Arinbjörn Kolbeinsson, machine learning scientist and researcher in healthcare AI and foundation models

Arinbjörn Kolbeinsson

I study how to make AI systems more controllable,
and apply machine learning to healthcare and law.

Visiting scholar at UVA. Co-founder of K01 and Regava.


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Research Themes
ML Methods

Machine Learning Models and Systems

  • Model interventions and editing for controllable AI
  • 3D neural networks for medical computer vision
  • Tensor methods for robust and efficient deep learning
Biomedical

Biomedical & Life Sciences

  • Personalised health prediction using multi-modal data
  • Molecular simulations and computational drug discovery
  • Deep learning for medical imaging and time series
Legal

AI & Law

  • Dynamic standardisation in legal contracts
  • AI governance and regulatory frameworks
  • Intersection of law and AI development

02
Foundation Model Interventions
Composable Interventions for Language Models research, ICLR 2025 foundation models project

At the University of Virginia, I conduct research on Composable Interventions for Language Models, which has been accepted to ICLR 2025.

My work develops frameworks to study how different types of interventions (knowledge editing, model compression, machine unlearning) interact when applied sequentially. With my collaborators, we have uncovered critical insights about intervention interactions and identified gaps in current approaches.

This research aims to enhance model control and efficiency while maintaining performance, with implications for developing more robust multi-objective interventions.


03
Time Series Machine Learning for Digital Health
Self-supervised learning for healthcare time series and digital health monitoring

At Evidation Health, I developed machine learning systems for detecting illness from wearable sensor data.

As part of the research team, I built prediction models for FluSmart, a digital flu monitoring program that detects early signs of influenza-like illness. My research advanced the field through self-supervised learning for time series and generative models for wearable data.

In collaboration with the University of Washington, I contributed to Homekit2020, a public benchmark containing over 14 million hours of multimodal health data. This work established new frameworks for temporal health analysis.

This research resulted in patents on self-supervised learning from wearable data and acute illness prediction systems.


04
Deep Learning for Health Biomarkers

During my PhD at Imperial College London, I developed novel deep learning approaches for biomarker discovery from medical imaging and genomic data.

My doctoral research introduced 3D-ResNet architectures for brain MRI analysis, achieving state-of-the-art accuracy in brain age prediction using over 21,000 scans from UK Biobank. Through innovative interpretation methods and phenome-wide association analysis, I identified crucial links between brain structure and systemic health, particularly cardiometabolic and cognitive conditions.

I also developed receptive field networks for analysing genome sequences, demonstrating how deep learning can leverage both local and global genomic structure for polygenic risk prediction.

Deep learning for brain MRI analysis and health biomarker discovery research

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Computational Molecular Biology

During my MRes at Imperial College London, I developed computational approaches for drug target characterisation combining molecular simulations with systems biology.

My research integrated molecular docking and dynamics simulations to study protein-ligand interactions, while applying multivariate statistical methods to metabolomics data from GC-MS experiments. I built network models linking metabolites to protein targets through pathway analysis, connecting molecular-level findings to broader biological systems.

Bridging molecular modelling with data-driven approaches that would later inform my machine learning research.


06
Tensor Methods for Robust Machine Learning

My research also focuses on tensor methods for deep learning, making neural networks more robust and efficient.

I developed Tensor Dropout, a novel stochastic regularisation technique that significantly improves model robustness to both random and adversarial noise without requiring adversarial training.

Through collaborations between Samsung AI and Caltech, I contributed to Tensor Regression Networks, demonstrating how tensor methods can reduce parameter count while preserving model expressiveness. These innovations were particularly impactful for medical imaging tasks, enabling more reliable predictions from 3D brain MRI data.

Tensor Dropout regularisation method for robust deep learning networks

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AI & Legal Systems
AI and legal systems research, dynamic contract standardisation and legal technology

I recently completed legal studies at the University of Iceland, where my thesis research focused on Dynamic Contract Standardisation (thesis in Icelandic) using AI systems.

This work explored how machine learning can make standardised contracts more flexible while maintaining legal validity and protecting consumer rights.

My combined expertise in AI development and law enables me to bridge technical innovation with regulatory frameworks, particularly in areas like contract automation and consumer protection.


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Education
My research bridges machine learning and regulated domains. At Imperial College, I built foundations in bioengineering and biomedical research before completing a PhD in deep learning for healthcare. I added legal expertise to work effectively where law, policy and technology intersect.

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Publication Spotlight

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Side Projects

Personal explorations and experimental projects where I combine creativity with code.

European Train Journeys

Personal travel log of long-distance train routes I've taken across Europe, visualised on an interactive map with animated route tracing.

Hyper-local Time

Location-based solar time display that adjusts to your exact position on Earth, showing true hyper-local solar time with dynamic backgrounds.

View Time

Reference Checker

Validate BibTeX references against CrossRef, Semantic Scholar and arXiv. Catches year mismatches, author discrepancies and missing entries.

Check References

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Contact

I'm always open to research collaborations, consulting and interesting conversations.

Reach me at arinbjorn@virginia.edu (or book a time to chat), or connect on Bluesky, Threads, LinkedIn or GitHub.