Traditional standard models had been unable to do this. For Saddle Point, it’s a clear example of how modern analytical methods can reveal opportunities for personalised medicine that would otherwise remain invisible. According to the founder of Saddle Point, Ton Coolen, this is not due to the unwillingness but to the nature of the field. Medical statistics is conservative, and new approaches take time to be accepted.
Coolen, also professor at the Donders Institute, illustrates the limitations of traditional models with a simple comparison: “looking at Saturn through binoculars, makes it look like a blob. But if you build a telescope, suddenly you see the rings.” Saddle Point aims to do the same for medical data: uncover hidden structures that enable treatment to be matched to the patients most likely to benefit. In other words, taking a step towards personalised medicine.
