The IMAGINE unit (Open Innovation Lab for the development and implementation of Image-guided Interventions) is the first of its kind, a large-scale, long-term ICAI Unit designed to move beyond traditional research toward real-world clinical impact. While standard labs typically focus on specific research questions over a five-year period, IMAGINE is a 10-year strategic program integrated directly into a core innovation pipeline.
Who is involved: The unit is a multi-institutional powerhouse led by UMC Utrecht. Academic partners include Radboudumc, Utrecht University, CWI, TU Eindhoven, Fontys, The Hague University of Applied Sciences, and HU Utrecht. These collaborate closely with industry and clinical giants like Philips, Elekta, Tesla DC, Kalcio Healthcare, Lygature, Catharina Hospital, and the Netherlands Cancer Institute (NKI).
The team: The program is exceptionally large, including 75 PhD students and postdocs across technical and clinical disciplines. The team is diverse, featuring doctors, physicists, computer scientists, mathematicians, and business developers.
Mission & goals: The mission is to accelerate innovation in image-guided interventions through a collaborative “open innovation” model where industry partners work directly within the clinic. The primary goal is to ensure healthcare remains accessible and equitable (supporting UN SDGs 3 and 10) by automating complex tasks to address global staff shortages.
IMAGINE’s research is uniquely driven by clinical demand rather than just technical possibility. By placing developers and researchers close to the actual hospital workflow, the unit aims to solve the “maintenance and monitoring” challenges that often cause AI projects to fail in healthcare.
Key projects
UMC Utrecht – focuses on leading the unit as the main knowledge institute, providing the core clinical environment and research leadership.
Radboudumc – focuses on collaborating as a major academic medical center for research, data collection, and clinical implementation.
Utrecht University – focuses on fundamental academic research in fields like computer science, mathematics, and physics to support AI development.
Centrum voor Wiskunde & Informatica (CWI) – focuses on the mathematical foundations and advanced algorithmic research required for complex AI models.
TU Eindhoven – focuses on technical engineering and medical technology development for image-guided systems.
Fontys University of Applied Sciences – focuses on applied research, training, and the “science of implementation” to bridge technical theory with practice.
The Hague University of Applied Sciences – focuses on applied innovation and educating future professionals in the technical and medical sectors.
Utrecht University of Applied Sciences (HU) – focuses on practical innovation and multidisciplinary training for the healthcare workforce.
Philips – focuses on developing advanced medical imaging equipment (such as MRI) and software solutions for image-guided interventions.
Elekta – focuses on precision radiation medicine and developing technical solutions for oncologic image-guided therapy.
Dutch Cancer Institute (NKI) – focuses on providing specialized oncologic clinical expertise and serving as a site for clinical validation and data sharing.
Catharina Hospital – focuses on the practical application and implementation of AI-driven medical interventions within a hospital setting.
Lygature – focuses on managing large-scale, multi-partner regulatory and collaborative challenges to ensure medical innovations reach the market.
Tesla DC – focuses on specialized technical infrastructure or components relevant to high-field imaging systems.
Kalcio Healthcare – focuses on the integration of healthcare ICT and supporting the implementation of technical AI components into clinical workflows.
