Oct. 13, 2026

Contact Dr. Kyle Backstrand at 608-796-3474 or kmbackstrand@viterbo.edu or Charlie Lawrence at rclawrence@viterbo.edu or 608-796-3461

“AI IN MEDICINE: PERSONALIZED AND TRANSFORMATIVE HEALTHCARE” TOPIC OF ANNUAL AGNES W.H. TAN SCIENCE SYMPOSIUM AT VITERBO UNIVERISTY OCT. 30

LA CROSSE, Wis. – Everyone is invited to explore the influence of Artificial Intelligence (AI) on the future of healthcare from diagnosis to treatment at the sixth annual Viterbo University Agnes W.H. Tan Science Symposium Friday, Oct. 30.

“AI in Medicine: Personalized and Transformative Healthcare” will feature morning presentations by leading experts in cancer, pathology, and medical imaging followed by afternoon breakout sessions and a panel discussion.

““While we are all aware of the increased use of AI, healthcare is adopting AI faster than all other industries,” said Dr. Charlie Lawrence, Viterbo science faculty member and co-coordinator of this year’s symposium. “AI is being used to reshape healthcare, improving outcomes through increased efficiency, reduced diagnostic errors, and increased personalization, and many other ways. This year, the annual Agnes W.H. Tan Science Symposium will bring together academics, clinicians, community partners, and students to explore the future of healthcare and the impact of Artificial Intelligence.”

The topics and presenters:

  • “Next-Generation Digital Pathology: Spatial Omics, Human–AI Collaboration, and Uncertainty-Aware Machine Learning.” Jeffrey Nirschl, MD, PhD, is a UW Health pathologist. He’s also an assistant professor in the Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine at the University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health. Dr. Nirschl diagnoses and treats patients with diseases that affect the brain and nervous system. These include brain tumors, as well as inflammatory, metabolic and degenerative disorders. He performs brain autopsy evaluations for Alzheimer’s disease, Lewy body dementia, Parkinson’s disease and more. He also specializes in neuromuscular pathology. Beyond his clinical practice, Dr. Nirschl studies how certain diseases damage brain cells. He combines tissue analysis with brain scans, blood tests and genetic data to personalize prevention efforts and care for patients. These insights help improve early detection, identify new treatment targets and reduce misdiagnosis.
  • “Every Scan Tells a Story: How AI and Patient Data Are Transforming Personalized Decisions.” Pallavi Tiwari, PhD is a tenured associate professor in the Departments of Radiology and Biomedical Engineering at the University of Wisconsin. Dr. Tiwari also has an affiliate position in the Department of Medical Physics and serves as the Co-Director of Imaging and Radiation Science at the Carbone Cancer Center. Dr. Tiwari’s research interests lie in pattern recognition, data mining, and image analysis for automated computerized diagnostic, prognostic, and treatment evaluation solutions using radiologic imaging in oncology and neurological disorders. Dr. Tiwari has been a recipient of several scientific awards, most notably being named as one of 100 women achievers by Government of India for making a positive impact in the field of science and innovation.
  • “Accelerating Clinical Research and Optimizing Cancer Diagnosis with AI.” Dr. Paraic Kenny is the Director of the Kabara Cancer Research Institute (KCRI) of the Gundersen Medical Foundation, a Clinical Adjunct Associate Professor of Medicine at the University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health in Madison, and an Adjunct Associate Professor of Biology at the University of Wisconsin–La Crosse. The KCRI also houses the CAP-accredited Gundersen Cancer Biobank with more than 15,000 solid tumor specimens. Dr. Kenny uses genomics, molecular and cellular biology, and genetically engineered mouse models to address important outstanding questions in the molecular oncology of breast and other solid tumors.

The afternoon breakout sessions are “Empathizing with AI: Problems and Possibilities,” “Teaching Machines Medicine: An Introduction to AI and Machine Learning,” “AI at the Bedside: What Medical & Nursing Judgment Doesn't Delegate,” and “What Can a Voice Reveal? Vocal Biomarkers, AI, and Human Health.” The topic of the panel discussion is “What does the future of AI in Medicine look like?”

The Agnes W.H. Tan Science Symposium is designed to be a dynamic event focused on advancing dialogue around important scientific and public health issues. The symposium was created through the generosity of the late Viterbo alumna Agnes Tan, who earned a bachelor’s degree in chemistry from Viterbo in 1963 and a PhD in biochemistry from the University of Minnesota in 1967. She enjoyed a long career in academic and applied health-related research as an assistant professor of biochemistry at the University of Minnesota and as a research chemist at Veterans Administration Hospital in Minneapolis.

The symposium is free, but registration is required. For complete details and to register, visit www.viterbo.edu/tss.