Catchup – Salon Debate – AI and Disparities in Research and Care

Is Artificial Intelligence (AI) widening inequalities in research and care or helping to reduce them? Join Dr Isabel Castanho & Dr Eleanor Conole for a live debate on 12 Nov at 8pm and vote on the motion.

Debate Motion:

This House believes that AI is furthering disparities in research and care.

As artificial intelligence becomes more integrated into healthcare and research, it brings opportunities for innovation in diagnosis, treatment, and data management. At the same time, its use raises important questions about fairness, representation, and access. This debate will explore whether AI is helping to reduce disparities, or whether it risks reinforcing existing ones.

Speaker For the Motion:

Dr Isabel Castanho is an Instructor at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School. Her research investigates protective mechanisms in Alzheimer’s and related neurodegenerative diseases, using single‑cell and spatial transcriptomics to explore cognitive resilience. She completed her PhD in epigenomics of Alzheimer’s disease at the University of Exeter, and transitioned from bench lab work to computational biology, leading to promoted role in 2024.

Speaker Against the Motion:

Dr Eleanor Conole is a Junior Research Fellow in Applied AI at the University of Oxford, affiliated with the Department of Biochemistry. Her research explores the links between inflammation, brain ageing, and cognitive decline, building on her previous work with the Lothian Birth Cohorts at the University of Edinburgh. She holds a PhD in Neuroscience funded by the Wellcome Trust.

What to Expect

Join us for a live online debate where our speakers will present opposing views on the continued relevance of animal models in dementia research. The session will include:

• 10-minute opening statements from each speaker
• Moderated discussion
• Audience Q&A
• Live vote before and after the debate to see if opinions shift

This is your chance to explore whether technology is bridging gaps in healthcare — or building new ones.