<![CDATA[Newsroom University of Ƶ]]> /about/news/ en Wed, 29 Jul 2026 16:01:50 +0200 Wed, 29 Jul 2026 15:30:48 +0200 <![CDATA[Newsroom University of Ƶ]]> https://content.presspage.com/clients/150_1369.jpg /about/news/ 144 New series of papers on Automatic experimental design with expert in the loop /about/news/new-series-of-papers-on-automatic-experimental-design-with-expert-in-the-loop/ /about/news/new-series-of-papers-on-automatic-experimental-design-with-expert-in-the-loop/779974A recent series of papers from Professor Samuel Kaski’s research group explores how automatic experimental design can be made practical when expert knowledge, model uncertainty and uncertain goals all need to be taken into account.This work was undertaken by: , , , , , , , , , , Julien Martinelli, , , , , , , , , .

This work was supported by Professor Kaski's UKRI Turing AI World-Leading Researcher Fellowship [EP/W002973/1].

]]>These papers were the focus of two recent presentations, at the Bayesian Experimental Design workshop at on 24 June, and at the and Leverhulme Research Centre Conference on 29 June.

The series is organised around two central questions: how should we design experiments when there are unknowns in the model, and how should we proceed when there are unknowns in the goal?

For unknowns in the model, the starting point is Bayesian inference: use data to update beliefs about what is uncertain, and, where possible, choose new measurements that are expected to be most useful. Bayesian decision theory provides the framework for selecting measurement actions, or other decisions, by maximising expected utility. Bayesian optimisation can be viewed as an important instance of this broader approach.

Although these ideas have been understood in principle for some time, the challenge has been computational: the calculations are often too expensive for interactive use in realistic experimental design settings. The papers in this series address that bottleneck through amortisation — an elegantly simple idea in spirit, where expensive online computation is shifted into offline pre-computation. In practice, this means learning from a large collection of simulated designs a function that maps an experimental design context or history to a strong next design choice.

Together, the papers extend this amortised approach in several directions: to multi-objective Bayesian optimisation, dimension-agnostic settings, preferential or pairwise inputs, and noisy or perturbed inputs from biased experts with partial knowledge. The result is a coherent line of work showing how expert-in-the-loop automatic experimental design can become more scalable, interactive and practically useful.

]]> Wed, 29 Jul 2026 14:30:48 +0100 https://content.presspage.com/uploads/1369/6d6727e3-104a-4443-ab57-d15ef49538a9/500_samikaskilecturecloseup2croplightblurlandscape.jpg?10000 https://content.presspage.com/uploads/1369/6d6727e3-104a-4443-ab57-d15ef49538a9/samikaskilecturecloseup2croplightblurlandscape.jpg?10000 ELLIS Summer School success! /about/news/ellis-summer-school-success/ /about/news/ellis-summer-school-success/779463The fourth annual ELLIS Summer School on Machine Learning for Healthcare and Biology took place in Ƶ from 7-9 July 2026.The ELLIS Summer School on Machine Learning for Healthcare and Biology was organised by Magnus Rattray, Mauricio A Álvarez, Chen Chen and Jason Hartford. ELLIS Ƶ is funded by Ƶ and in collaboration with Samuel Kaski's UKRI Turing AI World-Leading Researcher Fellowship.

]]>After three successful events between 2023 and 2025, the ELLIS Society approved our fourth summer school on Machine Learning for Healthcare and Biology. As in previous years, this three-day event brought participants up-to-speed on the latest methods and technologies in machine learning with a focus on healthcare and biology.

12 expert researchers visited from 8 European organisations, with sessions covering DNA language models for engineering biology; ‘Swarm’ intelligence; Real-world validation of healthcare LLMs and many more topics. Participants also had an opportunity to showcase their own work at our research poster session. ​ċċ

Feedback has been overwhelming! We but here are a couple of quotes that didn't make it into the final edit:

Keep an eye on : we have some big news coming very soon…

]]> Wed, 29 Jul 2026 09:25:13 +0100 https://content.presspage.com/uploads/1369/6dec4402-bbd0-434d-ada5-9f237728f31f/500_ellis26postersessionstill.png?10000 https://content.presspage.com/uploads/1369/6dec4402-bbd0-434d-ada5-9f237728f31f/ellis26postersessionstill.png?10000 Contribute to Shaping the Digital Worlds Theme! /about/news/contribute-to-shaping-the-digital-worlds-theme/ /about/news/contribute-to-shaping-the-digital-worlds-theme/742181"The funding landscape is moving under our feet. UKRI and the research councils are shifting decisively towards research done with industry. This includes partnership expectations written into calls, co-created programmes, impact measured in adoption and so on.

