Karolina Tądel, a doctoral student at Wrocław Medical University, has been honored with the Readers’ Choice Award in the 7th edition of the Start-Up-Med competition, organized by „Rynek Zdrowia.” The award ceremony took place during the 10th Health Challenges Congress (HCC) in Katowice.

Karolina Tądel, an alumna and current doctoral candidate at Wrocław Medical University, received the Readers’ Choice Award in the Start-Up-Med competition, which recognizes the most innovative medical technology projects aimed at improving healthcare systems and patient outcomes. The award was presented during the 10th Health Challenges Congress (HCC) in Katowice.

Under the supervision of Prof. Iwona Bil-Lula, Vice-Dean of the Faculty of Pharmacy and Head of the Department of Medical Analytics, Tądel is developing a doctoral implementation project titled „Development of software utilizing artificial intelligence algorithms to predict the development of inflammatory responses in neonates based on laboratory tests.” This project is funded by the Ministry of Science and Higher Education and is conducted in collaboration with the Institute of Mother and Child in Warsaw and the Wrocław University of Economics.

The project addresses the critical issue of neonatal sepsis, a condition that poses a significant risk to newborns worldwide. By leveraging artificial intelligence to analyze laboratory results and clinical observations, the software aims to enable rapid diagnosis and timely treatment interventions. Currently, the team is working on developing and validating the AI algorithm, with plans to publish their findings and prepare for clinical implementation.

In this year’s Start-Up-Med competition, 50 projects were submitted, with the top ten finalists selected by a jury. The final decision was made by experts and readers, with Tądel’s project winning the readers’ vote in the Start-Up category.

„My professional mission is to apply innovation in clinical practice, and I am delighted that AI is assisting us in our research,” said Tądel upon receiving the award. „Thank you for recognizing our scientific efforts; we promise to continue developing the project.”