Page content
Using data to improve research: How Marco Aigner combines AI and science
Marco Florian Aigner was able to convince the audience of his final thesis and thus won the Audience Award of the DMEA sparks Award 2025. Photo: Messe Berlin
Marco Florian Aigner from Heidelberg University has won the DMEA sparks Award for his master's thesis on the use of artificial intelligence in scientific literature selection. In his thesis, he analysed how well different AI models can evaluate scientific articles in the context of a specific question: ‘My thesis was a direct comparison between supervised machine learning and a large language model (LLM).’ The models should decide whether a scientific article is relevant to a given question or not - a task that takes a lot of time in research today.
From the idea to publication
Even though he was unable to continue his research after the award, Marco is working on publishing his findings. ‘My supervisors and I are currently working on publishing my results in a scientific journal.’ The topic remains exciting for him - as does scientific work itself.
His enthusiasm for digital health has roots in two different fields: Computer Science and Medicine. ‘My interest in computer science came from my Bachelor's degree in Information Management Automotive, while my interest in medicine came from my voluntary work as a paramedic.’ This combination ultimately led him to a Master's degree in Medical Informatics - and directly to the DMEA sparks Award.
‘During my Master's thesis, I learnt to appreciate research-based work, which is why I'm currently looking for a position as a doctoral student.’ Marco will therefore remain involved in research after his studies.
Tips for prospective DMEA sparks applicants
His advice to anyone thinking about applying for the DMEA sparks Award 2026 is pragmatic and encouraging: "Make an effort with the application form - and just try. You'll often be surprised."
All further information can be found here on the DMEA sparks Award website.