Artificial intelligence is transforming how health and medical research is designed, conducted and translated, but realising its value takes more than access to new tools. It demands robust governance, secure data practices, fit-for-purpose infrastructure, and clear pathways to adoption.

This ACMD Link event brings together researchers, clinicians, industry and innovation leaders to explore how AI can accelerate discovery, sharpen research efficiency and strengthen translation into clinical and commercial impact.

Through practical examples and panel discussion, speakers will unpack where AI is delivering real value today, the governance, security and data-integrity questions that come with it, and what researchers and organisations need to do to adopt AI responsibly. The session will ask how Victoria's research and innovation ecosystem can move fast on AI without losing trust, safety or rigour.

This ACMD Link event is powered by ANDHealth

EVENT DETAILS

Date: Thursday 5 November 2026

Time (AEDT):

3:15pm: Guest arrival and registration

3:30pm - 5:00pm: Event proceedings

5:00pm - 6:00pm: Networking

Venue: The Aikenhead Centre for Medical Discovery (ACMD), The Brenda Shanahan AO Auditorium (Level 1), 27 Victoria Parade, Fitzroy, VIC 3065

Session format: Hybrid delivery with panel discussion and audience Q&A

Registration*: Free to attend, but registration is essential

*Registrations will close at 9am Wednesday 4 November 2026

Who should attend:

Researchers, clinicians and research institutions
Innovators, founders and CXOs
Academic and translational research leads
Healthtech professionals and industry service providers

MEET OUR SPEAKERS

Associate Professor Joseph West, Associate Dean (Indigenous) and Research Fellow, Faculty of Engineering and Information Technology, University of Melbourne

Associate Professor Joseph West is an electrical engineer and computer scientist at the University of Melbourne, where he teaches and researches artificial intelligence, including machine learning, reinforcement learning, robotics and autonomous systems. A Fulbright Scholar and Fellow of Engineers Australia, his research spans AI in neuroscience, seizure prediction, open-world recognition and machine decision-making in complex environments.

He served 21 years in the Australian Regular Army and continues to serve in the Army Reserve, bringing extensive experience in capability development, acquisition and implementation, technical assurance and operational risk management. At the University of Melbourne, he has developed and taught AI in Healthcare programs and held senior leadership positions, including inaugural Associate Dean (Indigenous).

His work focuses on translating AI research into practical benefits, balancing technological opportunity with evidence, risk, accountability and responsible governance.

Distinguished Professor Karin Verspoor, Executive Dean, School of Computing Technologies, RMIT University

Distinguished Professor Karin Verspoor is Executive Dean of the School of Computing Technologies at RMIT University in Melbourne, Australia.

She is a Fellow of the Australian Academy of Technological Sciences and Engineering, a Fellow of the Australasian Institute of Digital Health, and a 2021 “Brilliant Woman in Digital Health”. She was also selected as a finalist in the Women in AI Australia/New Zealand Awards 2022 for “AI in Innovation”.

Karin is passionate about using data and AI to improve health outcomes for people. Her work has a specific emphasis on the use of natural language processing to transform unstructured data in biomedicine, ranging from scientific literature to clinical texts, into actionable information.

Associate Professor Matt Read, Chief Medical Information Officer, St Vincent’s Hospital Melbourne & Adjunct Professor, Australian Centre for Artificial Intelligence in Medical Innovation (ACAMI)

A/Prof Read brings a rare combination of frontline surgical practice, translational research and digital health leadership.

Internationally trained in minimally invasive and robotic surgery (including fellowship work at University Medical Center Utrecht), he is also a clinician-researcher whose PhD through University of Melbourne and Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre focused on advanced preclinical models for oesophageal cancer.

Alongside his clinical roles at St Vincent’s Hospital Melbourne, Matthew has actively led digital innovation in surgery – including developing software to modernise surgical workflows – and currently contributes to hospital-wide digital strategy as a clinical informatics leader. He has also recently been appointed as Adjunct Professor in AI at the Australian Centre for Artificial Intelligence in Medical Innovation (ACAMI) at La Trobe University.

Professor Niusha Shafiabady, Head of Discipline for IT, Director of Women in AI for Social Good lab, Australian Catholic University (Sydney)

Professor Niusha Shafiabady is Head of Discipline for IT and the Director of Women in AI for Social Good lab at ACU at Australian Catholic University. She is an internationally recognised expert in computational intelligence, artificial intelligence, and optimisation, with more than two decades of experience bridging academia and industry. Niusha is the inventor of a patented optimisation algorithm and director of the Women in AI for Social Good Lab, where she leads research on machine learning, data analytics, and ethical AI applications. She has also created two AI tools: Ai‑Labz ,a predictive analytics safe tool, and a secure Q&A tool designed to support safe engagement with AI systems. Her work focuses on aligning technological innovation with social empowerment, knowledge sovereignty, and sustainable futures, and applying AI for social good.

She is also a trusted commentator on AI governance, youth safety, and digital policy. She invites research applications focusing on the Industry and Community Applications of: Machine Learning; Data Analytics; Intelligent Modelling; Expert System Design; Computational Optimisation.

[Moderator] Jason Lemaire, Chief Operating Officer, ACMD

Jason's work spans operational leadership, program delivery, stakeholder engagement and organisational development – helping ensure ACMD functions as a practical, welcoming environment for clinicians, researchers and innovators alike.

With experience across engineering and complex project delivery, Jason brings a thoughtful, collegiate leadership style to his role. He is committed to fostering collaboration, supporting emerging founders and researchers, and strengthening the pathways that connect discovery with real-world clinical and commercial impact.

Important note for attendees:

Please be advised that photographs and videos may be taken by ACMD and ANDHealth staff. By attending this event, you agree to being filmed or photographed, and acknowledge that these may be used for marketing or promotional purposes.

As a condition of complimentary registration, all guests attending this event will be required to complete a short post-event survey. Your feedback supports continuous improvement and helps shape the direction of future industry activities.

ACMD Link | Responsible AI in Research: Governance and Adoption

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