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Relationship between retinal neurodysfunction and cognitive impairment in type 2 diabetes — RECOGNISED cross-sectional study

We are proud to share a newly published paper co-authored by an AI-AGE researcher within the Horizon 2020 RECOGNISED consortium in DIABETOLOGIA. This research resulted from collaboration of leading European experts in diabetes, diabetic retinopathy and cognitive impairment. The study shows that retinal neurodysfunction is linked to mild cognitive impairment in people with type 2 diabetes, reinforcing the concept of the retina as a window into brain health.

Beyond its scientific findings, the project marks an important step in strengthening international research infrastructure. Our team helped implement rigorous Good Clinical Practice standards and harmonised imaging and cognitive assessment protocols across multiple European centres — groundwork essential for future large, high-quality datasets suitable for AI-driven discovery of early, non-invasive biomarkers of aging and multimorbidity. This collaboration advances the AI-AGE mission to expand cross-border research capacity and supports ethically robust, standardised big-data research in aging and diabetes. Link to paper: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00125-025-06664-4

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AI-AGE at IEEE IT2026: Research, Collaboration, and Young Talent

The AI-AGE project will be actively featured at the INFORMATION TECHNOLOGIES 2026 (IT 2026), the 30th edition of a long-standing international scientific and professional conference bringing together academia, industry, and the wider innovation ecosystem. The conference taktes place in Zabljak, 24-28 February.

As part of the project presentation session, AI-AGE will showcase its ongoing research on AI-driven biomarkers of ageing, with a particular focus on advanced data analytics, computer vision, and high-performance computing applied to biomedical and health-related domains. This session provides an excellent opportunity to present project objectives, methodologies, and early scientific insights to a broad and interdisciplinary audience.

Click on image to open IT2026 website

In addition to the project presentation, AI-AGE researchers will actively participate in the conference program, contributing to scientific discussions and knowledge exchange across multiple sessions. Importantly, young researchers involved in the AI-AGE project will present a scientific paper, highlighting the project’s strong commitment to capacity building, early-stage researcher development, and excellence in applied AI research.

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FFplus Open Call: Innovation Studies – Generative AI on European Supercomputers

The FFplus Innovation Studies Open Call is now open, offering European SMEs and start-ups a focused opportunity to develop and validate generative AI (GenAI) solutions using large-scale European supercomputing resources. The call opens on 3 February 2026 and targets early-stage, high-impact projects with a clear proof-of-concept orientation.

Click to open application website

Coordinated by HLRS (High-Performance Computing Center Stuttgart), FFplus supports innovation at the intersection of AI and HPC, enabling companies to overcome computational barriers and scale beyond conventional cloud or on-premise infrastructures.

Feel free to check with NCC Montenegro for help with the application.

Key facts

  • Funding: up to €300,000 per project
  • Deadline: 25 February 2026 (or earlier if 250 proposals are submitted)
  • Eligible applicants: European SMEs and start-ups
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AI-AGE Dataset Now Available on Zenodo

In line with the AI-AGE project’s commitment to open science and transparency, the dataset associated with our newly published BMJ Open paper has been made publicly available on Zenodo.

The dataset includes anonymised primary care data on frailty indicators, chronic diseases, and demographic variables among adults aged 40–69 in Montenegro. It provides a valuable resource for researchers working on biological ageing, frailty, multimorbidity, and AI-driven risk modelling, particularly in middle-income and transitional health systems.

By sharing this dataset, AI-AGE aims to support international collaboration, reproducibility, and secondary analyses that can further advance non-invasive ageing research.

🔗 Access the dataset on Zenodo: https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.15530367

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Research Results Published in BMJ Open

We are pleased to announce the publication of the AI-AGE project’s first peer-reviewed paper in BMJ Open: “Frailty and multimorbidity among adults aged 40–69 years in Montenegro: a cross-sectional pilot study.”

This is the first study to provide population-based evidence on frailty, prefrailty, and multimorbidity in middle-aged adults in Montenegro. The key finding with direct relevance for Montenegro is that more than half of adults aged 40–69 already show signs of prefrailty or frailty, with a sharp increase in chronic disease burden observed from the age of 55 onwards. This highlights a critical window for early prevention and intervention within primary healthcare, well before old age.

The study also demonstrates that frailty screening is feasible in routine primary care settings, providing a strong foundation for scaling up AI-supported, non-invasive biomarkers of ageing within the Montenegrin healthcare system.

🔗 Read the full open-access paper at the following [link].

