Qian Tao joined ImPhys as tenure track Assistant Professor

News - 08 March 2021 - Communication ImPhys

Qian Tao joined the Medical Imaging group of ImPhys per March 1st 2021. She will direct the Knowledge-Driven AI lab (KDAI Lab). Her research interest includes medical image analysis, machine learning, and their state-of-the-art combination in theory and in practice.

From Data-driven to Knowledge-driven AI

Recent advances in AI have led to major breakthroughs in many scientific fields, including medical imaging and chemical engineering. Much of the current success can be attributed to the development of deep learning techniques, which autonomously learn from large amount of data. However, purely data-driven methods may lead to issues in theory and in practice. For example, the model can be biased without appropriate data prior, difficult to generalize in cases of distribution shift, fragile when confronted with adversarial attacks, and opaque to users with its non-intuitive parameters in millions.

In the Knowledge-Driven AI (KDAI) Lab, we strive to strengthen the current data-driven AI by integrating fundamental knowledge of applied natural sciences. We will conduct research on knowledge-driven AI, and demonstrate its value in two applied science fields: medical imaging and chemical engineering. At the same time, our research can be used more broadly, as it studies the fundamental methodologies of bringing knowledge into all the key components of AI: data collection, algorithm design, user interaction and practical deployment. We believe that knowledge-driven AI will improve upon purely data-driven AI, providing understanding and trust on AI and propelling future development in applied sciences.

Dr. Qian Tao recently joined the Department of Imaging Physics at TU Delft. She will direct the KDAI Lab, together with Dr. Artur Schweidtmann from the Department of Chemical Engineering at TU Delft. Qian’s research interest includes medical image analysis, machine learning, and their state-of-the-art combination in theory and in practice.We are looking for self-motivated PhD and master students who want to do research and complete thesis with us. If you are interested, feel free to reach out with an email stating your background and motivation: Q.Tao@tudelft.nl.

Biography

Qian Tao received her BSc degree (with honors) in Electrical Engineering, and her MSc degree (with honors) in Biomedical Engineering, both from Fudan University, Shanghai, China. She received her PhD degree from University of Twente, the Netherlands, with her PhD thesis entitled "Face Verification for Mobile Personal Devices", which presented a first-generation biometric authentication system on a mobile device. Her Ph.D work contributed to the 3Dface project of European Commission for the prototype biometric passport. Since 2009 Qian Tao has been working at the Division of Image Processing, Department of Radiology, Leiden University Medical Center, and her multidisciplinary research lines included cardiac MRI analysis and clinical applications, image-guided treatment of cardiac arrhythmia, and artificial intelligence in Radiology.

Research

Qian Tao is currently directing the Knowledge-Driven AI lab at the Department of Imaging Physics, Delft University of Technology. Her research interest includes medical image analysis, machine learning, and their state-of-the-art integration in theory and in practice.