biomedical informatics phd programs

PhD in Biomedical Informatics

The PhD program in Biomedical Informatics is part of the   Coordinated Doctoral Programs in Biomedical Sciences . Students are trained to employ a scientific approach to information in health care and biomedicine. Students may only enroll full-time, as required by the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences (GSAS). The first two years are generally devoted to coursework and research. Subsequent years focus on independent research that culminates in a dissertation. 

Our PhD students come from top universities in the country and around the world. The group is dynamic and engaged, breaking new ground in informatics research as evidenced by their strong publication records. Our students are highly collaborative, frequently assisting on each other’s projects, sharing ideas, and supporting each other.

The program consists of core courses that are required of every student and provide a foundation in general biomedical informatics methods, techniques and theories, while electives enable students to apply these methods to one or more areas of specialization in bioinformatics, translational, clinical informatics, clinical research informatics, or public health informatics. In addition, students conduct research, assist in teaching (if PhD or postdoctoral trainees), and attend colloquia.

Degree Requirements

​ Courses : A minimum of 60 points of Columbia University graduate (4000 level or above) coursework, 6 residence units, consisting of:

• Research each term (BINF G6001, BINF G9001)
• 5 core classes
• 2 domain (specialization) courses
• 3 educational objectives courses
• 1 ethics course (spring term of first year)
• serving as a TA for 2 classes (or 1 class for MD-PhD students)
• 1 research seminar each term

Students must complete a minimum of 60 points of Columbia University instruction at the 4000 level or higher, address any admission deficiencies, and complete DBMI degree requirements. In years three and above, research is the primary focus of the student’s degree program, and the number of hours spent on research increases with each year in the program. Students enroll in BINF G6001 fall and spring terms as follows: a) 6 points each term year one, 9 points each term year two, 12 points each term years three and above. Students enroll in BINF G9001 in lieu of BINF G6001 the term following successful completion of the Oral II/Depth Exam. In their final term of enrollment, students will also register for BINF G9999 Doctoral Dissertation for 0 points. Students should pursue five goals when conducting research, and the grade earned in the required research classes (BINF G6001, BINF G9001) will reflect how well the student has achieved these goals: 1) understand the nature of informatics research 2) master intellectual and technical skills necessary for research 3) read and apply the scientific literature, 4) develop skill in scientific writing 5) demonstrate a responsible working attitude.

Ethics:  PhD students are required to enroll in CMBS G4010 Responsible Conduct of Research and Related Policy Issues in their second term in the program.

Teaching Assistantship: Students are required to serve as teaching assistants (TAs) for two courses in the department. In order to earn credit for TA responsibilities, students need to register for two points of BINF G8010 MPhil Teaching Experience each semester in which they serve as a TA. Students and faculty are solicited in spring term for their top 3 preferences. The Training Committee assigns TAs based on faculty and student preferences and departmental needs. The assignments will be communicated to students and faculty by the Graduate Program Manager. PhD students are required to TA two courses. Two-year postdoctoral research fellows TA one course; three-year postdoctoral research fellows TA two courses. MD-PhD students TA one course.

Seminar: PhD students are required to enroll in the weekly DBMI seminar. PhD students in the bio track are required to enroll in the DBMI seminar in their first year in the program, and may substitute the Systems Biology seminar in year 2 and beyond.

Residence Units: PhD students accrue 6 residence units for the degree. They are enrolled in the appropriate residence unit category by the GSAS Office of Graduate Affairs every fall and spring term.

Milestones: There are four milestones for PhD students:

• Breadth Exam
• Dissertation Proposal
• Dissertation Defense

Academic progress is tracked each semester by the students and their academic advisors (see Forms page for semester forms)

Research Rotations With the exception of MD-PhD students whose research rotation occurs between years 1 and 2 of medical school, all PhD students rotate in two different research labs their first year. Research rotations begin by the end of the change of program (add/drop) period of each term. The second research rotation begins the first day of classes of spring term. Projects should be completed prior to the start of the subsequent term. The permanent research advisor is chosen by May 15 of the first year. The Training Committee grants final approval of research rotations and permanent research advisor selections. Work with the permanent research advisor commences the next business day following the last day of final exams. A third summer rotation is possible with the Committee’s permission.

