Our expertise

This AIMday is built around the University of Edinburgh’s comprehensive strength across clinical imaging, sensing and analytics, with pathways from preclinical discovery to clinical translation. We bring together advanced platforms such as total body PET, preclinical and large animal imaging, miniaturised delivery and sensing platforms, and state of the art AI and data science, with the ability to securely link device generated data to clinical records under established governance, to help partners tackle ambitious, real world problems.

Edinburgh offers a combination of facilities, methods and interdisciplinary teams who can work with NHS partners and industry to move from concept to proof of value, derisking R&D and accelerating challenge-led discovery. Consider how our clinical domains and capabilities below could map to your challenges.

For help shaping a compelling AIMday question that combines clinical need and technical ambition, see Creating your questions.

Clinical and Translational Domains

Edinburgh combines deep clinical expertise with world-leading imaging, sensing and analytics; embedded within flagship centres that bridge discovery, translation and patient impact.

• Neurology and Brain Disorders

Led by the Anne Rowling Regenerative Neurology Clinic and the Centre for Clinical Brain Sciences, Edinburgh delivers multimodal analytics for early diagnosis, progression tracking and therapy response in neurodegenerative and inflammatory diseases, stroke, MS and brain tumours.

• Cardiovascular and Metabolic Disease

Through the Centre for Cardiovascular Science we advance quantitative imaging, ambulatory sensing and risk modelling to guide prevention, intervention and device evaluation across structural, coronary and vascular disease.

• Cancer Detection and Response

At the Institute of Genetics and Cancer, teams integrate imaging, radiomics and analytics to accelerate early detection, phenotyping and personalised treatment monitoring across solid and haematological malignancies.

• Women’s and Reproductive Health

The Centre for Reproductive Health applies imaging biomarkers and multimodal analytics to advance diagnosis, monitoring and development of new therapies for reproductive and gynaecological conditions. Research also spans maternal health, fertility and menopause, integrating biological insight with imaging and sensing for personalised approaches to care.

• Veterinary and Comparative Medicine

Through the Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies and the Roslin Institute Edinburgh delivers strong veterinary clinical expertise and large animal imaging for veterinary and animal health applications as well as translational imaging and sensing studies that validate new targets, evaluate devices and bridge preclinical to human trials.

Technologies and capabilities

Imaging modalities and platforms

• Clinical MRI, CT, ultrasound and PETCT, including Scotland’s first total body PET, enabling dynamic, low dose, whole body studies and new biomarker development opportunities, delivered by Edinburgh Imaging.

• Preclinical imaging across MRI, CT, PET, SPECT and optical, with clear routes to clinical translation accessed through e.g. Edinburgh Bioimaging
• Large animal and veterinary imaging for translational and veterinary applications available via the Large Animal Research and Imaging Facility.
• Molecular and chemical imaging and biomarker discovery spanning probe design, fluorophore imaging and single molecule bio-photonics, delivering translational readouts for inflammation, infection and disease mechanisms.
• Quantitative imaging physics and multimodal method development spanning detector design, acquisition optimisation, advanced reconstruction, quantitative mapping and protocol standardisation to maximise data quality, accuracy and cross site comparability.

Sensors, physiological signals and device platforms

• Minimally invasive interventional sensing and therapeutic platforms enabling precision local delivery, endoscopic and fibre optic molecular sensing, and real time in situ measurement and guidance for diagnosis and treatment, as developed e.g. within the MicroTex Hub.
• Advanced bio-integrated microsystems and materials for biosensing and monitoring, encompassing bioresorbable sensors and actuators, transient implantables, and semiconductor-enabled microfabrication with integrated photonics, electronics, embedded systems and signal processing.
• Remote and in home monitoring contexts, codesign and evaluation of sensing enabled care models delivered with the Advanced Care Research Centre.
• Physiological waveform and neuro-biopotential acquisition and analysis across ECG, EEG, EMG, PPG and SpO2, together with sleep and movement signals, enabling robust risk stratification and monitoring.

Analytics

• Signal and image reconstruction enabling denoising, registration and quantitative mapping across MRI, CT, ultrasound, PET and optical or sensor signals, as developed e.g. within Biomedical Physics and Edinburgh Imaging.
• Multimodal data fusion and imaging biomarker discovery integrating imaging with physiological, biomechanical and molecular signals using radiomics and representation learning, as supported e.g. by Computational Biology and Health Informatics in the School of Informatics.
• Computer vision and time‑series modelling enabling segmentation, detection, forecasting and decision support, including edge and on‑device AI, where appropriate, as exemplified e.g. within the AI4BI Centre for Doctoral Training, with embedded implementations supported by the School of Engineering or using causal AI in the CHAI Hub.

• Robustness and translation methods addressing uncertainty, calibration and reproducible evaluation, including secure linkage of device generated data with clinical records under established governance, delivered through e.g. the Usher Institute or health and medical statistics in the School of Mathematics.