In the Spotlight -
Meet Clarisa Sánchez Gutiérrez
At AI4ALL we’d like to inspire others by featuring women role models who are making a difference in AI. We aim to empower women who are working in AI by highlighting their success stories. This way we hope to inspire other women and girls to get into STEM-related fields. In our series ‘In the Spotlight’ we shine a light on an expert in the field and today we’d like you to meet Clarisa Sánchez Gutiérrez.
Written by Myrthe van den Berg
Clarisa Sánchez Gutiérrez is on a Mission to Transform Healthcare for the Better
Clarisa Sánchez Gutiérrez is dedicated to ensuring that artificial intelligence genuinely benefits humanity. As a Full Professor of AI & Health at the University of Amsterdam, she leads the Quantitative Healthcare Analysis (qurAI) group, uniting computer scientists, engineers, and clinicians to develop AI solutions that enhance patient care and strengthen healthcare systems.
“I am driven by the belief that bridging science and medicine can create a future where AI empowers clinicians, supports patients, and transforms healthcare for the better,” Clarisa says. This belief has guided her career from Spain to the Netherlands and influences every project she undertakes.
Her journey toward this mission began at the University of Valladolid in Spain, where she studied Telecommunication Engineering. During her Ph.D. (cum laude), she developed algorithms for retinal image analysis and early detection of diabetic retinopathy. “That work sparked a lifelong commitment to bringing technology into medicine in meaningful and compassionate ways,” she explains.
After her Ph.D., Clarisa moved to the Netherlands, initially working as a postdoctoral researcher at the Image Sciences Institute in Utrecht and later at the Diagnostic Image Analysis Group (DIAG) at Radboud University Medical Center in Nijmegen. There, she co-founded and led the A-eye research group, creating AI systems for ophthalmology that automate disease screening, personalize treatments, and predict disease progression.
“I am driven by the belief that bridging science and medicine can create a future where AI empowers clinicians, supports patients, and transforms healthcare for the better."
Turning Research into Real-World Tools
In 2020, Clarisa joined the University of Amsterdam, where she co-founded the Quantitative Healthcare Analysis (qurAI) group. This interfaculty initiative now includes over 30 Ph.D. researchers. “Our mission is to design, validate, and integrate AI solutions that support clinicians and patients throughout the entire care pathway,” she explains.
Her team works on cutting-edge methods, including generative AI and foundation models, while advancing trustworthy AI through interpretability, uncertainty estimation, and fairness. Clarisa is also passionate about turning innovation into impact. One example is that she co-invented CAD4TB, a CE-certified AI software for tuberculosis screening that is operational in more than 45 countries, improving access to care in underserved communities.
Impact cannot be achieved alone. Her group also contributes to grand-challenge.org, a platform that accelerates global collaboration in biomedical image analysis. Beyond research, Clarisa co-directs the ICAI labs AI for Oncology and CARA, co-founded the Medical Imaging with Deep Learning (MIDL) conference, and serves as President of the Dutch Society for Pattern Recognition (NVPHBV) and Board Member of the IAPR, shaping national and international AI agendas.
Creating Impact Through an Inclusive AI Ecosystem
“My overarching goal is to foster a vibrant, inclusive AI ecosystem in which science, industry, and healthcare collaborate to deliver technology that is not only cutting-edge but ethical, transparent, and transformative for patient care.“
Clarisa’s work focuses on delivering tangible impact. By designing AI that is ethical, trustworthy, and practical, she improves patient outcomes, bolsters healthcare systems, and shows how responsible, woman-led AI leadership can generate real-world benefits. “My overarching goal is to foster a vibrant, inclusive AI ecosystem in which science, industry, and healthcare collaborate to deliver technology that is not only cutting-edge but ethical, transparent, and transformative for patient care.“
Through her efforts, she strives to build bridges among academic disciplines, hospitals, companies, and patients. In this collaborative ecosystem, AI research leads to meaningful health solutions. From ophthalmology to oncology, intensive care to radiology, Clarisa’s AI innovations make healthcare more precise, equitable, and human-centered.
Responsible AI starts with us.
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