2026 biocrossroads life sciences summit
AI-Enabled Tools for Patients
An AnalytiXIN Workshop in partnership with BioCrossroads
Finding affordable medications, identifying allergens in prescriptions, and accessing mental health support can require patients to navigate complicated information and services. Researchers and companies across Indiana are developing AI-enabled tools to help people address these challenges and make more informed decisions about their health.
This interactive workshop will connect participants with the people developing those tools. Short presentations will introduce work at different stages of development, followed by facilitated discussion about patient needs, implementation challenges, and opportunities for collaboration.
- October 28, 2026 | 2:30 p.m. - 4:30 p.m.
- Hyatt Regency, Downtown Indianapolis
- Summit attendees are invited to register for one workshop at no additional cost
There is no cost to attend this workshop, but space is limited. Workshop registration is separate from Summit registration.
What to expect
Presenters will share approaches to mental and behavioral health support, medication safety and affordability, and individualized support for people with disabilities. Participants will have time to ask questions, discuss potential applications, and explore what these tools need to work effectively for patients, caregivers, and providers.
The goal is to connect developers and researchers with potential users and collaborators who can help inform, test, and advance their work.
Who should attend
This workshop is designed for healthcare professionals, researchers, technology developers, patient advocates, and life sciences partners interested in tools that help people understand and manage their health.
It is particularly relevant to organizations exploring digital patient support, medication access and safety, mental and behavioral health, or technology for people with disabilities.
From Patient Needs to Practical Applications
The facilitated discussion will explore:
Which patient needs these tools could help address and where gaps remain.
How patients, caregivers, and providers can help shape development and testing.
What is needed to make AI-enabled tools accurate, accessible, trusted, and useful.
How these approaches could fit into care delivery and patients’ daily lives.
Where partnerships could support pilot testing, evaluation, and broader use.
Bring the patient needs and implementation questions your organization is working through. The session is an opportunity to speak directly with presenters, contribute your perspective, and identify potential collaborations to pursue beyond the Summit.
Summit attendees may participate at no additional cost, but space is limited. Workshop registration is separate from Summit registration.
Featured speakers and work
Expanding Access to Mental and Behavioral Health Support
Greg Alexander | CEO, Syra Health
Syra Health’s Syrenity platform combines evidence-based assessments, dynamic risk stratification, AI-powered journaling, and therapist-centered support to help people manage their mental and behavioral health. The platform also integrates telehealth services across all 50 states and provides organizational dashboards that offer insight into mental health trends.
Alexander will introduce the solution and its approach to making mental and behavioral healthcare more accessible, affordable, and focused on prevention. The presentation will provide a starting point for discussion about how digital tools can support individuals while connecting them with professional care.
Identifying Hidden Allergens in Medications
Kai Fraehsdorf | CEO, AllergenMaps; PharmD Student, Purdue University
Simon Tackett | COO, AllergenMaps; PharmD Student, Purdue University
Alex Forman | CTO, AllergenMaps
Inactive ingredients in medications can contain allergens that are difficult for patients and providers to identify. For people with celiac disease and other allergic conditions, access to that information can be an important part of medication decisions.
The AllergenMaps team is developing a drug safety platform that reveals hidden allergens within inactive ingredients. Designed for both patients and providers, the platform addresses a shared need for clearer ingredient information to support medication safety.
Helping Patients Navigate Medication Affordability
Alan J. Zillich, PharmD |
Professor, Department of Pharmacy Practice, Purdue University College of Pharmacy
The Medication Access Resource Tool, or MART, helps patients and providers navigate insurance status, discount programs, and patient assistance options to identify the lowest-cost path to prescriptions.
Zillich will share the team’s work on an AI-enabled version of MART. The team has built and validated a large language model prototype against the tool’s existing decision logic and is preparing for pilot testing with clinicians and patients. The project offers an opportunity to discuss how AI can make complex affordability information easier to navigate and how user feedback can inform implementation.
Developing Responsive Support for People with Disabilities
Čedomir Stanojević, PhD, CTRS | Assistant Professor, Recreational Therapy, Department of Health & Wellness Design,
School of Public Health – Bloomington, Indiana University
Stanojević’s research combines AI, wearable data, and brief assessments of people’s experiences in daily life to support people with disabilities. His CALM project, short for Conversational Agent-Led Mindfulness, aims to provide autistic adults with support that responds to their circumstances during periods of distress. The project is currently in the participatory design phase.
A parallel project develops virtual reality desensitization experiences and explores how computer vision and physiological sensing could help identify potential environmental triggers. Together, these efforts raise practical questions about how technology can respond to individual needs and how intended users can help shape its development.