MiTarget Workshop explores AI applications in Biological Research
Artificial intelligence is opening up new possibilities for biological research, from analysing complex datasets to supporting bioinformatics workflows. Around 50 participants explored current applications, opportunities and challenges at the workshop “Artificial Intelligence – Applications in Biology”, held on 7 September 2026 at Seeburg in Kiel.
Organised in the context of the miTarget Retreat, the workshop brought together researchers to discuss how AI is already being applied in the life sciences and where further developments could support scientific work. The programme combined talks on current research with practical examples and an interactive afternoon workshop.
From microbiome data to biomedical insights
The first talk, “The microbiome as marker for macrobiome wellbeing – With federated AI to biomedical insights”, was given by Niklas Probul from the Institute for Computational Systems Biomedicine at the University of Hamburg.
Using examples from current research, Niklas Probul demonstrated how AI can be applied to microbiome data and biomedical questions. One example was the use of gut microbiome-based approaches for colorectal cancer prediction. He also introduced participants to the federated learning framework FeatureCloud funded through the European Union’s Horizon 2020 initiative.
Dr. Fernando Delgado-Chaves, cofounder & CTO of Galagos GmbH, Hamburg, and former postdoc at the Institute for Computational Systems Biomedicine at the University of Hamburg, presented “From question to result: automating bioinformatics analysis without losing the thread”.
He outlined seven steps for using AI in scientific research, introducing tools and approaches for each stage. Alongside practical recommendations, the presentation highlighted potential pitfalls and the importance of critically assessing AI-generated results. He also introduced an AI-based tool developed by Galagos GmbH to support bioinformatics research and streamline data analysis workflows.
The morning continued with a talk by Olga Zolotareva from the Institute of Clinical Molecular Biology on “AI in Biology: Applications, Opportunities and Recent Advances”. Her talk provided an overview of current developments and highlighted the growing range of applications of AI in biological research.
Niklas Probul, Fernando Delgado-Chaves and Olga Zolotareva
Workshop on application of AI agents
In the afternoon, Prof. Doris Weßels, who is Scientific Director of the Future Lab Generative AI, F&E GmbH, Kiel led the hands-on workshop “AI Agents in Research – Use Cases, Challenges and Strategic Recommendations”.
The session started off with an overview of latest developments in AI, before focusing on the applications of recent AI agents in scientific research. Participants explored new tools and discussed possible applications, practical use cases and the challenges involved in integrating AI agents into research workflows. The workshop also addressed strategic considerations and the need to assess the opportunities and limitations of these technologies carefully.
With its combination of scientific talks, practical examples and discussions, the event provided participants with an opportunity to assess where AI can add value to biological research and how its use can be integrated thoughtfully into future research workflows.
Hands-On Workshop by Prof. Doris Weßels on “AI Agents in Research – Use Cases, Challenges and Strategic Recommendations”