On October 8 and 9, 2026, the members of CAIMed gathered for their second retreat in Bad Lauterberg in the Harz Mountains. The focus was on personal exchange, networking among the research groups, and the joint further development of the center.

The two-day meeting provided an opportunity to engage in cross-departmental and interdisciplinary discussions on AI-supported prevention, diagnosis, and treatment; to define perspectives for the further development of CAIMed; and to bring together different areas of expertise even more closely.

To kick things off, the research groups introduced themselves in short “Lightning Pitches”. They focused on their respective strengths and discussed what they could achieve together within CAIMed. The presentations highlighted the diversity of the participating teams and provided starting points for further collaboration.

A key component of the retreat was the facilitated parallel sessions. In smaller groups, participants exchanged ideas and worked on joint approaches. On the second day, the results were presented and discussed in a plenary session. The retreat concluded with a joint review of next steps and responsibilities.

Even outside of the working sessions, the program provided opportunities to get to know one another personally. A hike in the Harz Mountains, a pub quiz, and a group dinner created opportunities to continue conversations and deepen connections across locations and disciplines.

The second CAIMed Retreat thus built on the inaugural meeting held the previous year and continued the collaborative effort toward interconnected, interdisciplinary research aimed at improving personalized, patient-centered health care.