Abstract. In the last decade, several studies suggested that physical fitness may positively influence brain and cardiovascular health. Brain health is usually assessed through structural and functional imaging techniques to extract biomarkers of aging that can be used to predict brain age ( Dunås et al.
During my recent trip to Melbourne, Australia, supported by the [Bonn Melbourne Research Excellence Fund](https://www.uni-bonn.de/en/research-and-teaching/support-for-researchers-and-teachers/research-funding/university-grants/university-of-melbourne-ref) from the University of Bonn, I had the pleasure of meeting with the lab members of [Prof. Dr. Louise Cheng](https://www.petermac.org/research/research-programs-and-labs/organogenesis-cancer-program/louise-cheng-labdiscussion) and [Dr. Hyun Ko](https://www.petermac.org/expert-finder/details/hyun-ko) at the [Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre](https://www.petermac.org/). The visit provided fascinating insights into their research themes, ranging from studying zebrafish to Drosophila. I was particularly intrigued by the parallels between these model organisms and the human body, as well as the short life cycle of Drosophila, which facilitates the study of diverse behavioral questions such as jet lag and emotional connections.
As part of a delegation from the Faculty of Medicine of the University of Bonn, I had the privilege to visit the University of St. Andrews in Scotland, aimed at strengthening our partnership and shaping the future of our collaboration. The visit culminated in the signing of a joint vision statement between our medical faculties, reaffirming our shared commitment to advancing medical education and research.
David presented our research at MICAD 2024 in Manchester, UK, titled *Deep Learning for Lymph Node Metastasis Detection in Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinoma.* It was a rewarding experience to share our work with such an engaged and dynamic community.
It was a pleasure moderating the Symposium on AI in Medicine and sharing our recent works, which have recently been accepted at hashtag#MICAD and hashtag#MICCAI Workshops! Thanks to the team members Sarah Schaab, David D. Gaviria, and Elyes Farjallah for their great efforts! Thanks to the co-moderator Prof. Valentin S. Schäfer, and the organizing team behind the MIB Future Panel; Lisa Mona Marie Senner, Prof. Frank G. Holz, and the dean, Prof. Bernd Weber, among others! Congrats to the winners!
It was an exciting to present our research on *Lymph Node Metastasis Detection in Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinoma* at the MIB Future Panel 2024. Hosted by the *Medical Imaging Center Bonn* in partnership with *Universitätsklinikum Bonn* and the Medical Faculty of *Rheinische Friedrich-Wilhelms-Universität Bonn*, this symposium united thought leaders from both academia and industry.
David participated in the *Student Retreat 2024* organized by the BIGS Clinical and Population Science PhD program in Bonn, Germany. This event was an invaluable opportunity to present my research in a poster format, engage with fellow scholars, and exchange scientific knowledge.
Abstract: Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is one of the most lethal cancers, with lymph node metastasis (LNM) being a critical determinant in patient prognosis and therapeutic planning [1-2]. Conventional methods for detecting LNM in PDAC primarily rely on contrast-enhanced CT scans, but these often fall short in sensitivity, especially in early-stage disease.