For first year students rotating with different research advisors, the Fall term dates for the first research rotation of BINF G6001 are the second week of September through the MLK, Jr. Holiday. For Spring term, the dates are the day following the MLK, Jr. holiday (the first day of classes) until the last date of final examinations ( see the online University academic calendar ) .  Work with the permanent research advisor commences the next business day following the last day of final exams.

Rotation Research Advisor Prior to the start of the Fall and Spring semesters, first-year PhD students should contact the faculty with whom they are considering doing a rotation to request an appointment. Selection of a research rotation advisor must be official by the end of the drop/add period of each semester. Students should discuss expectations for the rotation as well as a finite project to be completed by the end of the term of the rotation with the research advisor. This prevents projects continuing into the next semester which impacts the output of the new research rotation. The project should not depend on applying for a new IRB as this will delay the research into the subsequent semester, which is ill-advised. The Training Committee grants final approval of research advisors.

Register for research credit and a letter grade (6 points in fall and spring of first year, 9 points in fall and spring of second year, 12 points in fall and spring all subsequent years).

Publications PhD students and postdoctoral fellows are expected to make submissions to publications and conferences each year. The frequency and appropriateness of these submissions are decided by the research advisor. No student or fellow may submit work to any publication or conference without the expressed prior approval of their research advisor. Prior to submission, the research advisor must review final versions of all papers and abstracts submitted to journals, conferences, books or other publications. This policy applies to all publications, regardless of authorship, that deal with work that has been done at DBMI, Columbia University, or any affiliated institution(s).

Funding More information about funding sources and fellowships is available in the Student Funding page .​

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Biomedical Informatics PhD

Jacobs school of medicine and biomedical sciences, program description.

Graduate study in biomedical informatics provides an in-depth foundation in evaluating and managing concepts and systems related to information management in healthcare, and biomedical research settings. Our graduates will be well prepared for technical, policy or planning leadership positions in healthcare, industry, or biomedical research settings. Our faculty have research portfolios including clinical informatics/decision support, bioinformatics/translational research informatics, biomedical ontologies, clinical population/public health informatics, and the socio-technical/human centered design of biomedical information systems.

Cheryl Kennedy 77 Goodell Street, Suite 540 Buffalo, NY 14203 Email:  [email protected] Phone: 716-888-4847

Instruction Method

• In Person   (100 percent of courses offered in person)

Full/Part Time Options

Credits required, time-to-degree.

• 4 to 5 Years

Application Fee

Admission tests**.

This program is officially registered with the New York State Education Department (SED).

Online programs/courses may require students to come to campus on occasion. Time-to-degree and number of credit hours may vary based on full/part time status, degree, track and/or certification option chosen. Time-to-degree is based on calendar year(s). Contact the department for details.

** At least one of the admissions tests are required for admission. Test and score requirements/exceptions vary by program. Contact the department for details.

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PhD in Biomedical Informatics

Biomedical Informatics combines IT management, computer science, and applied computing with clinical science, biological science, bio-imaging, and public health.

Why Study Biomedical Informatics?

The Biomedical Informatics Graduate Program is a multidisciplinary, interprofessional effort integrating the theory and practice of information technology management, computer science, decision support systems, and applied computing with clinical science, biological science, bio-imaging, and public health. Students study and pursue “the effective uses of biomedical data, information, and knowledge for scientific inquiry, problem solving and decision making, motivated by efforts to improve human health.” ( AMIA ).

Why Study Biomedical Informatics at UNMC?

The joint UNMC/UNO Biomedical Informatics program brings together existing informatics education programs at multiple campuses into a comprehensive interdisciplinary education program including the MSIA Health Informatics Program, the MSIA Pathology Bioinformatics program, the College of Public Health and the UNO Bioinformatics and Public Health Informatics efforts.

