Building and clinically evaluating the AI systems that will reshape chronic disease management.

The DEPTH AI Lab (Digitally Enabled ProacTive Health) is a multidisciplinary research group at Newcastle University's Translational and Clinical Research Institute, directed by Professor Edward Meinert. We develop AI-enabled systems for healthcare delivery, patient self-management, and preventive care, then subject them to rigorous real-world evaluation in NHS settings.

Our portfolio spans mental health, neurological disorders, and health behaviour change. We combine adaptive conversational AI, predictive analytics, wearable sensor integration, and machine learning with co-design methodologies to produce systems that are clinically useful, ethically sound, and scalable.

The lab is supported by over £7 million in research funding from sources including the NIHR, EPSRC, Innovate UK, SBRI Healthcare, and Parkinson's UK. We are members of the Newcastle NIHR Biomedical Research Centre, contributing to the Informatics and Precision Care for an Ageing Population and Digital Health, Ageing Innovation and Inclusion themes. Professor Meinert serves as Theme Lead for AI Safety in Digital Health at the Centre for AI Safety of the National Edge AI Hub.

Our Research Domains

• Mental Health: Digital interventions for mood disorders, resilience, and mental health waitlist support, including a mixed-methods RCT of AI-based self-management tools funded by the NHS AI in Health and Care Award.
• Neurological Disorders: Self-management and remote monitoring systems for Parkinson's disease and epilepsy, developed in partnership with clinicians in Newcastle, Plymouth, and Cornwall. Funded by Parkinson's UK, SBRI Healthcare, and NHS England.
• Health Behaviours: Behaviour change interventions for childhood obesity prevention and paediatric asthma management, funded by Health Education England and the NIHR.
• Clinical Decision Support: Machine learning systems to enhance clinical early warning scores and autonomous telemedicine for post-surgical follow-up, in collaboration with Newcastle Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust.

Our Approach to AI

DEPTH AI integrates frontier AI models from Anthropic, OpenAI, and Google into its daily research workflows, including evidence synthesis, software development, and analytical design. We treat these tools as force multipliers for a focused team, not as replacements for human judgment.

Work With Us

We welcome approaches from prospective doctoral researchers, clinical collaborators, and industry partners. Contact Professor Edward Meinert to discuss opportunities.