Informatics in Action: A Conversation with Mary Politi on Data-Driven Decision Support

Welcome back to Gateway to Informatics, where we share the latest in informatics, research, and healthcare. In this fourth episode, hosted by Dr. Philip Payne, Chief Data Scientist at WashU Medicine and Director of I2DB, we explore how data and AI can enhance personalized risk assessments while preserving the essential human connection in healthcare.  The […]

Neurology, I2DB announce joint faculty hire

The Department of Neurology and the Institute for Informatics, Data Science and Biostatistics (I2DB) are pleased to welcome a new joint faculty member, Laura Wiley, PhD, FAMIA, who is serving as an associate professor as of Jan. 1. She will also serve as the Director of Clinical Data Science in the Office of the Chief […]

Congratulations, graduates!

Congratulations to our December recognition graduates. Your hard work and perseverance have brought you to this moment. The Institute for Informatics, Data Science, and Biostatistics (I2DB) had 17 graduates from the Master of Science programs in Biomedical Informatics, Biostatistics, and Biostatistics and Data Science. We’re proud to celebrate you and your achievements! Relive Friday, Dec. […]

Exploring the Frontiers of Genetics and Genomics with Dr. Ting Wang

In this episode, Dr. Ting Wang shares his journey, inspired by the Human Genome Project and key mentors, and provides valuable advice for aspiring scientists. He explains the distinctions between genetics, genomics, computational biology, and bioinformatics, and discusses his pioneering research on genetic and epigenetic variations.

Empowering digital health leaders: highlights from I2DB’s India initiatives

The Institute for Informatics, Data Science and Biostatistics (I2DB) spent the week in New Delhi, India, hosting a leadership workshop and alumni reception, as well as speaking at the THE Innovation and Impact Summit. The visit strengthened I2DB’s networking and partnerships in India.  Digital Health Leadership Resource Library and Workshop  The Digital Health Leadership Workshop […]

Dr. Philip Payne leads publication on AI code of conduct for healthcare

A new paper in the Journal of the American Medical Informatics Association (JAMIA), led by Philip R. O. Payne, PhD, addresses the need for a unified framework to guide the ethical and effective use of artificial intelligence (AI) in health and healthcare.  Dr. Payne collaborated with experts Kevin B. Johnson, MD, MS, Thomas M. Maddox, […]

WashU alumni explore AI in health care at Bay Area event

On Nov. 8, the Institute for Informatics, Data Science and Biostatistics (I2DB), in collaboration with alumni and University Advancement, co-hosted an engaging event at Hotel Nikko San Francisco for WashU Medicine alumni and friends. The evening began with a reception where guests enjoyed complimentary hors d’oeuvres and drinks while reconnecting and networking.  The event’s highlight […]

Recap of the AMIA 2024 Annual Symposium

The American Medical Informatics Association (AMIA) hosted its 2024 annual symposium from Nov. 9 to 13 in San Francisco, gathering professionals, academics, and industry leaders to discuss advancements in biomedical and health informatics. The event featured keynotes, panel discussions, and workshops on cutting-edge technologies like artificial intelligence and big data integration in healthcare.   The Institute […]

Dr. Jing Wang named director of the Biostatistics Consulting Service

Jing Wang, PhD, professor of biostatistics, has been appointed the director of the Biostatistics Consulting Service at the Institute for Informatics, Data Science, and Biostatistics (I²DB). As director, Dr. Wang will lead the Biostatistics Consulting Service, which provides biostatistical consultation across a wide range of areas. These include the statistical design of experiments and clinical […]

New deep learning framework predicts Alzheimer’s disease progression

For patients with mild cognitive impairment (MCI), an early stage of Alzheimer’s Disease (AD), monitoring the risk of progressing to AD over time is crucial. Recent research published in JAMIA Open has introduced a state-of-the-art deep learning framework named HiMAL (Hierarchical Multi-task Auxiliary Learning) that addresses this need.  The study, led by Sayantan Kumar, PhD […]