The strength of this joint program co-located at UNMC and UNO lies in the ability to leverage expertise across the University of Nebraska campuses to provide a strong educational & research program with strengths in biologic, healthcare and technological aspects of biomedical informatics.

Individualized programs of study are designed to accommodate students' existing knowledge and career goals. Distance options (telephone conferencing, virtual network, and e-learning tools) are available for most courses. Research opportunities exist in the basic sciences at UNMC, information technology at UNO, and applied sciences at the College of Public Health and the College of Medicine at UNMC.

Program Snapshot

Collaborative education.

The Biomedical Informatics Program represents a collaborative effort between the University of Nebraska campuses. Faculty from the Omaha, Lincoln, and Medical campuses provide support. Courses are offered at the University of Nebraska Medical Center and the University of Nebraska Omaha's Peter Kiewit Institute .

Program Goals

This program offers new students a very individualized experience to help prepare them for their future career. The goals of this program include the following:

• To lead innovative interdisciplinary research and development in bioinformatics
• To prepare graduate students to conduct advanced basic and applied research, to address local, national and international needs in health information and communications technology
• To prepare students to be leaders in academic research and health care

Careers & Outcomes

Graduates from the Biomedical Informatics program are in high demand as there a great need for experts with appropriate training. Jobs are available as programmers and data analysts to senior-level scientists and research directors; employment is available with private & public industries, research institutions, government institutions, and universities around the globe. Example job titles include:

• Staff Scientist in Biomedical Informatics
• Research Associate in Biomedical Informatics
• Clinical Data Analyst
• Biomedical Information Analyst
• Informatics Analyst
• Clinical Informatics Project Manager
• Data Scientist

Related Programs

Students interested in this program may wish to explore:

Health Sciences Informatics, PhD

School of medicine.

The Ph.D. in Health Sciences Informatics offers the opportunity to participate in ground-breaking research projects in clinical informatics and data science at one of the world’s finest biomedical research institutions. In keeping with the traditions of the Johns Hopkins University and the Johns Hopkins Hospital, the Ph.D. program seeks excellence and commitment in its students to further the prevention and management of disease through the continued exploration and development of health informatics, health IT, and data science. Resources include a highly collaborative clinical faculty committed to research at the patient, provider, and system levels. The admissions process will be highly selective and finely calibrated to complement the expertise of faculty mentors.    

Areas of research:

• Clinical Decision Support
• Global Health Informatics
• Health Information Exchange (HIE)
• Human Computer Interaction
• Multi-Center Real World Data
• Patient Quality & Safety
• Population Health Analytics
• Precision Medicine Analytics
• Standard Terminologies
• Telemedicine
• Translational Bioinformatics

Individuals wishing to prepare themselves for careers as independent researchers in health sciences informatics, with applications experience in informatics across the entire health/healthcare life cycle, should apply for admission to the doctoral program.

Admission Criteria

Applicants with the following types of degrees and qualifications will be considered:

• BA or BS, with relevant technical and quantitative competencies and a record of scientific accomplishment as an undergraduate; 
• BA or BS, with relevant technical and quantitative competencies and a minimum of five years professional experience in a relevant field (e.g., biomedical research, data science, public health, etc.); or
• MA, MS, MPH, MLIS, MD, PhD, or other terminal degree, with relevant technical and quantitative competencies

Relevant fields include: medicine, dentistry, veterinary science, nursing, ancillary clinical sciences, public health, librarianship, biomedical science, bioengineering and pharmaceutical sciences, and computer and information science. An undergraduate minor or major in information or computer science is highly desirable.

The application is made available online through Johns Hopkins School of Medicine's website . Please note that paper applications are no longer accepted. The supporting documents listed below must be received by the SOM admissions office by December 15 of the following year. Applications will not be reviewed until they are complete and we have all supporting letters and documentation.

