Hosting the Annual Meeting: Bayer on collaboration and progress

We spoke to Ute Bach and Moritz Radbruch about why this meeting matters, what Bigpicture has brought to their teams, and what they are looking forward to as partners gather in person.

A strong motivation from the start

Bayer was part of the initial group of EFPIA partners who recognised the potential of joining forces in digital pathology. At the time, pharmaceutical companies were developing tools, scanning workflows and validation approaches independently. “Bigpicture offered something none of us could achieve alone,” Ute says. “A chance to work with shared standards, to compare ideas, and to learn across companies and clinical partners.”

Moritz agrees: “The project brings together people who normally work in separate worlds — pathologists, machine-learning experts, data engineers. That mix has been incredibly productive.”

Collaboration that strengthens internal teams too

Over the last years, Bayer has contributed to multiple parts of the project: non-clinical datasets, metadata task forces, AI development for abnormality detection, and discussions on infrastructure and digital workflows. Moritz: “Bigpicture pushed us to collaborate more closely across departments. Our machine-learning teams, IT, and pathology group have had more interaction than ever before. That has been a real benefit.”

Many of these exchanges, both within Bayer and across the consortium, revealed opportunities and challenges that would not have surfaced without a project of this scale.

Uploading: a shared effort that is steadily moving

Like several partners, Bayer is still finalising its internal processes for uploading data. But Ute and Moritz emphasise that this is a normal part of such a large initiative, not a setback. “This project has many layers,” Ute explains. “Metadata, legal requirements, workflows… they take time. But every discussion has moved us forward, and the solutions we now have are far more robust because of them.”

The shared approach, they say, has allowed partners to anticipate challenges early and build better systems together.

Why Bayer stepped forward to host

Hosting the Annual Meeting was a natural fit. Bayer had signalled interest early on, and the timing aligned with increased engagement across their teams. “Face-to-face meetings create a different kind of energy,” Ute says. “People focus, ideas connect faster, and it becomes easier to find common ground. We wanted to support that momentum.” 
For Moritz, the value is clear: “In-person discussions help turn abstract ideas into practical decisions. It’s where alignment really happens.”

A meeting focused on clarity and forward movement

Both interviewees feel optimistic about what can be achieved during the meeting. Sustainability planning remains an important topic, and there is strong interest across the consortium to shape it together. The technical discussions, from metadata to data structures, have progressed significantly, and the meeting offers a chance to finalise several open items. Moritz: “We’ve all done the groundwork. The Annual Meeting is the moment to bring it together and decide how Bigpicture continues to grow.”

Why being present matters

Although not everyone will be able to attend in person, Ute highlights the unique value of participating: “So much understanding happens between sessions, in conversations that are informal but essential. Those discussions help build trust and keep the project moving.” Moritz adds: “It’s a great opportunity to align, exchange experiences and see how far we’ve come. These meetings are energising.”

Looking ahead with confidence

After the meeting, Ute and Moritz hope partners will leave with a clear sense of direction: shared priorities, improved clarity on sustainability, and renewed enthusiasm for the next steps of the project. “We’ve built a strong foundation together,” Ute says. “Now we’re entering the phase where everything starts coming together. The Annual Meeting will help us take that step as a consortium.”