A NESTOR Academy activity for intersectoral R&I translation
NESTOR describes itself as a cross-disciplinary ecosystem for life-long training and ethical, responsible innovation in reproductive medicine. This workshop translates that mission into hands-on work on AI, data, clinical adoption and patient-focused innovation.
AI for ART service providers
Develop practical understanding of machine learning tools, big-data handling, data stewardship and cloud-based analytics in reproductive medicine.
From algorithm to implementation
Connect validation, reliability, intellectual property, clinical SOPs, technology valorisation and business creation.
Design around real needs
Use design thinking to identify unmet needs and transform them into understandable, responsible and clinically relevant ART-AI concepts.
What participants will work on
- Develop AI-tool concepts around actual ART-provider and patient needs.
- Understand multidimensional data collection, harmonisation, storage, governance and cloud-based analytics.
- Plan robust validation, calibration, reliability and traceability of data-driven clinical tools.
- Translate technical concepts into clinical SOPs and implementation pathways.
- Explore IP, valorisation and responsible commercialization of software- and algorithm-based innovations.
- Build patient-centred value propositions through facilitated design-thinking labs.
Multidisciplinary by design
- INFS / INFERSENCE — workshop lead; represented throughout all three days by Dr. George Kazakis and Dr. Pantelis Tsakalis.
- External Expert Team — Prof. Stelios K. Georgantzinos, Prof. Rajai Z. Al-Rousan and Prof. Bara'a R. Alnemrawi — joint methodological contributions on computational modelling, optimization, validation, reliability and data-driven engineering.
- University of Maastricht (UM) · TBC — PGT development pathway, IP, valorisation and marketing.
- CCHT / CELVIA — Alberto Sola Leyva and Katariina Ilmoja — confirmed contributors: Alberto Sola Leyva will deliver the multidimensional ART-data lecture and participate in the responsible-data roundtable on Day 3; Katariina Ilmoja will deliver the clinical SOP session on Day 2.
- Assisting Nature · TBC — ART clinical needs, workflow constraints and adoption requirements.
- NESTOR Advisory Board / patient representative · TBC — trust, communication, acceptability and patient-centred innovation.
- NESTOR ERA Talents — four academic talents are currently identified; attendance by additional industry talents is subject to Project Officer guidance and consortium confirmation.
Computational design, optimization, reliability and data-driven engineering
The three experts contribute jointly to the same invited presentations and design-thinking activities, providing an integrated methodological perspective that complements the ART-specific NESTOR and clinical content.
Prof. Stelios K. Georgantzinos
Computational analysis and design, optimization, finite-element modelling, quantitative methods, validation and reliability.
Prof. Rajai Z. Al-Rousan
Structural engineering, computational assessment, strengthening, performance evaluation and research translation.
Prof. Bara'a R. Alnemrawi
Structural performance, numerical/finite-element analysis, validation, strengthening and data-informed engineering assessment.
Workshop coordination across all three days
Two shared invited presentations
- From Computational Modelling to Data-Driven Design and Decision Support
- Optimization, Model Validation and Reliability in Data-Driven Systems
- Co-facilitation of the three Design-Thinking Labs and expert feedback on participant concepts
Three-day workshop agenda
The NESTOR workshop runs on 17–19 December 2026 in parallel with OPT-iv2026, with a separate programme and attendance record. The three days move from clinical and data needs through validation and valorisation to patient-centred implementation.
| Time | Session | Lead / contributor | Format |
|---|---|---|---|
| 09:00–09:30 | Registration and welcome coffee | INFERSENCE | Networking |
| 09:30–09:50 | Opening of NESTOR ST3.3.1: objectives, T3.3 context and expected outputs | Dr. George Kazakis + Dr. Pantelis Tsakalis | Opening |
| 09:50–10:20 | NESTOR and the digital transformation of assisted reproductive technologies | Dr. George Kazakis + Dr. Pantelis Tsakalis | Lecture |
| 10:20–11:20 | From Computational Modelling to Data-Driven Design and Decision Support | Prof. Georgantzinos + Prof. Al-Rousan + Prof. Alnemrawi | Joint invited expert lecture |
| 11:20–11:45 | Coffee break | — | Break |
| 11:45–12:30 | AI and machine learning in ART: current applications, opportunities and limitations | Dr. George Kazakis | Lecture + Q&A |
| 12:30–13:15 | What AI tools do ART professionals actually need? | AN clinician / embryologist · TBC | Clinical perspective |
| 13:15–14:15 | Lunch | — | Break |
| 14:15–15:00 | Designing data-driven ART tools around clinician and patient needs | Three external experts + Dr. Kazakis + Dr. Tsakalis | Interactive discussion |