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AI-AGE featured in the promo video by the Ministry of Education, Science and Innovation

AI-Age project is featured in promo videos created by the Ministry for Education, Science and Innovation. Our PhD students dr Isidora Rubezic-Lukic and mr Dejan Babic presentd the progress on the project and current results (MPNI on Instagram link).

Developing different AI tools to support identification of new biomarkers of aging

The team successfully established all core foundations for research, including launching the official project website, extending UK Biobank data access to both partner institutions, and deploying new HPC/AI infrastructure needed for biomedical image analysis. Young researchers received extensive training through EUROCC, TRACEWINDU, HPC4S3ME, and AIFusion programs, while interdisciplinary cooperation between UDG and the Faculty of Medicine was strengthened. The project also achieved early scientific dissemination through a poster presentation at EAsDEC 2024 in Milan and participation at IT2024 in Žabljak.

mr Dejan Babic (PhD candidate) in the AI lab at the Faculty for information systems and technologies

In parallel, significant progress was made on doctoral research activities: one initial PhD proposal was submitted and defended, and research questions for two doctoral theses were defined in alignment with AI-AGE goals. WP1 and WP2 outputs were fully completed, while WP3 research—focused on AI/ML models for retinal biomarkers of aging—was initiated ahead of schedule. These accomplishments provide a strong foundation for validating hypotheses, developing advanced AI models, and expanding international collaboration in the second project year.

Promo video on AI-AGE created and posted by the Ministry (MPNI)
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Strengthening Montenegro’s AI Ecosystem: AI-AGE at the National AI DIRECTLY Conference

AI-AGE researchers will take part in the national conference “AI DIRECTLY: Montenegro in the Age of AI Challenges” — organised by the Association of Managers of Montenegro (AMM) and the Science and Technology Park of Montenegro. The event brings together leading experts from academia, industry, and the public sector to explore how artificial intelligence is reshaping competitiveness, business models, and the innovation landscape in Montenegro.

Our team will participate in the panel “A New Era of Business – How AI Is Changing the Rules of the Game”. Through this engagement, AI-AGE will contribute perspectives on cutting-edge AI research, including the project’s work on discovering non-invasive biomarkers of aging. Participation in this national event strengthens our collaboration with Montenegro’s AI and business community and reinforces our commitment to advancing responsible and impactful AI research.

AI-AGE team members to participate in the AI DIRECTLY conference organised by AMM
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AI-AGE Contributes to EuroCC4SEE Collaboration Efforts in Sarajevo

Researchers from AI-AGE actively participated in the cross-NCC meeting in Sarajevo, held on 26-27 November under the auspices of the EuroCC4SEE initiative. During this gathering — organized by NCC Montenegro and NCC Bosnia & Herzegovina — colleagues from across Southeast Europe exchanged expertise in high-performance computing (HPC), AI, and regional collaboration, reaffirming our shared commitment to advancing HPC/AI capacity in the region.

AI-AGE researchers participated in the EuroCC4SEE meeting in Sarajevo

The participation of AI-AGE researchers in this forum not only strengthens the link between our aging-biomarker research and HPC/AI infrastructure, but also opens new opportunities for collaboration, knowledge exchange, and access to regional HPC resources. We believe this cooperation will significantly benefit ongoing and future AI-AGE projects, ultimately accelerating innovation in AI-driven biomedical research.

We discussed the potential collaboration and presented AI-AGE efforts
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AI-AGE Project Update for September

At the September team meeting, members discussed recent progress and upcoming project goals. The team submitted a journal paper on AI software for image quality assessment, and we are working on refining predictive modeling for Alzheimer’s disease and colorectal cancer. The initial results are promissing, but more experimenting is on the way.

The team also agreed to extend the Biobank subscription for two more years, ensuring continued access to essential datasets. With several manuscripts nearing submission, AI-AGE continues to strengthen its interdisciplinary collaboration between technology and healthcare.

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Digital Biometrics of Myopia Risk

Dr. Božidar Cacić, a PhD student mentored by Prof. Dr. Nataša Popović and a member of the AI-AGE project team, participated in the International Conference on Medical and Biological Engineering in Bosnia and Herzegovina (Sarajevo, 11–13 September 2025) by presenting a peer-reviewed conference paper, thereby contributing to interdisciplinary international cooperation and to the education and training of young researchers. The paper title is “Digital Biometrics of Myopia Risk: Correlating Smartphone Usage and Study Patterns with Myopia Using Objective Screen Time Metrics at the Faculty of Medicine in Montenegro”

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