• Curriculum Vitae (including list of peer-reviewed publications and scientific presentations)
• Three Letters of Recommendation
• Statement of Purpose
• Official Transcripts from undergraduate and any graduate studies
• Certification of terminal degree
• You are also encouraged to submit a portfolio of published research, writing samples, and/or samples of website or system development

Please track submission of supporting documentation through the SLATE admissions portal.

If you have questions about your qualifications for this program, please contact [email protected]

Program Requirements

The PhD curriculum will be highly customized based on the student's background and needs. Specific courses and milestones will be developed in partnership with the student's advisor and the PhD Program Director.

The proposed curriculum is founded on four high-level principles:

• Achieving a balance between theory and research, and between breadth and depth of knowledge
• Creating a curriculum around student needs, background, and goals
• Teaching and research excellence
• Modeling professional behavior locally and nationally.

Individualized curriculum plans will be developed to build proficiencies in the following areas:

• Foundations of biomedical informatics: e.g., lifecycle of information systems, decision support
• Information and computer science: e.g., software engineering, programming languages, design and analysis of algorithms, data structures.
• Research methodology: research design, epidemiology, and systems evaluation; mathematics for computer science (discrete mathematics, probability theory), mathematical statistics, applied statistics, mathematics for statistics (linear algebra, sampling theory, statistical inference theory, probability); ethnographic methods.
• Implementation sciences: methods from the social sciences (e.g., organizational behavior and management, evaluation, ethics, health policy, communication, cognitive learning sciences, psychology, and sociological knowledge and methods), health economics, evidence-based practice, safety, quality.
• Specific informatics domains: clinical informatics, public health informatics, analytics
• Practical experience: experience in informatics research, experience with health information technology.

Basic Requirements & Credit Distribution

• 15 "core" quarter credits (5 courses)
• 8 quarter credits of Student Seminar & Grand Rounds
• 60 elective quarter credits
• 6 quarter credits practicum/research rotation
• 36 mentored research quarter credits (12 in year 1, 24 in year 2)
• Research Ethics

• Biomedical & Health Informatics
• PhD in Biomedical & Health Informatics
• Admission to the BHI PhD Program

Admission to the Biomedical & Health Informatics PhD Program

The PhD in Biomedical Health Informatics welcomes applicants from a diverse field of backgrounds and training experiences. Graduates from accredited universities and colleges will be considered for admission to the department. Applicants may apply straight from baccalaureate training, from advance degree programs (MS, MPH, MD), or from the professional field.

All applicants must satisfy both Case Western Reserve and department requirements for graduate admission.

Below you will find some basic information about admissions for the Department of Population and Quantitative Health Sciences PhD program. If you have other questions, please email [email protected] .  

When to Apply?

*Must apply by this date to guarantee consideration for first year funding

PhD Application Requirements

• Online Application: Start the online application . Please indicate that you are applying to the School of Medicine, Biomedical & Health Informatics PhD Program
• Transcripts: Include school-issued unofficial transcripts, scanned and uploaded for all colleges or universities attended. Electronic transcripts can also be emailed to [email protected]  
• Resume/CV: Upload your current resume/CV outlining all work experience and volunteer roles with timeframes. Make sure to highlight any completed research positions or opportunities experienced 
• Letters of Recommendation: Three letters of recommendation are required. A professor who can attest to your academic or professional experience is recommended to write one or more of these recommendations. The online application will request recommenders' contact info for electronic submission 
• Statement of Purpose: In one to two pages, address your interest in biomedical and health informatics and how you hope to utilize this program in your career path 
• Application Fee: Pay the $50 application fee upon submission of your application 
• Test Scores (Optional): Self-report and upload your test-taker copy of the GRE, MAT, MCAT, LSAT, DACT, or GMAT score report. 

