Advancing Medical Diagnostics with Intelligent AI Solutions

Dedicated to leveraging cutting-edge machine learning to transform medical imaging, enhance diagnostic accuracy, and ultimately improve patient care. My work bridges the gap between innovative research and practical, life-saving applications.

Profile picture of Lukas Folle, Machine Learning Engineer specializing in Medical AI

About Me

As a Machine Learning Engineer and recent PhD graduate (Dr. Ing.), I am driven by a profound interest in applying artificial intelligence to tackle complex challenges in the medical domain. My expertise lies in architecting and implementing deep learning solutions for medical imaging, with the goal of significantly improving diagnostic processes and patient outcomes. I am deeply involved int the entire lifecycle of AI development, from research and sophisticated model design to robustly integrating these solutions into production environments.

My Approach to Medical AI

I believe in a collaborative, data-driven approach, working closely with clinicians to ensure AI tools are not only technologically advanced but also clinically relevant, interpretable, and seamlessly integrated into existing workflows. My focus is on creating solutions that empower medical professionals and lead to measurable improvements, prioritizing real-world impact.

Career Journey

Advanced Machine Learning Engineer

Snke OS GmbH - a Brainlab subsidiary | Munich, Germany

March 2023 - Present

  • Leading two machine learning projects focused on different tasks in CT/MR scans.
  • Developing foundation models for MR images, trained on large datasets for use across multiple teams.
  • Leading data annotation campaigns with external companies, including defining annotation guidelines.
  • Core contributor to the machine learning software platform, ensuring structured and repeatable ML results through integration of modern development tools.
  • Supervising a research collaboration with CAMP Lab, TUM, for synthetic data generation and segmentation.

PhD Student

Pattern Recognition Lab (Prof. Maier), Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg | Erlangen, Germany

August 2020 - November 2023

  • Doctoral research on "Detection and quantization of rheumatic diseases using deep learning for various imaging modalities."
  • Published research in well-recognized scientific journals and presented at international conferences.
  • Awarded for best work and presentation at QMSKI 2022 in the Netherlands.
  • Explored side topic: Training of 2D diffusion models for generation of synthetic breast MRI and X-ray images.
  • Served as a Tutor for the Deep Learning course.
  • My doctoral work culminated in the 'DeepNAPSI' tool (featured below), demonstrating a novel application of AI for psoriasis assessment.

Intern in Medical Technology R&D

Siemens Healthineers | Princeton, USA

October 2019 - April 2020

  • Worked on the classification of Rotator Cuff tears in MRI using Neural Networks.
  • Developed software for the automatic evaluation of radiologists' annotations.
  • Focused on programming with clean code principles.

Working Student in Medical Technology Development

Siemens Healthineers | Forchheim, Germany

January 2019 - October 2019

  • Contributed to the annotation of medical images.
  • Trained neural networks for patient table segmentation in CT images.
  • Participated in joint evaluation of project progress within the team.

Intern and Working Student in Medical Technology R&D

Dräger Medizintechnik | Lübeck, Germany

October 2017 - April 2018

  • Developed prototypes for the ventilation of infants.
  • Programmed microcontrollers for medical devices.
  • Conducted system modeling of gas mixtures for anesthesia machines.

Education

Doctor of Philosophy (Dr. Ing.)

Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg

2020 - 2023

Thesis: Detection and quantization of rheumatic diseases using deep learning for various imaging modalities.

Final Grade: Very Good

Master of Science, Medical Engineering

Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg

2017 - 2020

Thesis: Classification of Rotator Cuff tears in MRI using Neural Networks.

Research Project Publication: Dilated deeply supervised networks for hippocampus segmentation in MRI.

Final Grade: 1.3

Bachelor of Science, Medical Engineering

Universität zu Lübeck

2014 - 2017

Thesis: Development of a module for mixing gases for a modularized anesthesia machine.

Final Grade: 1.7

Abitur

Gymnasium Ernestinum Celle

2006 - 2014

Final Grade: 2.4

PhD Project Highlight: DeepNAPSI

This demo showcases 'DeepNAPSI', a key project from my PhD focused on the "Detection and quantization of rheumatic diseases". We employed deep learning techniques to automatically segment nail regions from hand photographs. These extracted nail images are then individually processed by a classification network to determine the Nail Psoriasis Severity Index (NAPSI) score for each nail. Finally, the application aggregates these individual scores to calculate the total NAPSI score for the patient, providing a quantitative measure of psoriasis severity in the nails.

DeepNAPSI is a prime example of my commitment to translating complex research into user-friendly tools that address real clinical needs and have the potential to directly benefit patient assessment and treatment strategies.

Technical Skills & Personal Interests

Technical Skills

I leverage a diverse technical toolkit to develop and deploy robust AI solutions in the medical domain:

PythonPyTorchPyTorch LightningTensorflowClearMLDeep LearningMedical Image AnalysisComputer VisionC++GitDockerSQLSlurmCondorAWSScrum

Languages & Hobbies

German: Native

English: Full professional proficiency

Spanish: Novice

Beyond technology, I enjoy Swimming, Running, Road biking, and Ski touring. These activities reflect the dedication and endurance I bring to my professional work.