It is really important to me that we understand can the theme help you be prepared and build a wider collective UoM collaborative space to be prepared and perhaps discover new ways of working in the process? Our theme has enormous potential in many areas from digital twins, sensing and connected environments, immersive and virtual worlds. Realising that potential often it starts with a conversation with the right partner at the right moment or having assistance in maintaining conversations and partnerships already in place."

, Theme Lead, is inviting Ƶ colleagues to complete a short consultation that will help shape how the Digital Worlds theme works with industry and business partners over the coming year.

In return of colleagues completing this short consultation, the intention is to build a recurring offer:

- An annual Digital Worlds Industry Showcase
- Two themed roundtables a year (digital twins; sensing and connected environments; immersive and virtual environments; the physical–virtual interface)
- A live partnership map and case-study repository
- An annual report back to everyone who contribute

Please complete the consultation via the link below:

The survey should take approximately 10–15 minutes to complete.

Alternatively, if you would prefer an informal conversation, David Topping would be pleased to hear from you at david.topping@manchester.ac.uk.

]]> Tue, 28 Jul 2026 15:40:51 +0100 https://content.presspage.com/uploads/1369/ee5409e9-5288-4448-8f0b-d33614a8cf55/500_digitalworldsthemebanner.png?41769 https://content.presspage.com/uploads/1369/ee5409e9-5288-4448-8f0b-d33614a8cf55/digitalworldsthemebanner.png?41769 Applications now open: £100,000 investment opportunity for responsible AI innovators /about/news/applications-now-open-100000-investment-opportunity-for-responsible-ai-innovators/ /about/news/applications-now-open-100000-investment-opportunity-for-responsible-ai-innovators/763125Ƶ and The Jeremy Coller Foundation launch new competition to support early-stage ventures utilising AI for the benefit of people and society.

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  • TheUniversity of Ƶ and The Jeremy Coller Foundation launchnewcompetition to support early-stage venturesutilising AI for the benefit ofpeople and society

    • Ƶ has launched a new responsible AI competition in partnership with the Jeremy Coller Foundation, offering a £100,000 equity investment to support one promising early-stage venture from its global community of students,staffand alumni.

    Applications are now open for the Coller AI Competition, which is designed to help innovatorsdevelopventures with real-world potential–ensuring technology empowers rather than excludes. The competition will support solutions that use AI in ways that are fair, transparent,sustainableand focused on socialbenefit.The winner willbenefitfrom the opportunity to work closely withtheJeremyColler Foundation team to develop their venture.

    Theinitiativeforms part of the University’sChallenge Acceptedcampaign, which champions ideas with the potential to tackle major global challenges.

    Backed by Ƶ alumnus and philanthropist Jeremy Coller, thecompetitionbrings together the University’s research strength, entrepreneurialtalentand commitment to responsible innovation. It aims toidentifyand support founders developing AI solutions that are not only commerciallypromising butdesigned tobenefitpeople and society.

    Finalists willpitchtheir ventures at theUniversity’sInnovation Festivalin October, where the winner will be selected to receive the £100,000 investment.

    Professor Aline Miller, Associate Vice President (Enterprise)at Ƶ, said:“This is an exciting opportunity to back one early-stage venture with the support and investment needed to develop responsible AI with real-world potential.We’relooking for founders who want to build something purposeful,practicaland capable of making a positive difference.”

    Jeremy Coller said, “The AI revolution is already changing and shaping our world at a dizzying speed. Used smartly and responsibly AI can be the key that unlocks solutions to some of the greatest challenges facing this planet, and the Coller AI Competition will help Ƶ students, staff and alumni turn that potential into reality.”

    is the philanthropic vehicle of private equity entrepreneur Jeremy Coller. The Foundation works to create positive impact on globally significant issues with a focus on education, entrepreneurship, pensions innovation and the transition to a more sustainable food system. By supporting ambitious ideas, the Foundation helps drive lasting change and empower the next generation of innovators and problem-solvers.

    Application timeline– 2026

    The competition is open for applications from any students,staffor alumni from across the University who are working on an AI-driven business. At least one founder in each team must be within one of these categories.

    • 14thJuly – applications open
    • 1stSeptember – applications close
    • 21stSeptember – finalists notified
    • 9thOctober – final pitches and award

    Find out more and apply now–

    Join us for a week-long celebration of innovation, from Monday, 5 to Friday, 9 October 2026.

    ]]>     Tue, 14 Jul 2026 10:27:34 +0100 https://content.presspage.com/uploads/1369/0f208cbd-aeca-4112-8b34-1c14a052235c/500_collerai01.png?10000 https://content.presspage.com/uploads/1369/0f208cbd-aeca-4112-8b34-1c14a052235c/collerai01.png?10000