Smart Health Centre

Pioneering innovative artificial intelligence and machine learning advancements to transform the landscape of medicine and healthcare

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Pioneering innovative artificial intelligence and machine learning advancements to transform the landscape of medicine and healthcare

Smart Health Centre

Overview

At the Smart Health Centre (SHC), we're not just redefining healthcare – we're shaping its future. Our cross-functional, multidisciplinary team is on a relentless mission to harness the potential of artificial intelligence in healthcare. Through ground breaking innovation, research excellence, and cutting-edge education, we're driving the transformation of healthcare as you know it.

Smart Health Centre logo

Our vision

The University of East London's vision is to be a careers-led university dedicated to supporting its students to develop the skills, emotional intelligence, and creativity needed to thrive in a constantly changing world. UEL has a reputation for innovative research and transformative innovation to impact student, graduate, and community success positively. The SHC's strategy articulates this vision to boost students and graduates with the research skills and tools to break into the health analytics and intelligence-driven healthcare transformation field. The SHC's vision is to raise the UEL's profile as a leading, research-intensive university that attracts students and faculty interested in health analytics and intelligence-driven healthcare transformation.

Our mission

The core of our existence is simple yet profound: We aim to create personalised healthcare solutions that address the pressing challenges of today's medical landscape. Our focus is on developing algorithms, computational models, and digital health tools that cater to each patient's unique needs.

Strategic themes

Research

We're expanding our research portfolio, building research capacity, and fostering collaboration with UEL Schools passionate about AI/ML in healthcare. Our goal is to deliver cost-effective care and reduce administrative burdens through AI/ML solutions.

Education

We're crafting top-tier educational programmes that promote AI/ML research practices and hands-on opportunities. Our internships offer practical experience, and we're developing MSc and PhD programmes in Healthcare Analytics and Artificial Intelligence.

Community

The SHC extends its reach globally, partners with national and non-profit organisations, and collaborates with clinics. We're here to strengthen the healthcare system and build bridges with academia, industry, and government agencies.

Meet our leading minds

Professor Dr Hassan Abdalla, MSc, PhD, CEng, FIMechE, PFHEA, FRSA

Head of the Centre

Professor Abdalla is currently the Provost of the University of East London. Prior to that, he was Pro Vice-Chancellor for Learning and Teaching and the College of Technology and Innovation; and Executive Dean of the School of Architecture, Computing and Engineering. He is an international authority in the field of Smart/Future Cities, Disruptive Technologies, Brain Computer Interface (BCI), and Autonomous Systems with over 25 years' experience in both academia and industry.

Hassan Abdalla

Professor Dr Mohamed Imam, MD MSc (Orth)(Hons) DSportMed PhD FRCS (Tr and Orth)

Executive Medical Director

Professor Imam is a visiting professor and consultant orthopaedic surgeon who specialises in upper limb surgery, sports injuries, and complex trauma. He is the chief investigator of leading national and international studies. His work is widely recognised, and he has published more than 100 peer-reviewed publications in top international medical journals and written more than 12 textbook chapters on upper limb injuries. Professor Imam has designed orthopaedic instruments, designed and published different techniques and authored two books. He is a member of various boards and research committees in many international organisations, including OrthoGlobe, British Elbow and Shoulder Society, Royal Society of Medicine, Royal College of Surgeons England, and the International Society of Arthroscopy, Knee Surgery and Orthopaedic Sports Medicine (ISAKOS). Prof Imam advises many sporting athletes and clubs in the UK and is involved in treating professional athletes.

Dr Rawad Hammad, PhD

Executive Technical Director

Dr Hammad is a Programme Leader for MSc Computing, Programme Leader for MSc Digital Education, Technology Enhanced Learning Research Group Co-Leader, and a Senior Lecturer in Computer Science and Digital Technologies at the University of East London.

