Ward Neefs

AI & Digitalization Expert

Ward Neefs is a life-science professional with a strong focus on software, data, and digitalization within regulated pharmaceutical and MedTech environments. At QbD Group, he combines his background in bio-engineering and artificial intelligence to support organizations in the development, validation, and implementation of complex digital systems.

Biography

Ward Neefs holds a master’s degree in Bio-engineering (bio-nanotechnology) and a second master’s degree in Artificial Intelligence, both obtained at KU Leuven. His interest in software and data-driven solutions in life sciences emerged during his studies and continues to shape his professional career.

Since joining QbD Group, Ward has contributed to a wide range of digital transformation and software validation projects. His experience includes work on Master Batch Record (MBR) implementations for COVID vaccine production, as well as supporting MES software deployment and validation from a business analyst role at Pfizer. To further extend his manufacturing applications knowledge, Ward also worked on a project aimed at structurally redesigning a Distributed Control Systems (DCS) code base to increase flexibility and reduce redundancy at a novel product launch site.

Currently, Ward is extensively involved in multiple Software as a Medical Device (SaMD) projects, supporting medical device and in-vitro diagnostic companies with the implementation of compliant software development and validation processes, taking into account regulatory alignment and quality considerations. In parallel, he is active on several Computer System Validation (CSV) projects, focusing on ensuring compliance, data integrity, and system robustness.

Ward regularly shares insights on the role of AI and software in regulated life sciences, both internally and externally. He has contributed to QbD Group’s blog and internal knowledge-sharing events, and has participated in panel discussions on the impact of the AI Act in life sciences and medical writing, including sessions at the EMWA 2024 Spring Conference in Valencia.

Ward's key areas of expertise

Artificial Intelligence in Pharma

Applying AI to improve pharmaceutical processes, systems, and decision-making.

MES & Batch Record Implementation

Digitalizing manufacturing operations through structured data and automation.

Process Automation

Improving process flexibility and software code logic in GMP-regulated environments.

Digital Health & Data Strategy

Combining engineering expertise with AI to support digital health innovations.

AI is here to stay. Yes, AI is a hype — but for good reason, and it will no doubt change society (it already has). However, there is a profound lack of understanding of how it actually works among most users. This carries some risk: it can lead to overestimating its capabilities, or to misuse due to a lack of understanding. It can also create a culture of fear, as humans tend to fear what they do not understand. It is therefore important that, moving forward, we aim to demystify AI model architectures and move away from this extreme black-box view of AI.