New Study uses machine learning to identify dementia subtypes 

Dementia affects individuals differently, causing a variety of symptoms that progress at varying rates, which makes uniform treatment challenging. Recent research published in PLOS One, led by PhD candidate Sayantan Kumar and Philip Payne, PhD, along with Inez Oh, PhD, Suzanne Schindler, MD, PhD, Nupur Ghoshal, MD, PhD,  and Zachary Abrams, PhD, utilized a novel […]

Episode 2 of ‘Gateway to Informatics’ features Dr. Albert M. Lai

In Episode 2, Dr. Payne sits down with Dr. Albert M. Lai, the Chief Research Information Officer at WashU Medicine. Dr. Lai’s compelling background sets the stage for a riveting discussion. Originally pursuing computer science, Dr. Lai found his true calling in the field of informatics, leading to a distinguished career marked by impactful projects and significant contributions to healthcare technology.

Dr. Payne to Co-Lead New Joint Center for Health AI (Links to an external site)

Washington University School of Medicine and BJC Health System have launched the joint Center for Health AI. The center aims to harness cutting-edge artificial intelligence (AI) to fundamentally change the way health care is provided. It will focus on making care more personalized and effective for patients, and more efficient and manageable for health care professionals.

Dr. Linying Zhang receives 2024 OHDSI Titan Award for Methodological Research

We are delighted to announce that Linying Zhang, PhD, Assistant Professor of Biostatistics, has been honored with the prestigious 2024 Observational Health Data Sciences and Informatics (OHDSI) Titan Award for Methodological Research. This award recognizes her exceptional contributions to advancing analytical methods in clinical characterization, population-level effect estimation, and patient-level prediction. Congratulations, Dr. Zhang!

Dr. Atul Butte featured as inaugural guest on “Gateway to Informatics” podcast

We are excited to announce the release of the first episode of the new “Gateway to Informatics” podcast! The inaugural episode features Dr. Atul Butte, a distinguished leader at the intersection of informatics and digital health. He shares his unique perspective on the evolving landscape of health technology and advice for current students.

Introducing “Gateway to Informatics,” a podcast hosted by Dr. Philip Payne

We are pleased to introduce “Gateway to Informatics,” a new podcast hosted by Dr. Philip Payne, Chief Data Scientist at WashU Medicine and Director of the Institute for Informatics, Data Science, and Biostatistics (I2DB). This podcast explores the forefront of informatics, research, and healthcare through engaging conversations with leading experts. New episodes are released on the third Friday of every month.

WashU’s Exclusive Salon Event in London highlights AI innovation and global engagement 

Washington University in St. Louis hosted an exclusive salon event on Sept. 26 at the Middle Eight Hotel in Covent Garden, London. The gathering aimed to connect alumni and showcase the university’s responsible and secure advancements in artificial intelligence (AI).  The event followed a significant visit to the U.K. by WashU’s Institute for Informatics, Data […]

I2DB contributes to major pandemic preparedness research projects

Charles Goss, PhD, and J. Philip Miller, both faculty members in the Institute for Informatics, Data Science and Biostatistics (I2DB), head the data management cores for the ReVAMPP flavivirus and alphavirus program and the ReVAMPP paramyxovirus, peribunyavirus and phlebovirus program, respectively.

Biostatistics student Trevor Zimmerman presents at prestigious Radiation Research Society conference 

Congratulations to biostatistics student Trevor Zimmerman for presenting his research at the prestigious 70th annual Radiation Research Society conference, held in Tucson, Arizona, from Sept. 15-18. His selection as a master’s student is particularly impressive given the event’s lineup of top scientists. Zimmerman’s abstract stood out among many submissions, earning him the rare opportunity to […]

Opinion: Meeting the Artificial Intelligence Needs of U.S. Health Systems

In an opinion published recently in Annals of Internal Medicine, I2DB Director Dr. Philip Payne and co-authors outlined timely AI considerations for health systems, recommending robust structural foundations and clinician engagement, as well as strategic outcome measurement to improve care quality, mitigate AI-related risks, and address social equity. They emphasized that AI should be viewed […]

