Recognizing Breakthroughs in Understanding Disease Trajectories
On Tuesday, Elma Dervic from the Complexity Science Hub and the Medical University of Vienna stood among five young scientists awarded the Life Sciences Research Award Austria 2024 by the Austrian Association of Molecular Biosciences and Biotechnology (ÖGMBT).
Her contribution? Using 44 million health records, she’s been tracking how diseases develop and progress from birth to death, aiming to identify crucial turning points that could help doctors detect illnesses earlier and intervene more effectively.
FROM EARLY WARNINGS TO LIFE-CHANGING INTERVENTIONS
At the heart of Dervic’s research lies a bold question: How do diseases evolve over time, and how can we spot the warning signs before it’s too late? To find answers, she and her team have developed advanced computational techniques to analyze over 15 years of disease progression data from the Austrian population. Their goal? To identify critical points in the progression of illnesses where early intervention could significantly alter a patient’s health outcomes.
By constructing multilayered networks, Dervic’s team uncovered patterns showing how certain diseases cluster in specific age groups. For instance, young women with high blood pressure may develop metabolic diseases or kidney issues later in life. These insights could help shape early and personalized prevention strategies.
THE BROADER IMPACT OF HER WORK
Dervic’s research addresses a pressing global challenge: the rise of multimorbidity as populations age. The World Health Organization estimates that by 2050, the number of people aged 60 and older will double, intensifying the strain on healthcare systems. Dervic’s model has the potential to reduce this burden by identifying critical points where disease trajectories can be altered for better outcomes.
For example, her research shows how sleep disorders in young men can be early markers for future metabolic or neurodegenerative conditions like Parkinson’s. Such insights enable doctors to intervene long before these conditions worsen, ultimately improving patients’ quality of life.
ABOUT ELMA DERVIC
Elma Dervic is a researcher with a passion for using data science to improve healthcare. With expertise spanning complexity science and medical research, she conducted multiple high-impact projects at the Complexity Science Hub and the Medical University of Vienna.
Furthermore, she co-founded a startup, BeeAndMe.com, which helps beekeepers monitor hive health using AI technology, underlining her commitment to the practical applications of her research.
THE LIFE SCIENCES RESEARCH AWARD
The Life Sciences Research Award Austria is the country’s top honor for emerging scientists in the fields of molecular biology and biotechnology. Each year, the ÖGMBT recognizes young researchers whose work has the potential to revolutionize the life sciences. Elma Dervic’s contributions to understanding long-term disease patterns earned her this well-deserved accolade.
By mapping disease trajectories and offering solutions for early intervention, Dervic’s research paves the way for a healthier future. Her recognition is not only a testament to her scientific contributions but also a glimpse of the transformative potential her work holds for public health.
