In 2023, the University of Illinois Chicago’s (UIC) Office of the Vice Chancellor for Research launched a program to fund interdisciplinary research by forming and funding pilot research institutes to bring together the unique strengths of UIC’s colleges. The newest pilot research institute - the Institute for Equitable Health Data Science Research (EHDSR) - will leverage UIC’s cutting-edge data science and artificial intelligence (AI) expertise together with the university’s health enterprise. The goal is to unite researchers from seven colleges to ensure that medical applications of new technologies benefit all populations without bias.

EHDSR is co-directed by Andrew Boyd and Elisabeta Marai, who bring their expertise in data science and healthcare to manage this highly interdisciplinary endeavor. The mission of the Institute is to analyze and eliminate potential healthcare biases before they are unwittingly embedded in artificial intelligence algorithms in healthcare. With its interdisciplinary collaborations, the effort will shape solutions for biomedical and health-data science and technology while prioritizing health equity for Chicago’s diverse population and beyond.

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