For international applicants: if you are not a citizen of an English speaking country or if your previous college or university was not taught in English please submit an English proficiency exam (IELTS, TOFEL, or PTE) 

Case Western Reserve University Diversity Statement

Case Western Reserve University aspires to be an inclusive environment, believing that the creative energy and variety of insights that result from diversity are a vital component of the intellectual rigor and social fabric of the university. As a scholarly community, Case Western Reserve is inclusive of people of all racial, ethnic, cultural, socioeconomic, national and international backgrounds, welcoming diversity of thought, pedagogy, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity/expression, political affiliation and disability. We believe in a culture of inclusion that encourages relationships and interactions among people of different backgrounds, a culture that enhances human dignity, actively diminishes prejudice and discrimination and improves the quality of life for everyone in our community.

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Biomedical Informatics (PhD and MD/PhD)

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Graduate Committee Dr. Jenenne Geske (Interim Chair and Program Director), Dr. James Campbell, Dr. Scott Campbell, Dr. Martina Clarke, Dr. Jane Meza (or designee),  Dr. Ann Fruhling (University of Nebraska - Omaha representative), and Dr. Dele Davies (Senior Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs).  

The mission of the Biomedical Informatics Graduate Program is to develop the next generation of biomedical informaticians who will advance research and practice in contemporary information and knowledge management using innovative evidence-based approaches to improve human health.  The Biomedical Informatics Graduate Program was formally approved by the Regents of the University and the State of Nebraska in the Spring of 2013.  This program brings together experts and resources from multiple campuses including the University of Nebraska Medical Center ( UNMC ), the University of Nebraska - Omaha ( UNO ) and the University of Nebraska Lincoln (UNL).

This joint program involving UNMC & UNO leverages expertise across campuses to provide an educational and research program with strengths in biologic, health care and technological aspects of biomedical informatics. It is a multidisciplinary, interprofessional effort integrating the theory and practice of information technology management, computer science, decision support systems, and applied computing with clinical science, biological science, bio-imaging, and public health. 

General Requirements for PhD 

• Completion of Coursework.
• Completion of the Comprehensive Examination.
• Completion of a research project consistent with a PhD level of achievement.
• Completion and successful defense of a doctoral dissertation.
• Concurrence of the mentor and the student's Supervisory Committee. 

PhD Coursework

Students pursuing the PhD degree in Biomedical Informatics must complete the courses listed below.  PhD students with prior education can place out of core courses.

MD/PhD Coursework

MD/PhD students in Biomedical Informatics must complete 18 credits of graded (not Pass/Fail) graduate-level courses. Students with prior education can place out of core courses, but will need to take an elective in that same core.  

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Phd program.

PhD with Biomedical Informatics Concentration

The Department of Biomedical Informatics (BMI) offers a concentration as part of the Computer Science and Informatics (CSI) PhD program.

In this concentration, you’ll learn to effectively use data for biomedical and clinical research, as well as for supporting policy decisions related to improving human health. Through your coursework, you’ll develop advanced computational techniques and strategies that directly impact patient care and clinical and biomedical research.

Our graduates find careers in: 

• Teaching and research facilities at universities and medical institutions
• Private research and tech companies like Microsoft and Google
• Hospitals and medical consulting firms
• Law and government regulatory agencies

This is a multidisciplinary concentration, jointly administered by Emory’s departments of Biomedical Informatics, Computer Science , and Biostatistics and Bioinformatics .

Admission Information

Students admitted to the program should have basic competencies in college-level calculus, statistics, and computer programming as well as undergraduate biology. Strong applicants who are missing some of this background (e.g., an MD with no formal computer science training) can be accepted but will be required to take introductory courses in computer science as a condition of admission. Similar accommodations will be made for strong computationally-oriented applicants who have no specific training or experience in the biomedical domain.

Interested in applying? Please see additional application information   and apply here !

Program Requirements

The current Laney Graduate School (LGS) Handbook describes the policies of the graduate school, and the current Computer Science and Informatics (CSI) Graduate Program Handbook describes the policies of the graduate program. These handbooks describe important teaching and ethics opportunities within the program (and we recommend that you read them)!

Courses and Research Rotation Projects 

Courses and research rotation projects provide foundational knowledge and skills for our PhD program.

