Privacy-Preserving Deep Learning (PPDL)


The Privacy-Preserving Deep Learning (PPDL) group is dedicated to advancing techniques that ensure the confidentiality and security of sensitive data in deep learning applications. Our research focuses on developing and implementing methods such as federated learning, differential privacy, anonymization, and multi-party computation. We work with a diverse range of data types, including images, speech, and text, with a particular emphasis on medical data. Our goal is to create robust and secure AI solutions that protect patient privacy while enabling cutting-edge medical research and healthcare innovations. Through our multidisciplinary approach, we aim to set new standards for privacy in AI and contribute to the ethical advancement of technology in medicine.

Research topics

  • Pathological Speech Anonymization
  • Speaker Verification
  • Medical Image Deidentification
  • Federated Learning
  • Differential Privacy
  • Multi-Party Computation
  • Domain Generalization
  • Encryption

Publications

Interested in joining the team?

Information regarding research projects/theses at the Pattern Recognition Lab: https://lme.tf.fau.de/teaching/thesis/
 
We regularly welcome applications for research projects, internships, bachelor’s and master’s theses, and collaborations in our main research areas. After reading the information page, to explore opportunities, feel free to reach out to us via email. If a specific researcher’s work interests you, you can contact them directly via email. Please note that due to the high volume of inquiries, we may not be able to respond to all emails.

Steps to pursue your MA/BA thesis at the group

All the information is available here: https://lme.tf.fau.de/teaching/thesis/

Before starting:

a) If you are an FAU student and would like to pursue your thesis from a company/external institution or university at the Pattern Recognition Lab:

  • Follow the steps 1-5

b) If you are an FAU student and would like to pursue your thesis directly at the Pattern Recognition Lab:

  • Directly get in touch with your supervisor instead of steps 1-5

Steps:

  1. Contact the supervisor from the PRLab and have a joint meeting with them and your company supervisor (if necessary another follow-up meeting) for discussion and organization, such as:
    • Starting and finishing dates
    • General tasks and expectations
    • Communication mediums and frequency
  2. Prepare the thesis description (1-2 pages) PDF document after discussing it with your company supervisor
    • A sample PDF, as well as the LaTeX template, are available from your PRLab supervisor.
    • Some examples of online versions: 1, 2

    Your description should contain the following parts:

    • Motivation and background
    • Materials and methods (only the public ones to be published in the thesis)
    • Research goals of the thesis (only the public ones to be published in the thesis)
  3. Read about the general information and requirements for theses at our lab:
  4. Finalize the binding thesis description, including:
    • Agreement of the company supervisor
    • Agreement of the PRLab supervisor
  5. Register your thesis officially at the University (your PRLab supervisor should help you with this). You need to have the following requirements:
    • [Usually] Passed at least 70 ECTS for master’s students. Please check this carefully with your degree regulations before taking any steps
    • Check with your degree regulations to see if you need to have further thesis reviewers/advisors from other departments/faculties (especially for students pursuing the M.Sc. in Data Science)
    • Thesis description
    • Enrollment document at FAU
    • Registration happens with the secretary of the Pattern Recognition Lab
  6. Once your registration is complete, you should be able to see it on your FAU account.
  7. The time period for submitting your final thesis:
    • For full-time students:
      • Minimum 3 months
      • Maximum 6 months (strictly binding)
    • For part-time students:
      • Minimum 6 months
      • Maximum 12 months (strictly binding)
  8. The time period is binding and starts with your official registration

Once you started:

  1. Participation in the respective colloquium
    • Choose the correct colloquium with the help of your PRLab supervisor and start attending. Every colloquium takes place on a weekly or biweekly basis. Please refer to the course list on the chair’s website for the individual day and time of the respective colloquium.
    • Examples of suitable colloquia depending on your topic:
      • If you are working with text data and LLMs: Human Speech and Language (SAGI) Colloquium
      • If you are working with speech, audio, and time series: Time Series Intelligence (TSI) Colloquium
      • If you are working with non-medical images: Computer Vision (CV) Colloquium
      • If you are working with medical images: Medical Image Analysis Colloquium
    • All your presentations also happen in the colloquium (make an appointment with your PRLab supervisor before the presentation).
  2. MT/BT intro talk:
    • A short presentation of the topic at the beginning of the work
  3. A final presentation (defense) shortly before the end of the thesis:
    • About 6 weeks before the thesis finishes, the final presentation takes place. This is a 30-minute talk that should include all the results the candidate has achieved so far. However, it is clear that these results are not necessarily “final”; our experience has shown that while discussing the work with a little more concrete data, different people often come up with interesting ideas. Thus, we find it reasonable to have such a discussion before the actual deadline for handing in the thesis. The templates for the slides are the same as for the short presentation.

Finishing your thesis:

  1. Finalize the thesis with the help of all your supervisors
  2. Once all the supervisors agree, you can submit your thesis:
    1. Source codes, networks, latex code, PDF format, etc. should be archived with the IT administration of the Lab  and the PRLab supervisor
    2. Print the mandatory deposit copies of the PDF of the final thesis should be submitted to the secretary of the PRLab.
    3. Your PRLab supervisor(s) reviews your final submitted thesis, evaluates your performance during the thesis period, and considers your presentations before recommending a final grade to Prof. Maier.
  3. Your grade will then be sent to the secretary of the PRLab, who will forward it to the examination office.
  4. You will be notified of your final grade similar to other courses from the examination office.
  5. If you have already passed other requirements for your degree, the date of your MA/BA degree will be your MT/BT defense date.