New Biomedical Data Science Training Program Focuses on Precision Health Equity

Aim is to help scientists develop computational tools to deliver on the promise of precision health for everyone.

UCLA’s Institute for Precision Health and the Department of Computational Medicine have launched a new training program for predoctoral and postdoctoral trainees to foster a diverse, interdisciplinary environment to learn to invent and develop computational approaches and tools to deliver on the promise of precision health for everyone.

The program is made possible by a National Library of Medicine training grant (NIH T15 LM013976) and starts on July 1, 2022.

Led by Drs. Bogdan Pasaniuc and Alex Bui, the program includes faculty that cover a broad spectrum of biomedical informatics and data science research and represent 14 primary home departments from the Schools of Medicine, Engineering & Applied Sciences and Public Health; and the College of Letters & Science.

“The Institute of Precision Health is thrilled that this new NLM T15 focuses on precision health equity, advancing the training of the next generation of scientists,” said Dr. Dan Geschwind, director of the Institute for Precision Health at UCLA. “Drs. Pasaniuc and Bui have assembled an outstanding set of faculty for this effort, who represent the cutting-edge of the research and translation of these methods into health systems.”

“The David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA is honored to be the recipient of the NIH grant to train the next generation of biomedical data scientists,” said Steven Dubinett, MD, interim dean of the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA. “The multidisciplinary education that our trainees will receive will help us transform the use of computation in healthcare delivery and improve patient outcomes.”

The program combines didactic training in computational and statistical methods for large-scale analyses involving biomedical data (e.g., multi-omics; electronic health records, EHRs). Trainees will acquire breadth in biomedical informatics and data science, as well as targeted learning in specific topics around equity, bioethics, and precision health. All trainees will have a mentorship team that co-supervises them through a research experience in precision health. The program offers training across four areas:

• Healthcare/clinical informatics
• Translational bioinformatics
• Clinical research informatics
• Public health informatics

The program will enhance the current training opportunities on campus such as the Graduate Programs in Biosciences. "We look forward to working with the PIs of the program to mentor and train emerging leaders in biomedical data science,” added Dr. Gregory Payne, Director of the Graduate Programs in Bioscience and Senior Associate Dean, David Geffen School of Medicine.

Training Program webpage

NLM news release

Original Article: "New Biomedical Data Science Training Program Focuses on Precision Health Equity"