Integrating multimodal data for precision cardiology
Cardiovascular disease is the leading global cause of death, despite major advances in prevention and treatment. Current diagnostics insufficiently capture the biological heterogeneity underlying disease development and treatment response. As a result, many high-risk individuals are diagnosed too late and receive suboptimal interventions.
In a project led by Göran Bergström, professor at the University of Gothenburg, researchers aim to make Sweden a world-leading testbed for precision technologies, integrating AI, breakthrough technologies, and nationwide health data infrastructure to transform cardiovascular prevention and care. The project combines multimodal data with interpretable AI to reach mechanism-guided precision prevention and intervention for personalized risk prediction, earlier diagnosis and targeted treatment strategies. Multimodal and multi-omics data from the SCAPIS study will be integrated into a unified precision medicine framework.
In addition to identification of new biomarkers, clinically validated AI decision-support systems, improved risk prediction, and precision-guided treatment strategies will be developed, with the long-term impact of reduced morbidity and mortality and establishing Sweden as an international leader in precision cardiology innovation.
What is the SCAPIS study?
The SCAPIS study is a collaborative effort between six Swedish universities: Gothenburg University, Linköping University, Lund University, Karolinska Institutet, Umeå University and Uppsala University, and university hospitals, which aims to improve the ability to predict who is at risk of disease such as heart attack and stroke and ultimately enable prevention before disease occurs.
The study recently received a major investment and Hjärt-Lungfonden, the main funder of the SCAPIS study, made a strategic effort to expand the SCAPIS resource with advanced multi-omics data. By adding large-scale measurements of proteins and metabolites to distinct cohorts of individuals.
“This is a strategic investment to further strengthen SCAPIS as a unique resource for understanding and preventing cardiovascular and lung diseases. By expanding the dataset with multi-omics data, we provide better tools to identify risk patterns at an earlier stage,” said Göran Bergström, chairman of the SCAPIS steering group, senior consultant at Sahlgrenska University Hospital and professor at Sahlgrenska Academy at University of Gothenburg.
