Prof. Alison Noble, Professor in Biomedical Engineering

TITLE: Simplifying interpretation and acquisition of ultrasound scans

ABSTRACT: With the increased availability of low-cost and handheld ultrasound probes, there is interest in simplifying interpretation and acquisition of ultrasound scans through deep-learning based analysis so that ultrasound can be used more widely in healthcare. However, this is not just “all about the algorithm”, and successful innovation requires inter-disciplinary thinking and collaborations. In this talk I will overview progress in this area drawing on examples of my laboratory’s experiences of working with partners on multi-modal ultrasound imaging, and building assistive algorithms and devices for pregnancy health assessment in high-income and low-and-middle-income country settings. Emerging topics in this area will also be discussed.

BIO: Professor Alison Noble FRS is currently the Technikos Professor in Biomedical Engineering, at the University of Oxford, UK and former Director of the Oxford Institute of Biomedical Engineering (2012-16) and a former Associate Head of the Mathematical, Physical and Life Sciences Division (2016-19.) Alison’s research focuses on ultrasound imaging, and computational analysis of images, motivated by unmet clinical needs in global healthcare settings. She received the Royal Society Gabor Medal for her inter-disciplinary research contributions in 2019, and the same year received the MICCAI Society Enduring Impact award. She is a current European Research Council Advanced Grant holder, and has held or currently holds grants from the UKRI, NIHR, Wellcome Trust, NIH, and the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. She has supervised 69 graduated PhD students (19 women), and has a sustained track record of mentoring early career researchers at Oxford and on national schemes. Alison serves on numerous national and international advisory boards. She served on the MICCAI Society board for a decade and is a former President of the MICCAI Society (2013-5). She is an active Fellow of the Royal Academy of Engineering and of the Royal Society, and received an OBE for services to science and engineering in the Queen’s Birthday Honours list in June 2013.