Students must complete seven courses with grades of B or better and an average GPA of 3.3 or better by the spring semester of their second year and two research rotation projects with grades of B or better by the end of the spring semester of your second year:

• 3 core courses: Introduction to Biomedical Informatics, Biomedical Statistics for Machine Learning, and Introduction to Machine Learning
• 4 elective courses, including BMI, CS, BIOS, and other courses. See the CSI Handbook for approved elective courses and the BMI Director of Graduate Students (DGS) for approval of additional elective courses.
• Complete two research rotation projects that introduce you to research and potential PhD advisors.

Your advisor, another faculty member, and the DGS can help you choose courses and research rotation projects.

Qualifying Exams 

The qualifying exam helps students transition from coursework to teaching as they progress through our PhD program.

The qualifying process has three components: a technical report, committee feedback and written response, and an oral examination. Each component provides the opportunity for a student to demonstrate proficiencies in one or more of the four objective areas: expert area knowledge, critical analysis skills, research readiness, and technical communication. The qualifying exam includes:

• A publication-quality technical report
• Committee feedback about your report and a written response to the committee’s feedback
• An oral presentation of your technical report and written response and oral exam by the committee

Thesis Proposal, Dissertation, and Defense

The thesis proposal, written dissertation, and oral defense are the culmination of your time in our program and demonstrate your ability to perform independent, high-quality research.

Each student must: 

• Propose their dissertation research
• Complete a written dissertation of their research
• Deliver an oral defense of their research

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Biomedical Informatics

The MD-PhD required curriculum for the PhD consists of 72 credit hours from required and elective courses, drawn from these lists.

Prerequisites from the first two years of medical education curriculum

Biomedical informatics requirements, suggested electives depending on dissertation topic: 8 credits minimum, at least 2 700-level didactic courses.

Find our new website here: https://dbds.stanford.edu

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Courses in Computational Biology

Reflecting the wide cross-disciplinary interests and lively atmosphere on the Stanford campus, related courses in Computational Biology and Bioinformatics are taught in Applied Physics (APPPHYS 315), Biochemistry (BIOC 218), Biomedical Informatics (BIOE 210), Cancer Biology (CBIO 243), Strctural Biology (SBIO 228) and more. For further information on all Stanford courses please see The Stanford Bulletin .

Stanford Computer Science Department

• Graduate Admissions
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Related Graduate Programs and Departments

• Bioengineering
• Biomedical Informatics
• Biosciences
• Electrical Engineering

Additional Activities on Campus

• Bio-X - Fostering interdisciplinary research at Stanford
• BCATS - Biomedical Computation at Stanford Symposium
• BIOMOD - Seminar in BioMathmatical Methodology

Gates Computer Science Building: 353 Serra Mall, Stanford, California 94305. (650) 723-2300.

Admissions Email: [email protected]

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Jazz at Drew returns 09/21

• Center for Biomedical Informatics

The Center for Biomedical Informatics at Charles R. Drew University of Medicine and Science (CDU) was established in 2007 to strengthen CDU’s research, educational, and service capacity in the area of biomedical informatics.  Biomedical Informatics is a multi-disciplinary field that studies how biomedical data, information, and knowledge can be acquired, stored, communicated, and transformed to produce insights that improve human health. A goal of the Center is to reduce health disparities by providing informatics solutions to problems that affect medically underserved and under-resourced communities. Faculty members at the Center have backgrounds in computer science, clinical medicine, sociology, and public health.  

Current Center faculty members include Omolola Ogunyemi, PhD, FACMI (Director), Robert Jenders, MD, MS, FACP, FACMI, FAMIA (co-Director), Sheba George, PhD, and Sukrit Mukherjee, PhD.

The Center is currently funded by a mix of National Institutes of Health (NIH) Center grants as well as individual research grants from the NIH, State of California and private foundations.  Faculty members also teach a required course, Principles of Biomedical Informatics, in the Master of Science in Biomedical Sciences program at CDU.

