PeopleofSuperintelligence

Researcher

Geert J. S. Litjens

Also known as Geert Litjens

Geert Litjens is a professor of AI for medical imaging in radiology and pathology at Radboud University Medical Center, where he co-chairs the Computational Pathology Group, which builds deep-learning systems that help pathologists diagnose cancer. After studying Biomedical Engineering at Eindhoven University of Technology, he earned a PhD at Radboudumc in 2015 with a dissertation on prostate cancer detection in MRI and, after a postdoc at the University of Heidelberg, returned to Radboudumc in 2016. In 2017 he was first author of a survey of deep learning in medical image analysis, and in 2020 he coauthored a Lancet Oncology study of an AI system that graded prostate biopsies better than ten of fifteen pathologists. He co-founded the spin-off company Aiosyn in 2021, received an ERC Starting Grant in 2022, and shared the 2024 Ammodo Science Award with Jeroen van der Laak and Francesco Ciompi.

Now at
Diagnostic Image Analysis Group at Radboud University Medical Center and Oncode Institute
Badges

Timeline

  1. 2015–2016

    A PhD and a Heidelberg postdoc

    After studying Biomedical Engineering at Eindhoven University of Technology, he receives his doctorate at Radboudumc in 2015, with a dissertation on computerized detection of prostate cancer in multi-parametric MRI. A postdoctoral period at the University of Heidelberg follows, and in 2016 he returns to Radboudumc, where he works in the Department of Pathology.

  2. 2017

    Deep learning survey and Veni grant

    He is first author of a survey of deep learning in medical image analysis, posted to arXiv in February 2017 and published in Medical Image Analysis in 2017; it summarizes over 300 contributions to the field. In July 2017, he is among four Radboudumc researchers awarded an NWO Veni grant, for a project titled Building a digital pathologist for improved treatment of prostate cancer.

  3. 2020

    Prostate AI and a KNAW award

    In January 2020, Radboudumc announces a deep-learning system from a Lancet Oncology study authored by Wouter Bulten, Geert Litjens and others; it judges prostate cancer aggressiveness better than ten of fifteen pathologists. In February 2020, he is one of twelve researchers to receive the first KNAW Early Career Awards.

  4. 2021

    Co-founding Aiosyn

    He co-founds the spin-off company Aiosyn in 2021.

  5. 2022

    PANDA challenge and an ERC grant

    In January 2022, Nature Medicine publishes the PANDA challenge paper, with him among its authors: 1,290 developers join the largest histopathology competition to date, using 10,616 digitized prostate biopsies, and submitted algorithms reach pathologist-level Gleason grading on independent cohorts. Radboudumc announces his ERC Starting Grant of 1.5 million euros in January 2022, for a new form of explainable AI that can independently make the step to diagnosis and prognosis.

  6. 2023

    Professor of medical imaging AI

    Radboudumc announces in June 2023 that he is appointed professor of AI for analysis of medical imaging in pathology and radiology, a five-year appointment that starts in May 2023. His self-learning computer systems analyze all available diagnostics of a patient, such as scans, tissue analyses, blood values and genetic information.

  7. 2024

    An Ammodo Science Award

    In March 2024, he shares the Ammodo Science Award 2024, with a prize of 1.6 million euros, with Jeroen van der Laak and Francesco Ciompi of the Computational Pathology Group. The group develops AI software models that aid pathologists in tumor diagnostics, and it plans a virtual pathologist called ANTONI for breast, prostate and colon cancer.

  8. As of October 2026

    Professor at Radboudumc

    He is a full professor of AI for medical imaging in radiology and pathology at Radboud University Medical Center, co-chairs the Computational Pathology Group within its Diagnostic Image Analysis Group, and is affiliated with the Oncode Institute. Within the European BIGPICTURE project, he leads the work package on artificial intelligence.

Career

  1. Since 2016Radboud University Medical CenterProfessor of AI for medical imaging in radiology and pathology
  2. NowDiagnostic Image Analysis Group at Radboud University Medical CenterCo-chair
  3. NowOncode Institute
  4. From 2021AiosynCo-founder
  5. 2015–2016Heidelberg UniversityPostdoctoral researcher

Education

  1. 2015Radboud University Medical CenterPhD
  2. Eindhoven University of TechnologyBiomedical Engineering

From the biography.

  1. 11% of AI doctorate holders from 2010 to 2016 founded or led a company or lab by 10 years after graduationIncludes Geert J. S. Litjens. We estimate how often AI doctorate holders founded or led a company or lab by 10 years after graduation, how waiting times compare between founders and top jobs, and which universities trained the most.
  2. More people shaping AI studied at Massachusetts Institute of Technology than at any other institutionIncludes Radboud University Nijmegen. We estimate where the people shaping AI studied and where their careers led. Massachusetts Institute of Technology leads with 467 former students, including 291 recorded doctorates.
  3. The company share of AI researchers’ top papers was 31% in 2020–2024 and 8% in 1970–1974Includes Radboud University Nijmegen. We estimate where the people shaping AI worked when their most-cited papers appeared: the company share was 31% in 2020–2024 and 8% in 1970–1974, and Google led all organizations in 2020–2024.
  4. Google has the highest combined h-index among AI organizationsIncludes Radboud University Nijmegen. We estimate that Google holds the highest combined h-index at 8,016, while universities account for 73% of the deduplicated total across AI organizations.

Colleagues

People named in this biography, and people with dated positions at the same organization in the same years.

Sources and credits

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  1. Geert Litjens appointed professor Al for analysis of medical imaging in pathology and radiology - Radboudumc radboudumc.nl. Checked 21 October 2026.
  2. Computational Pathology Group | Ammodo Science Award 2024 ammodo-science-award.org. Checked 21 October 2026.
  3. [1702.05747] A Survey on Deep Learning in Medical Image Analysis arxiv.org. Checked 21 October 2026.
  4. Four Veni grants - for young Radboudumc researchers - Radboudumc radboudumc.nl. Checked 21 October 2026.
  5. Prostate cancer can now be diagnosed better - Using artificial intelligence - Radboudumc radboudumc.nl. Checked 21 October 2026.
  6. KNAW Early Career Award - For Geert Litjens - Radboudumc radboudumc.nl. Checked 21 October 2026.
  7. Artificial intelligence for diagnosis and Gleason grading of prostate cancer: the PANDA challenge | Nature Medicine nature.com. Checked 21 October 2026.
  8. Rogier Kievit and Geert Litjens both receive ERC Starting Grant of 1.5 million euros - Board of Directors congratulates researchers on top grant - Radboudumc radboudumc.nl. Checked 21 October 2026.
  9. Ammodo Science Award for AI researchers at Radboud university medical center - AI turns computers into virtual pathologists - Radboudumc radboudumc.nl. Checked 21 October 2026.
  10. Geert Litjens geertlitjens.nl. Checked 21 October 2026.