Interview with SYNTHIA Partner Carsten Claussen: Reflections on Year One and What Comes Next 

As SYNTHIA completes its first year, we spoke with Carsten Claussen from Fraunhofer, who collaborates on the project’s Type 2 Diabetes use case. With long-standing experience in research infrastructures and data-driven innovation, he is confident about the direction SYNTHIA is taking and the impact it can have across Europe. 

Year One: Building the Foundations of a European Synthetic Data Platform 

From Claussen’s perspective, one of the strongest achievements in the first year has been the shared vision around SYNTHIA’s future platform. “I am very confident that we will build the platform for synthetic data for Europe in SYNTHIA,” he said, highlighting the consortium’s commitment to creating a resource that serves researchers, clinicians, and healthcare systems alike. 

What sets SYNTHIA apart, he noted, is its focus on the purpose of synthetic data from the very beginning. “It is very unique that from day one we are thinking about what we want to ask the data… what helps patients, scientists, clinicians, and healthcare providers.” 
This continuous reflection, “we always ask every day what is the question to the data”, ensures that the methods and tools developed remain closely aligned with real clinical and scientific needs. 

Another major milestone has been securing data access across the different use cases. Data access is often one of the most challenging aspects of large-scale health projects, but Claussen sees real progress: “Getting access to data is always a nightmare… but here we are in a very good way to have the relevant data in all our use cases, from diabetes to Alzheimer’s.” He views this as one of the most significant achievements of SYNTHIA’s first year. 

Progress Across Tools and Methods 

Claussen also highlighted the advances demonstrated during the General Assembly, where multiple partners showcased the maturity of their synthetic data tools. These developments, he said, show strong progress across the institutes involved and reinforce the consortium’s momentum as it moves into its second year. 

A Message to the Community 

Looking forward, Claussen emphasises the importance of engaging actively with the platform once it becomes available. His message is clear: “Use the SYNTHIA platform. Ask questions to the platform and we will definitely deliver the answers.” For him, the project’s value lies not only in the technology but in how the broader community, researchers, clinicians, innovators, uses it to generate insights and improve healthcare. 

Watch the full video interview with Carsten Claussen