Swedish Embassy and Qatar Foundation Host Webinar on Accomplishments in Key HI-Tech Industries

Important developments and future applications of Artificial Intelligence and Precision Medicine were highlighted at a hybrid webinar hosted in Doha on November 5. An initiative of the Embassy of Sweden, the Swedish Chamber of Commerce Qatar (SCCQ), and the Swecare Foundation in partnership with the Qatar Foundation Research, Development and Innovation (QF RDI), the event saw experts from Sweden and Qatar engage in discussions on Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Precision Medicine (PM).

The Ambassador of Sweden to Qatar, His Excellency Anders Bengtcén, said: “I am very pleased with the opportunity for us to partner with QF RDI. I believe that through this hybrid webinar, we have been able to create and strengthen the networks and intellectual bridges between Qatar and Sweden in two highly important fields where both countries are devoting considerable resources and pursuing significant opportunities.

“Sweden has made significant advances and industry applications in AI and PM, which we are showcasing during this webinar; and we look forward to working together with Qatar, building on its own notable progress in these fields.”

In her opening remark, the Swedish Minister for Foreign Trade and Nordic Affairs, Her Excellency Anna Hallberg, said: “A key element of the Swedish approach to innovation is that we try to look at society as a whole when searching for new opportunities, including how we live, travel, communicate and do business. The importance of having a holistic approach has only increased as we look at how to manage and preserve our environment and resources in order to achieve sustainable development.

“The topics for today’s event, artificial intelligence and precision medicine, are excellent examples of areas filled with opportunities for our two countries. I hope that we can work together today, and in the future, to explore opportunities for how we can cooperate in making tomorrow a brighter day.

“Qatar has taken important initiatives to attract foreign investment through economic incentives, such as the establishment of special economic zones and excellent infrastructure. The Swedish Government lauds the new labour legislation introduced in Qatar this year. I believe these important steps put Qatar in a unique position in the region when it comes to attracting foreign investment and foreign talent.”

Dr. Richard O’Kennedy, Vice President, QF RDI, welcomed the opportunities presented by this event, stating: “With a comprehensive agenda and the participation of leading experts from Qatar and Sweden, this has been a tremendously productive gathering which addressed two incredibly important areas of hi-technology research, development, and innovation – Artificial Intelligence and Precision Medicine. QF RDI is delighted to be partnering with the Swedish Embassy and we look forward to the exchange of knowledge, perspectives, and expertise in these areas.

“Sweden’s leadership and achievements in innovation and technology, particularly in the fields of AI and PM is well regarded around the world, and this event comes timely as QF, through QF RDI, is strengthening its focus on these very areas for the benefit of society.”

Participants from Sweden included Vinnova - Sweden’s Innovation Agency, Karolinska Institutet - Sweden’s single largest center of medical academic research, Linköpings Universitet, Uppsala Universitet. Global companies Alfa Laval, Astra Zeneca, Elekta, Ericsson and Volvo as well as SMEs Olink Proteomics and Independent Business Group also participated in the event.

Representatives from Qatar included speakers from QF RDI, Qatar Research Development and Innovation Council, Ministry of Public Health & Hamad Medical Corporation, Qatar Science & Technology Park, Qatar Genome Program, Qatar Biobank, Qatar Computing Research Institute, Qatar Biomedical Research Institute (QBRI), Qatar Mobility Innovations Center (QMIC), Sidra Medicine, Texas A&M University at Qatar, and Weill Cornell Medicine Qatar.

Omar Al-Ansari, Secretary General of the Qatar Research, Development, and Innovation Council, said: “Looking forward to the next 10 years and inspired by the Qatar National Vision’s call towards a knowledge-based economy, the Council developed the Qatar Research, Development and Innovation 2030 Strategy (QRDI 2030). The strategy calls for a transformation agenda with a particular focus on the development of a holistic and interconnected ecosystem, leveraging legacy assets and mobilizing various entities across the state.”

Precision Medicine is arguably the most encouraging development in healthcare today, aiming to improve healthcare outcomes and focus on prevention. Sweden has considerable experience in developing and implementing diverse PM solutions, while individually tailored medicine, including research and existing diagnostic methods and therapies for individualized assessment, prevention and treatment of disease at the individual or part of the population is an integrated concept in the Swedish health care system.

Lars Hammarström, Director and Head of Division Health at Vinnova, identified quality, talent and knowledge, infrastructure and collaboration as the four critical aspects that enable small countries like Sweden and Qatar to compete in the global race for precision health.

AI and PM are key focus areas of QF’s RDI efforts in the ICT, healthcare, environmental sustainability, and energy sectors. The Center for Artificial Intelligence at Qatar Computing Research Institute (QCRI), part of Qatar Foundation’s (QF’s) Hamad Bin Khalifa University, was established to develop and promote homegrown AI technologies through research, education and policy initiatives.

Collaboration is a pivotal element in Qatar’s PM agenda. A nation-wide collaborative research effort among government and academic research institutions was the first to investigate and identify the prevalence and genetic classification and characteristics of congenital disorders in Qatar. QF RDI research entities – Qatar Biobank (QBB) and Qatar Genome Program (QGP), in close coordination with national stakeholders, and other QF entities like Qatar Biomedical Research Institute at Hamad Bin Khalifa University, Sidra Medicine, and international partners, are jointly moving Qatar’s PM agenda forward.