Cancer genomics and leukemia classification
How genetic and routine clinical data can describe biologically meaningful groups of acute leukemia, with an emphasis on AML and large collaborative cohorts.
Research group · Essen / Bochum · IKIM
Computational Hematology
Computational Hematology is a research group led by Amin Turki, MD, PhD, working at the intersection of hematology, data science and artificial intelligence.
Research pillars
Transplant complications
Data-driven analysis of graft-versus-host disease, infection, immune reconstitution and related complications after hematopoietic cell transplantation.
Cancer health disparities and AI
Methods that start from data already generated in hematology care — laboratory values, pathology text, transfusion records — and ask what can be learned without new specialized assays.
Data science methods and tools
Public aGVHD grading tools and code, including gvhd.online, so methods can be inspected beyond a single paper.
Data-driven decision support
Published tools for clinical decisions in hematology care, including data-driven aGVHD grading.
Current projects
Validating
HARMONY AML classification
Within the HARMONY Alliance, the group is developing and internationally validating an unsupervised genomic classification of AML. This work has been presented in the EHA 2025 plenary session and as an ASH 2025 oral abstract. It is not yet represented here as a peer-reviewed article.
Cancer genomics and leukemia classification · HARMONY Alliance
Explore projectPublished
CMV and immune reconstitution
A series of papers from the group examines CMV kinetics, immune reconstitution and relapse risk after HCT, including work led by Saskia Leserer.
Transplant complications · Clinical HCT cohorts as described in the papers
Explore projectRecently published
Leukemia laboratory AI
A 2026 Nature Communications paper reports international testing and refinement of algorithms that predict acute leukemia subtypes from routine laboratory data. Related commentary appears in Lancet Digital Health (2024).
Cancer health disparities and AI · International hospital network described in the paper
Explore projectSelected research
2026
NatureCommunications
Turki et al., Nat Commun 2026, Fig. 1. CC BY 4.0.
Nature Communications · 2026
International testing and refinement of AI algorithms predicting acute leukemia subtypes from routine laboratory data
International testing of algorithms that read acute leukemia subtypes from routine laboratory data — a first-author Nature Communications paper for the group.
Turki AT et al.
2023
NatureCommunications
Bayraktar, Graf et al., Nat Commun 2023, Fig. 1. CC BY 4.0.
Nature Communications · 2023
Data-driven grading of acute graft-versus-host disease
The group’s signature transplant-complications paper: data-driven grading of acute GVHD, with a public calculator and code.
Bayraktar E et al.
Acta Haematologica · 2025
AI in transplant care
Acta Haematologica · 2025
Artificial Intelligence in Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation Care and Complication Management
A review of AI in transplant care and complication management, written with lab co-authors.
Turki AT et al.
EHA 2025 Congress, Plenary Abstract Session · 2025
Development and Independent Validation of Unsupervised Genomic Classification of Patients With Acute Myeloid Leukemia Using Hierarchical Dirichlet Mixture Models: A HARMONY Alliance Study
EHA 2025 Congress, Plenary Abstract Session · 2025 · Conference abstract
Development and Independent Validation of Unsupervised Genomic Classification of Patients With Acute Myeloid Leukemia Using Hierarchical Dirichlet Mixture Models: A HARMONY Alliance Study
EHA 2025 plenary abstract on unsupervised genomic classification of AML in HARMONY. Conference abstract, not a journal article.
Amin Turki
Featured talk
SOHO 2025
How AI and digital innovation are transforming transplant care
Interview on AI and digital transformation in bone marrow transplantation, including data integration, digital monitoring, and individualized care.
People
Amin Turki, MD, PhD
Principal Investigator
IKIM, University Hospital Essen · Marien Hospital Herne / Ruhr University Bochum
Hayder Alhassani
MD Thesis (Promotion)
IKIM, University Hospital Essen · Institut für Pathologie, Ruhr-Universität Bochum
Stefano Polizzi, PhD
Researcher
IKIM, University Hospital Essen · IRCCS Istituto delle Scienze Neurologiche di Bologna
Clustering, survival, and network methods for Harmony leukemia data, other hematologic malignancies, solid tumours, and microbiome kinetics.
Lab culture
Respect. Professionalism. Excellence. Team. Sparkling.
News
2026-08-03
AML im Fokus, with Felicitas Thol and Amin Turki
Five-episode German-language series with Felicitas Thol and Amin Turki, hosted by Friedrich Overkamp. The episodes cover AML diagnostics and first treatment planning, therapy for fit and unfit patients, supportive care, measurable residual disease, and clinical studies including AI. Listen on the series page.
2026-03-20
Nature Communications paper on leukemia laboratory AI
International testing and refinement of AI algorithms predicting acute leukemia subtypes from routine laboratory data.
Press release · Universität Duisburg-Essen · Press release · St. Elisabeth Gruppe
2025-06-14
EHA 2025 plenary on unsupervised AML classification
HARMONY Alliance work presented in the EHA plenary abstracts session. This is a conference presentation, not a journal article.
2024
Wissenschaftspreis of the Rheinisch-Westfälische Gesellschaft für Innere Medizin
Awarded for the data-driven grading of acute graft-versus-host disease.
Interested in working with us?
We welcome enquiries from prospective students, researchers and collaborators. Specific funded opportunities will be announced when available.
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