Bigpicture: moving into the next chapter

Steady progress across a complex landscape

Digital pathology infrastructure projects require coordination across technical, organisational and cultural boundaries. The interdependence between data, platform development, and AI validation means that progress in one area directly influences the others. Rick explains: “Everything is connected. You can only train models when you have data, and you only get data once the platform is ready for it. That naturally takes time.”

Despite this complexity, the consortium has reached several key milestones: clinical and industry partners successfully tested and completed their first data uploads, metadata standards evolved, and governance mechanisms matured. Across partner organisations, the project has also accelerated internal collaboration. “In many hospitals and companies, Bigpicture has strengthened the cooperation between pathology, IT and data science. That’s an important form of impact in itself.”

Why continuity matters

Bigpicture is now at the stage where the foundations are in place, but more time is needed to fully realise their value. To make the most of what has been built, the consortium is preparing for its next phase. “People often overestimate what can be delivered in the first two years and underestimate what becomes possible towards the end,” Rick notes. “We are now in the phase where we can truly harvest the results.”

An extension would help:

• Clinical contributors finalize and deliver the datasets they planned, with greater diversity, representation and long-term scientific value.
• Platform teams improve stability, usability and integration of tools.
• The consortium not only build a stronger long-term sustainability model but also begin implementing it.
• The community gain a more complete, diverse and usable data source.

Rick adds: “Impact comes from actual use. Data only becomes valuable when the tools are ready and users can work with it.”

Strengthening the sustainability pathway

Ensuring long-term continuity is a collective responsibility. While sustainability is coordinated through the relevant work package, partners also play a role through their own projects, funding proposals and national initiatives. “We cannot think of sustainability as something one work package delivers,” Rick emphasizes. “Every partner who sees value in Bigpicture has a part in shaping its future.”

With the platform maturing, practical links to national pathology programs, AI initiatives, and European health data frameworks are becoming increasingly relevant. The extension period provides space to align these developments.

Preparing for Bigpicture’s next phase

The upcoming Annual Meeting will reflect this turning point: the transition from building to enabling. Demonstrations, early use cases and technical showcases will highlight what is already operational, and what is now possible with more data and user engagement.

Rick’s message to partners is clear: “We are entering the moment where the foundations we built start paying off. With more time to strengthen the platform and grow the dataset, we create a much stronger basis for long-term availability and scientific impact.”