Highlights from BIDS@I2DB Summer Research Internship: Celebrating Achievements

Celebrating the end of a fantastic internship! Our BIDS@I2DB interns concluded their 11-week program with an impressive poster session on Wednesday, July 31. The BIDS@I2DB program offers internships for undergraduate and graduate students to explore biomedical informatics. Under faculty mentors, interns engaged in cutting-edge research, training, and collaboration. They: Congratulations to our talented interns for […]

PhD student develops novel EHR cognitive effort measure

Recent research by first author Seunghwan (Nigel) Kim, MS, BIDS PhD student, and supporting authors Benjamin Warner, MS, Daphne Lew, PhD, MPH, Sunny Lou, MD, PhD, and Thomas Kannampallil, PhD, introduces “action entropy” as a measure to assess cognitive effort in electronic health record (EHR) tasks. By analyzing EHR audit logs, neural language models were used to […]

Zhang receives AMIA Doctoral Dissertation Honorable Mention 

Congratulations to Linying Zhang, PhD, who received the American Medical Informatics Association (AMIA) 2024 Edward H. Shortliffe Doctoral Dissertation Award Honorable Mention (second place) for her doctoral dissertation titled “Causal machine earning for reliable real-world evidence generation in healthcare.” She will give a semi-plenary talk on her dissertation work at the 2024 AMIA Annual Symposium on Monday, Nov. […]

Dr. Ling Chen and team finds subtle cognitive decline precedes end to driving for older adults (Links to an external site)

Congratulations to coauthor Dr. Ling Chen and her team for their publication in Neurology, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology, where they found that even minor cognitive changes can influence older adults’ decision to cease driving. Their research highlights the importance of routine cognitive testing to detect early and subtle decline, enabling older […]

Examining the association between secure messaging and telephone use

Congratulations to WashU’s Sunny Lou, MD, PhD, and co-authors Daphne Lew, PhD, PMH, Laura Baratta, BS, Elise Eiden, MS, and Thomas Kannampallil, PhD, in collaboration with Christine Sinsky, MD, from the American Medical Association, on their recent publication in JAMA Network Open. The study explores the association between secure messaging and telephone use in clinician-to-clinician communication, highlighting the […]

School of Medicine joins AI collaborative, Drs. Payne and Maddox named corps site leads 

Earlier this month, Washington University School of Medicine and BJC HealthCare became the newest members of the Health AI Partnership (HAIP), a multi-stakeholder collaborative of more than 20 organizations and growing that seeks to create safe spaces for peer learning and collaboration to address the most challenging issues health care leaders face while implementing AI.  The HAIP […]

WashU Medicine launches Center for Translational Bioinformatics (Links to an external site)

Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis is launching a Center for Translational Bioinformatics, an innovative joint effort of the university’s McDonnell Genome Institute and the Institute for Informatics, Data Science & Biostatistics. The center will bring together experts from diverse fields to accelerate precision medicine research and improve patient care by integrating comprehensive patient data and […]

2024 Big Ideas winners announced

Four winners have been selected for the 2024-2025 Big Ideas Competition award! Each of these remarkable teams will be awarded a grant of $50,000 in research funds for their outstanding projects. Among the winning teams is Dr. Jing Li from the Institute for Informatics, Data Science and Biostatistics (I2DB).  (PI / project lead in bold): […]

Lin featured as guest editor for the American Journal of Managed Care

Sunny Lin, PhD, MS, an assistant professor of medicine in the Division of General Medical Sciences and I2DB, served as a guest editor for the American Journal of Managed Care (AJMC)’s issue titled “The Health Information Technology Special Issue: Making Innovations Impactful, Ethical, and Equitable.” In her letter as guest editor, she delves into the […]

NIH grant to fund radiation oncology center on Medical Campus (Links to an external site)

Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis has received a five-year, $7.8 million grant from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) to support a radiation oncology center that is part of a select national network of centers aimed at understanding the biologic effects of radiation therapy in cancer treatment. Washington University’s new center — […]

Pediatric Heart Network names medical school a core site for heart disease research (Links to an external site)

Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis has been named one of nine core sites in the Pediatric Heart Network, a national network of leading hospitals and research institutions that works toward improving outcomes and quality of life for children with heart disease. The Pediatric Heart Network (PHN) is funded by the National Heart, Lung, and […]

Recap of the Digital Health Leadership Workshop and Alumni Events in India

The Digital Health Leadership Workshop, co-hosted by WashU and the Indian Institute of Technology, Bombay, was a successful event. Over 65 attendees gained valuable skills in the Learning Health System framework, the digital product lifecycle, outcome evaluation, and result communication. Participants left the workshop well-prepared to navigate digital health interventions and drive meaningful change. The […]

Wilcox appointed committee chair by research institute (Links to an external site)

Adam Wilcox, PhD, a professor of medicine at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, has been named the chair of the Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute (PCORI) Methodology Committee. PCORI is a leading funder of patient-centered comparative clinical effectiveness research in the U.S., funding studies that compare two or more medical treatments, services or […]

Recap of the 2024 I2DB Symposium: The Power of AI in Medicine

Presenting Sponsor Technology Partners Event Survey Thank you to those who joined us at the 2024 I2DB Symposium: The Power of AI in Medicine, held at the Donald Danforth Plant Science Center on April 12! The symposium showcased the remarkable ways AI can enhance diagnostics, personalize treatment, and ultimately improve patient outcomes. For those who attended, your […]

Drs. Daphne Lew and Andrew Michelson receive COVID Star Award

This past summer the Office of Faculty Development solicited nominations to recognize outstanding individuals for their work and contributions in the Department of Medicine during the COVID-19 pandemic. Daphne Lew, PhD, instructor of biostatistics, and Andrew P. Michelson, MD, assistant professor of medicine, stood out for their remarkable contributions and were honored with COVID Star […]

Dr. Joanna Abraham receives second Diana Forsythe Award in three years at the AMIA 2023 Annual Symposium

Joanna Abraham, PhD, FACMI, FAMIA, Associate Professor in the Department of Anesthesiology and the Institute for Informatics, Data Science and Biostatistics (I2DB), has been named the 2023 recipient of the American Medical Informatics Association (AMIA)’s Diana Forsythe Award. The award was presented during the AMIA Annual Symposium on Nov. 11 – 15. This award honors either […]

2023 Big Ideas winners announced

BIG IDEAS winners announced

From among 19 applications and 12 finalists, six winners have been selected for the 2023-2024 Big Ideas Competition award! Each of the six winning teams will be awarded a grant of $50,000 in research funds.  Among the winning teams are seven faculty from the Institute for Informatics, Data Science and Biostatistics (I2DB) including Jing Li, Thomas Kannampallil, Mackenzie Hofford, Sunny Lou, Adam Wilcox, Randi Foraker and […]

Recap of the 2023 I2DB Symposium: Data <- "Justice"

Presenting Sponsor Technology Partners Premiere Sponsors Google CloudMDClone Bohigian Lecture in Biomedical Informatics Reaction Panel with Mary Ebeling, moderated by I2DB Director Dr. Philip Payne Becker Archives Acquires the Jerome Cox Papers Stephen Logsdon Embracing Healthcare Information Age Philip R.O. Payne, PhD, FACMI, FAMIA, FAIMBE, FIAHSI

Biomedical informatics, biostatistics announce naming for newly integrated unit

(I2DB) Institute for Informatics, Data Science and Biostatistics

The School of Medicine’s biomedical informatics and biostatistics units are uniting under the existing “I2” moniker as the Institute for Informatics, Data Science and Biostatistics (I2DB). The alignment between informatics and biostatistics at the School of Medicine, however, is not quite as new. In 2019, the Division of Biostatistics became part of the Institute for […]