In partnership with a variety of safety net clinics and hospitals, which provide care to individuals in the United States regardless of their insurance status or ability to pay, individuals who may experience a digital divide, faculty members at the Center have conducted research and provided solutions on

• telehealth to increase patient access to specialists; 
• machine learning to improve diagnosis of conditions such as diabetic retinopathy, which undetected can lead to eyesight loss; 
• computerized decision support for chronic diseases that disproportionately affect individuals in medically underserved areas; 
• sociotechnical expertise to support patient engagement in research and health care (e.g., training community health workers to improve patient care, including empowering patients to participate in telehealth);
• mHealth apps for clinical assessments of mental health and substance abuse in patients of color;
• smartphone-based mHealth apps to provide peer support for HIV prevention, substance abuse treatment, and related services for individuals leaving Southern California jails and prisons;  
• international efforts to create health information systems standards. 

Five Million Dollar Endowment Funding In order to develop a nationally recognized Center for Biomedical Informatics at CDU that expands our educational offerings and improves our research impact on underserved communities, the Center seeks to establish an endowment of at least $5,000,000.  An advisory committee has been convened to guide the strategic direction of the Center.

CDU Background Charles R. Drew University of Medicine and Science (CDU) was founded as a Historically Black Graduate Institution in 1966 to address the problem of inadequate access to medical care in South Los Angeles, following the Watts Rebellion. Over 80 percent of CDU students are from communities of color. CDU is also a member of the Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities. In 2017, the Chronicle of Higher Education named CDU the second most diverse four-year private nonprofit college in the United States. More than 80 percent of CDU students report returning to practice and provide much-needed care in medically underserved communities following graduation.  

Vision for the Center’s Future Inspired by CDU’s commitment to health equity for medically underserved communities as well as the University’s vision of “excellent health and wellness for all in a world without health disparities,” the Center seeks to expand its activities by:

• creating a two-year master’s program in health informatics that attracts a diverse group of students with a thematic focus on addressing health disparities
• recruiting new faculty members with complementary research interests that will be critical to the continued success of the Center, such as natural language processing
• broadening existing efforts to address health disparities resulting from the digital divide in South Los Angeles communities, especially in the face of COVID-19, through increased collaborations with the Los Angeles County Department of Health Services and community healthcare organizations
• advancing novel biomedical informatics research that addresses health disparities in the US and globally

Health Informatics Master’s Degree Program In late 2019, the Center directors presented a proposal for a Health Informatics Master’s degree program to the CDU Provost’s Committee on New Programs and have received a favorable response for moving forward with establishing the program.  New faculty members will need to be recruited to implement the program, which will follow a hybrid model of remote and in-person courses.  The expected matriculation date for the first class of Health Informatics Master’s students is Fall, 2025.

We seek to graduate a diverse group of students that:

• have mastery in biomedical informatics principles; are proficient in coding; 
• are cognizant of social determinants of health, including the nature and impact of the digital divide in under-resourced communities and the health care settings that serve them; and 
• are familiar with the importance of appropriate representation of different populations in clinical research and associated biomedical datasets, and 
• understand the potential negative impact of inadequate representation of different populations from technological products that are based on unrepresentative data but presented as all-purpose solutions.
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UC San Diego Joins NIH 'Bridge to Artificial Intelligence Program'

Researchers at University of California San Diego School of Medicine have been selected to lead components of the National Institutes of Health (NIH)  Common Fund’s Bridge to Artificial Intelligence (Bridge2AI)  program.

Two faculty in the Bioinformatics and Systems Biology Graduate Program have leading roles in this project. Trey Ideker, PhD, professor at UC San Diego School of Medicine, will serve as principal investigator for one of the Data Generation Projects. Lucila Ohno-Machado, MD, PhD, professor and associate dean for informatics and technology at UC San Diego School of Medicine, will serve as a principal investigator for the Bridge Center.