| 15:00–15:40 | Cloud-based analytics and data pipelines for ART applications | Dr. Pantelis Tsakalis | Technical lecture |
| 15:40–16:00 | Coffee break | — | Break |
| 16:00–17:00 | Design-Thinking Lab 1: identifying unmet needs across the ART patient journey | Three external experts + Dr. Kazakis + Dr. Tsakalis | Facilitated workshop |
| 17:00–17:30 | Team reports: user needs, clinical pain points and candidate ART-AI solutions | Participant teams + expert panel | Team presentations |
| Time | Session | Lead / contributor | Format |
|---|---|---|---|
| 09:00–09:20 | Recap of Day 1 and objectives for Day 2 | Dr. George Kazakis + Dr. Pantelis Tsakalis | Interactive recap |
| 09:20–10:05 | From research algorithm to clinical tool: the PGT development experience | UM representative · TBC | Case study |
| 10:05–10:50 | Intellectual property for AI and computational medical technologies | UM / innovation-IP contributor · TBC | Lecture + discussion |
| 10:50–11:15 | Coffee break | — | Break |
| 11:15–12:00 | Validation of ART AI models: robustness, calibration, uncertainty and cross-clinic transfer | Dr. George Kazakis | Technical lecture |
| 12:00–13:00 | Optimization, Model Validation and Reliability in Data-Driven Systems | Prof. Georgantzinos + Prof. Al-Rousan + Prof. Alnemrawi | Joint invited expert lecture |
| 13:00–14:00 | Lunch | — | Break |
| 14:00–14:45 | From data to clinical SOP: reproducibility, traceability and quality assurance | Katariina Ilmoja (CCHT / CELVIA) | Practice session |
| 14:45–15:30 | Technology valorisation and business models for AI-enabled ART services | UM / innovation contributor · TBC | Lecture + discussion |
| 15:30–15:50 | Coffee break | — | Break |
| 15:50–16:50 | Design-Thinking Lab 2: building an ART-AI value proposition and validation pathway | Three external experts + Dr. Kazakis + Dr. Tsakalis | Facilitated workshop |
| 16:50–17:30 | Group pitches: problem → user → solution → data → validation → value proposition | Participant teams + expert panel | Team pitches |
| Time | Session | Lead / contributor | Format |
|---|---|---|---|
| 09:00–09:20 | Day 2 synthesis and introduction to patient-centred translation | Dr. George Kazakis + Dr. Pantelis Tsakalis | Interactive recap |
| 09:20–10:05 | Patient-centred innovation in ART: clinician and patient perspectives | AN clinician / Advisory Board or patient representative · TBC | Stakeholder dialogue |
| 10:05–10:50 | Human-in-the-loop and explainable AI for assisted reproduction | Dr. George Kazakis | Lecture + discussion |
| 10:50–11:15 | Coffee break | — | Break |
| 11:15–12:00 | Multidimensional ART data: collection, harmonization, storage and quality control | Alberto Sola Leyva (CCHT / CELVIA) | Technical lecture |
| 12:00–12:45 | Responsible use of reproductive-health data: governance, transparency and trust | Alberto Sola Leyva (CCHT) + UM / Advisory Board contributors (TBC) | Roundtable |
| 12:45–13:45 | Lunch | — | Break |
| 13:45–14:45 | Panel: from promising algorithm to patient-centred ART application | Three experts + INFERSENCE + NESTOR / clinical contributors | Panel discussion |
| 14:45–15:45 | Design-Thinking Lab 3: finalising patient-centred solutions and implementation pathways | Three external experts + Dr. Kazakis + Dr. Tsakalis | Facilitated workshop |
| 15:45–16:05 | Coffee break | — | Break |
| 16:05–17:00 | Final team presentations, peer review and expert feedback | Participant teams + expert panel | Presentations |
| 17:00–17:30 | Workshop recommendations for D3.4, participant evaluation and closing | Dr. George Kazakis + Dr. Pantelis Tsakalis + rapporteurs | Synthesis + evaluation |
Designed to leave an auditable trail of learning and translation
The workshop outputs connect participant work to NESTOR technical and patient-centred implementation activities.
Workshop report, agenda and participation record
Final programme, attendance, presentations, evaluation, photographs/screenshots and signed workshop report.
ART-AI innovation needs and implementation recommendations
Innovation canvases, clinical and patient needs, validation principles and implementation recommendations contributing to the patient-centred innovation MoU.
Patient-centred innovation recommendations
Clinician, patient and Advisory Board perspectives translated into implementation principles and MoU drafting inputs.
Conference-ready concepts and scientific contributions
Selected concepts progress to the patient-centred applications activity and the OPT-iv2026 NESTOR special session.
NESTOR Academy workshop alongside the OPT-iv2026 conference
The three-day ST3.3.1 workshop is co-located with OPT-iv2026 (17–19 December 2026), while remaining a separate NESTOR training activity with its own programme, attendance records, outputs and cost documentation. The ST3.3.2 patient-centred applications and special session are distinct activities and must not be double-counted.