The Computation-based Science and Technology Research Center (CaSToRC) recently hosted the “Hack for a Cause” hackathon, a five-day event aimed at addressing critical challenges in healthcare through the application of Artificial Intelligence (AI). Organized under the EuroCC-2 project and in collaboration with the Cyprus Anticancer Society, the hackathon brought together innovative minds to develop AI-driven solutions for improving the drug prescription process for hospitalized cancer patients, particularly focusing on the complexities of polypharmacy.
The hackathon centered on creating a functional prototype of an AI tool capable of analyzing patient treatment charts. These charts, detailing prescribed medications, dosages, allergies, and comorbidities, served as input for the AI system to issue real-time alerts for potential drug interactions, contraindications, or overdoses. This groundbreaking approach aims to reduce medical errors, improve patient outcomes, and provide healthcare professionals with a powerful tool to enhance clinical decision-making. This event offered a unique opportunity to bridge the gap between technology and healthcare, empowering participants to address a pressing medical challenge. By focusing on polypharmacy—a significant concern in cancer treatment—the hackathon demonstrated how AI could streamline the prescription process, ensuring both safety and efficiency. Beyond its immediate goal, the event also promoted the use of cutting-edge technologies in healthcare while fostering collaboration among diverse disciplines.
Participants included a dynamic mix of undergraduate and postgraduate students, PhD candidates, researchers, and professionals from fields such as AI, computer science, bioinformatics, healthcare IT, and software engineering. This diversity brought a wealth of perspectives and expertise, enhancing the innovative potential of the solutions developed.
The event began with a welcome address by Prof. Constantine Dovrolis, Director of CaSToRC, who emphasized the potential of AI in addressing real-world healthcare problems and the importance of collaborative innovation. Dr. Kyriaki Kylili, Associate Research Scientist at EuroCC, presented an overview of the hackathon’s goals and structure, while Mrs. Maria Ioannidou, Executive Director of the Cyprus Anticancer Society, inspired participants with insights into the medical challenges they were working to solve. To equip participants with the tools they needed, CaSToRC provided access to the Cyclone High-Performance Computing (HPC) system. Dr. Christodoulos Stylianou and Mr. George Kosta led sessions introducing the system and offering hands-on guidance on how to harness its capabilities for AI model development and implementation. Throughout the event, mentors were available to provide technical support, ensuring teams could overcome challenges and refine their prototypes effectively.
The hackathon followed a structured agenda designed to maximize productivity and creativity. The first day was dedicated to team formation, brainstorming, and introductory sessions on the Cyclone HPC system. Subsequent days provided ample time for focused development. The final day featured project presentations, where participants showcased their solutions, highlighting the development process, technical details, and potential impact on patient care. To acknowledge their achievements, all participants received a “Certificate of Attendance.”
The event concluded with the announcement of the top three solutions, highlighting the exceptional contributions of participants:
🥇 First Place: Christine Alaverdyan, Hovhannes B., and Arevik Navasardyan (Team 9)
🥈 Second Place: Jiahua Zhao (Team 03)
🥉 Third Place: Nestoras Karathanasis (Team 11)
The top three solutions showcased exceptional creativity and expertise in AI-driven healthcare innovation. Winners will receive personalized plaques from the Cyprus Anticancer Society (one per team, prepared within three weeks) and mentorship, internships, and access to Cyclone HPC resources from The Cyprus Institute, fostering their continued development and success.
The “Hack for a Cause” hackathon underscored the transformative potential of AI in healthcare and the importance of interdisciplinary collaboration. By addressing the challenges of polypharmacy, the event highlighted how cutting-edge technologies could reduce medical errors, enhance patient care, and empower healthcare professionals. This initiative reflects CaSToRC’s commitment to fostering innovation through the integration of AI and HPC in addressing real-world problems. With the support of initiatives like EuroCC-2, The Cyprus Institute continues to strengthen Cyprus’ research ecosystem, equipping researchers and professionals to drive meaningful advancements in science, technology, and healthcare.