“This is the first time NIH has invested in biomedical AI at this scale, and we are thrilled to be a part of it,” said Ideker. “UC San Diego has proven itself to be a pioneer in clinical and research AI technology, but this funding will help cement our place in the AI revolution.”

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Join us April 18

Interdisciplinary pilot institute on health equity receives university support.

Emily Parenti-Lopez

Friday, April 19, 2024

The Institute for Equitable Health Data Science Research — co-directed by BHIS associate professor Andrew Boyd and computer science professor Elisabeta Marai — received funding from the Office of the Vice Chancellor for Research as part of a 2023 program to advance interdisciplinary discovery across UIC.

The pilot institute will combine data science and artificial intelligence expertise with health science research to address urgent health inequities.

The institute will seek to analyze and eliminate potential biases in health data before they are embedded into artificial intelligence algorithms. The goal is to create biomedical science and technology solutions while prioritizing health equity for diverse populations.

“Data science is critical for the future of health care,” said Boyd. “However, if we do not add the appropriate health equity and disparity lenses, the biases of today’s health care system will be baked into those algorithms for decades.”

The pilot institute will launch a series of initiatives, including an annual bootcamp to encourage research collaborations, a yearly industry summit, seed funding for new projects and grant application support. The institute’s opportunities for funding and workshops will be open to all UIC researchers.

Other pilot initiatives previously selected for support from the Office of the Vice Chancellor for Research include the Institute for Functional and Regenerative Materials, the Institute for Research on Addictions and a third program seeking interdisciplinary discoveries to cure chronic eye diseases.

Boyd said university support will enable investigations into social determinants of health, analytical reviews of existing research methodologies and algorithms and counseling for regulatory boards. The institute will create novel technology and new Chicagoland datasets to reduce health-related bias in the city and beyond.

“We’re committed to solving this problem across the university, with all of our colleges, all of our students and for all of our patients,” Boyd said. “This is who we are here at UIC.”

This article has been edited for length and clarity by Emily Parenti-Lopez.

Biomedical Informatics

• AIME Workshops
• AI for Reliable & Equitable Real World Evidence Generation in Medicine

Call for Submissions - AI Reliable

Call for submissions, papers and posters should be submitted to the aime 2024 easychair workshop website., important dates.

• May 31, 2024 | Submission Deadline
• June 14, 2024 | Notice of Acceptance
• July 12, 2024 | Workshop

Up to 8 accepted submissions will be presented, with their abstracts posted on the portal and maintained by the AIME 2024 Local Chairs’ Department of Biomedical Informatics. Selected paper submissions will be eligible for publications in Patterns from Cell Press (Impact Factor 7), Journal of Personalized Medicine (Impact Factor 4.5) or Journal of the American Medical Informatics Association (Impact Factor 7).

Arial or Times New Roman size 11 are recommended fonts for submissions. 

Three submission categories

FULL RESEARCH PAPERS

• Up to 10 pages, including references
• Appendix up to 10 pages

Only the abstracts will be published as part of the workshop. The papers will be considered for independent submission by editors of these journals:

• Journal of Personalized Medicine
• Patterns (Cell Press)

SHORT AND DEMO PAPERS

• 4 to 5 pages, including references, describing either:
• a short research project,
• a demonstration of implemented systems, or
• late-breaking results (work-in-progress).
• 1 to 2 pages, consisting of a structured extended abstract, describing either:
• work-in-progress research with preliminary results;
• an AI-based study or protocol thereof (e.g., validation of an AI tool in a specific setting or an implementation of an AI tool to assist drug discovery), or
• system prototypes and early-stage methodological work (e.g., a new algorithm with pseudo-code but only prototypical implementation and no validation study).

The extended abstract comprises background, methods, results, discussion, and references.

Poster guidelines

• Posters should not exceed 48 inches wide x 48 inches tall.
• Presenters must provide their own poster printed on paper or cloth (if you need assistance with directions for printing a posters in Salt Lake City, please email [email protected]).
• Boards on easels with push pins or binder clips will be provided.