Plenary Speaker

Claire Walsh is a Research Fellow at the UCL Department of Mechanical Engineering, the Director of the Human Organ Atlas Hub (HOAHub) and Co-director of the Hierarchical Phase-Contrast Tomography (HiP-CT) research team.

Throughout their research career Claire has always had a focus on 3D imaging to understand and validate models of human physiology. Following on from their PhD, their expertise in multi-modal imaging and machine learning (ML) began with an MRC Skills Development Fellowship in 2018, during which Claire developed a fluorescent imaging technique and specialised in ML segmentation methods for 3D imaging modalities. Recognising the importance of training data quality and evaluation metrics, they focused on understanding how sample preparation, image acquisition and training data availability impact ML efficacy, particularly in vascular network segmentation. This work led to the creation of open-access 3D training datasets and vascular-specific metrics, culminating in the development of the first large validated training dataset for HiP-CT data. These data were used for a Kaggle competition with over 1400 participants to develop ML models for vascular segmentation. Claire joined Prof. Lee’s team in 2020, to develop a novel synchrotron X-ray tomography technique- HiP-CT.

Since 2021, Claire has taken an increasing leadership role in the department's efforts to develop the HiP-CT technique and build the HiP-CT community through dataset publications, protocol dissemination, and the establishment of the HOAHub. The HOAHub - a consortium of 9 institutions dedicated to the open dissemination of HiP-CT imaging and Open FAIR HiP-CT data has made significant strides in scanning and dissemination of HiP-CT and The Human Organ Atlas portal provides open access datasets that can and have been used by scientists from around the world. Claire's career demonstrates their focus on X-ray and multi-modal imaging alongside my development of cutting-edge image analysis pipelines. Claire has a long-standing dedication to open science, interdisciplinary collaboration, and the sharing of knowledge, and has always been committed to building an open, supportive, and innovative scientific ecosystem.