Rawad has an extensive experience on Software Engineering, Technology Enhanced Learning (TEL), Artificial Intelligence in Education, and Smart Health research and practice. Rawad contributed to and led various international projects, published research articles and has been involved in various conference programme committees including EC-TEL, LAK, AIED and BUSTECH. Moreover, Rawad is supervising postgraduate students, currently 5 PhD students in addition to varied number of MSc students. Rawad is an executive committee member of the International Society of the Artificial Intelligence in Education (AIED) and committee member of different research bodies, conferences including EC-TEL, LAK, AI for Post-COVID Education, Networks in Education. In 2018, he received his PhD in Software Engineering from the University of the West of England (UWE). In 2010, he received his MSc in Cognitive Computing from Goldsmiths, University of London. He led numerous international projects such as: TRANSFER and SmartTech which include partnerships with different universities, research centres, governmental institutes from different countries including Japan, Germany, Finland and Middle East. Prior to coming to University of East London, Rawad was a Senior Education Solutions Researcher/Analyst at King's College London; Researcher at Centre for Complex Cooperative Systems at the University of the West of England.

Ahmed Elgebaly, MD

Postgraduate Researcher

Elgebaly is studying for a PhD at the University of East London. He is working on a project to develop predictive models for sports injury in professional athletes. Prior to starting his PhD, Elgebaly earnt his MBBcH degree from Al Azhar University in Egypt in 2018. He has published more than 30 peer-reviewed publications in well-reputable international medical journals and co-authored two textbook chapters. His current research focus is to utilise AI applications in developing healthcare solutions, with particular focus on sports science and cognitive neuroscience.

Ahmad Althaher, MD, MSc

Postgraduate Researcher

Althaher is pursuing a PhD at the University of East London focused on utilising Artificial Intelligence (AI) to develop predictive models for postoperative outcomes in orthopaedics. With an academic background that includes an MBBS degree from Jordan University of Science and Technology and an MSc in Medical Statistics from the University of Oxford, Althaher is an expert in medical statistical analysis with a strong publication record in international medical journals.

Global collaboration

We're at the forefront of collaboration, partnering with institutions like Ashford and St Peter's Hospitals, the NHS, Hashemite University, Al-Balqa’ Applied University, and Ain Shams University to drive global healthcare innovation.

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Exploring our insights

Discover our wealth of publications, providing valuable insights into the future of healthcare.

