (Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam); Dr. Omair M. Khan, IFE Jim Valentine TechBio Fellow, MD/PhD (Stanford University); Coach Kathy Kemper, CEO and Founder, Institute for Education; Ms. Christina Kemper Valentine, IFE Innovation Fellow, Demand Generation Manager, Okta; H.E. Henne Schuwer and Ms. Lena Bowman, IFE Netherlands leadership; H.E. Guy Trouveroy and Mrs. Nathalie Trouveroy; H.E. Johan Verbeke, former IFE Diplomatic Steward; H.E. Dirk Wouters and Mrs. Katrin Wouters, former IFE Diplomatic Stewards
View Event Photos | Round-up PDF
