The Lifespan AI Retreat on March 17 and 18, 2026, provided a productive setting for discussion and networking within the group. The team met at the Niedersachsenhof Verden to advance strategic planning for the DFG follow-up proposal for the second phase of the AI research group.
During the main poster session, members presented their latest findings and integrated them into the further development of the research project. In addition, there was an intensive discussion on which priorities should be set for the second project phase, how responsibilities should be allocated, and what specific work packages would result from this. Furthermore, the group discussed which AI methods for evaluation and prediction have proven effective and what contribution the latest developments in data collection and fusion can make. The results were documented in writing to lay the groundwork for the follow-up application.
A particular scientific highlight was the lecture “Lifespan AI and the China Experience” by Mercator Fellow Prof. Haizhou Li (National University of Singapore/The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shenzhen). Prof. Li provided enriching insights into the state of research on lifespan data for healthcare in China, focusing particularly on key challenges and opportunities in large-scale health data collection as well as the importance of open-source technologies. To round out the retreat experience, the doctoral candidates attended the writing workshop “Communication Strategies for Natural and Life Scientists,” led by coach Philipp Gramlich from NaturalScience.Careers. There, they developed strategies for effective science communication to present research findings even more persuasively to both the scientific community and the public. The evening bowling session at the in-house bowling alley not only provided plenty of fun for the team but also offered some physical activity.