Publications

  • Title: A Deep Learning Based Suggested Model to Detect Necrotising Enterocolitis in Abdominal Radiography Images; Publication: Archives of Disease in Childhood, IEEE 2019; Authors: Druten J V, Sharif M S, Chan S S, Chong C and Abdalla H
  • Title: Capturing Public Concerns About Coronavirus Using Arabic Tweets: An NLP-Driven Approach; Publication: IEEE/ACM 13th International Conference on Utility and Cloud Computing (UCC), 2020; Authors: Bahja, M., Hammad, R., Kuhail, M.
  • Title: Proceedings of CrossMMLA in Practice: Collecting, Annotating, and Analyzing Multimodal Data Across Spaces; Publication: Co-located with the 10th International Learning and Analytics Conference, 2020; Authors: Giannakos, M.N., Spikol, D., Molenaar, I., Di Mitri, D., Sharma, K., Ochoa, X., and Hammad, R.
  • Title: Mortality and Pulmonary Complications in Patients Undergoing Upper Extremity Surgery at the Peak of the SARS-CoV-2 Pandemic in the UK: A National Cohort Study; Publication: BMJ Qual Saf 2020; 0:1–9. doi:10.1136/bmjqs-2020-012156; Authors: The Corona Hands Collaborative, MA Imam
  • Title: Three-Year Functional Outcome of Transosseous-Equivalent Double-Row vs Single-Row Repair of Small and Large Rotator Cuff Tears: A Double-Blinded Randomized Controlled Trial; Publication: Journal of Shoulder and Elbow Surgery, May 2020, DOI: 10.1016/j.jse.2020.05.005; Authors: MA Imam, A Sallam, L Ernstbrunner, G Boyce, N Bardakos, A Abdelkafy, M Mousa, A Ghazal
  • Title: Aerosol Generating Procedures In Trauma And Orthopaedics In The Era Of The Covid-19 Pandemic; What Do We Know? Publication: The Surgeon, August 2020 R Dimock, M Fathi, MA Imam, AA Narvani Title: Bony Increased-Offset Reverse Shoulder Arthroplasty: A Meta-Analysis of the Available Evidence
  • Title: Bony Increased-Offset Reverse Shoulder Arthroplasty: A Meta-Analysis of the Available Evidence; Publication: Shoulder & Elbow, June 2020, DOI: 10.1177/1758573220916848; Authors: A Sobti, M Fathi, M Mokhtar, K Mahana, M Rashid, I Polyzois, A Narvani, MA Imam
  • Title: Normal Wrist Development in Children and Adolescents: A Geometrical Observational Analysis Based on Plain Radiographs; Publication: Journal of Pediatric Orthopaedics, May 2020; Authors: A Sallam, N Briffa, S Mahmoud, MA Imam
  • Title: Degenerative Rotator Cuff Tear, Repair or Not Repair? A Review of Current Evidence; Publication: Annals of The Royal College of Surgeons of England, 01/2020, DOI:10.1308/rcsann.2019.0173; Authors: AA Narvani, MA Imam, A Godenèche, E Calvo, S Corbett, AL Wallace, E Itoi
  • Title: A Simple Reproducible Technique for the Retrieval of Broken Proximal Femoral Blades: A Technical Note and Review of Literature; Publication: Journal of Clinical Orthopaedics and Trauma, 10/2019, DOI:10.1016/j.jcot.2019.10.003; Authors: Mohamed A. Imam, Ziad Harb, David Elliot
  • Title: Talk2Learn: A Framework for Chatbot Learning Publication: European Conference on Technology Enhanced Learning, 2019; Authors: Bahja, M., Hammad, R., and Hassouna, M.
  • Title: A User-Centric Framework for Educational Chatbots Design and Development; Publication: International Conference on Human-Computer Interaction, 2020; Authors: Bahja, M., Hammad, R., and Butt, G.
  • Title: Posterior Acromial Morphology Is Significantly Associated with Posterior Shoulder Instability; Publication: The Journal of Bone and Joint Surgery, 07/2019, DOI:10.2106/JBJS.18.00541; Authors: Dominik C. Meyer, Lukas Ernstbrunner, Glenn Boyce, Mohamed A. Imam, Rany El Nashar, Christian Gerber
  • Title: Sliding Hip Screws versus Cancellous Screws for Femoral Neck Fractures: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis; Publication: European Journal of Orthopaedic Surgery & Traumatology, 06/2019, DOI:10.1007/s00590-019-02460-0; Authors: Mohamed S. A. Shehata, Mohamed M. Aboelnas, Ali N. Abdulkarim, Ahmed R. Abdallah, Hussien Ahmed, James Holton, Paolo Consigliere, Ali A. Narvani, Asser A. Sallam, James A. Wimhurst, Mohamed A. Imam
  • Title: Unipolar versus Bipolar Hemiarthroplasty for Displaced Femoral Neck Fractures: A Pooled Analysis of 30250 Participants' Data; Publication: Injury, 06/2019, DOI:10.1016/j.injury.2019.06.004; Authors: Mohamed A. Imam, Mohamed Shehata, Ahmed R. Abdallah, Hussien Ahmed, Nardeen Kader, Lukas Ernstbrunner, Ali A. Narvani, Grigoris Kambouroglou, Iain Mcnamara, Asser A. Sallam
  • Title: Salvage Reverse Total Shoulder Arthroplasty for Failed Operative Treatment of Proximal Humeral Fractures in Patients Younger than 60 Years: Long-Term Results; Publication: Journal of Shoulder and Elbow Surgery, 06/2019, DOI:10.1016/j.jse.2018.11.032; Authors: Lukas Ernstbrunner, Stefan Rahm, Aline Suter, Mohamed A. Imam, Sabrina Catanzaro, Christian Gerber

Contact us

Please feel free to contact us if you are interested in discussing a collaboration opportunity with us.

Email: r.hammad@uel.ac.uk