Biomedical Informatics & Data Science

It is great to be part of a growing team of students, staff, and faculty at BIDS. As we approach our semi-anniversary, we have much to celebrate. Since our evolution from an independent Section that began in January 2023 to our current department founded in May 2024, we've made remarkable strides together.

In this newsletter, we extend our welcome to new trainees, staff, and faculty members. We introduce new people, programs, courses, and we highlight achievements such as new grants, awards, upcoming presentations at the American Medical Informatics Association Annual Symposium in San Francisco, and articles that received special recognition. We also want to take a moment to express appreciation for our postdocs, future world leaders of biomedical informatics and data science!

– Lucila Ohno-Machado, MD, MBA, PhD

Chair, Department of Biomedical Informatics and Data Science

Yale University is excited to announce the release of its Course Search platform for the upcoming Spring 2025 semester, highlighting an expanded array of courses in the rapidly growing field of Biomedical Informatics. With cutting-edge offerings in data science, machine learning, and healthcare technology, the Biomedical Informatics curriculum is designed to equip students with the skills needed to address complex challenges in medical research and clinical care.

To explore the full list of Biomedical Informatics courses for Spring 2025, visit the Yale University Course Search and start planning your academic path today!

Daniella Meeker, PhD, of Yale School of Medicine's Biomedical Informatics and Data Science and Yale New Haven Health System, is among 25 new Fellows who will be inducted into the American College of Medical Informatics (ACMI) at the 2024 American Medical Informatics Association (AMIA) Annual Symposium. The induction ceremony will take place on November 10 during a special dinner. ACMI Fellows are elected annually by active members of the College, recognizing their exceptional contributions to the field of medical informatics. Read More

Qianqian Xie, PhD, a postdoctoral associate in the Department of Biomedical Informatics and Data Science (BIDS), has received an NIH grant to develop a Large Language Model (LLM)-based framework for clinical decision support. The project aims to create a reliable, evidence-based question-answering system to assist clinicians in high-pressure environments, such as emergency departments, by providing real-time, trustworthy information. Dr. Xie's work is supported by mentors and collaborators from Yale and other leading institutions. Read More

Yale School of Medicine’s Department of Biomedical Informatics and Data Science (BIDS) has received a $7.88 million grant from the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) to lead a groundbreaking five-year project. Led by Hua Xu, PhD, the project will establish a Coordinating Center for the IMPACT-MH Program, which aims to advance personalized mental health research using computational tools. Key collaborators include experts from Yale, the University of Pennsylvania, and Mayo Clinic. Read More

NIH has awarded $1.5 million to a project that addresses the critical issues of factual inaccuracy and unfaithful reasoning in Large Language Models (LLMs) for biomedicine and health care. The project, led by principal investigator Qingyu Chen, PhD, is funded by the National Library of Medicine under grant number 1R01LM014604-01, with a project period extending from August 2024 to July 2028. Read More

Qingyu Chen, PhD, Assistant Professor at Yale's BIDS, has received a $746,960 grant from the National Library of Medicine (NLM) and the NIH for his project, “Natural Language Processing and Medical Imaging Analysis for Multi-Modality Computer-Assisted Diagnosis of Ophthalmic Diseases.” This three-year research will focus on developing advanced AI models to enhance the accuracy and reliability of eye disease diagnoses. Read More

Ocular Imaging Study: A group of All of Us participants will receive retinal scans and other ocular images at Yale. Funded by the NEI and in collaboration with the Yale Department of Ophthalmology, this study will also involve recruitment at the University of California, San Diego, and other All of Us sites.

Opioid Use Disorder Study: Eligible participants will be recruited by the NIH/All of Us-funded Coast-to-Coast Consortium for Precision Medicine, led by Yale, as well as consortia based in New York and Florida. Funded by NIDA, this project will focus on at-risk individuals and those with opioid use disorder, recruited in California and Connecticut.

To learn more visit, the All of Us research program.

Na Hong, PhD, an Instructor of Biomedical Informatics and Data Science at Yale, has been named Co-PI on a newly funded FDA Yale Center of Excellence in Regulatory Science and Innovation (CERSI) research project titled "A Machine-Learning Model to Identify Women with Anti-nuclear Antibody Related Connective Tissue Diseases," led by Eugenia Chock, MD, MPH, an Assistant Professor of Medicine (Rheumatology, Allergy & Immunology). This project involves a close collaboration with clinical experts and biomedical informatics & data science teams to leverage AI technologies in addressing real clinical needs. Read More

We’re excited to invite you to explore and subscribe to the Yale BIDS YouTube Channel! You'll discover inspiring introductory AI seminars from our chair, insightful presentations from leading experts, or thought-provoking guest expert interviews and sample videos from our Certificate Program in Medical Software and Medical AI. The guest expert interview series, which is a companion to the Certificate program is also available in podcast form (see Yale Certificate in Medical Software and Medical AI: Guest Experts – Yale Podcast Network (blubrry.net))

Join our growing community, stay informed, and be part of the conversation on the future of AI and data in healthcare. Don't miss out—subscribe today!

Last month Medical and Nursing Information Officers, ACGME Clinical Informatics fellows, and BIDS team members gathered for our inaugural clinical informatics luncheon. Attendees explored the health system and electronic clinical laboratory systems while learning from expert physician and clinician informaticians about their work in bringing Clinical Decision Support, AI, and innovative technology "to the bedside." This event highlighted the exciting advancements in clinical informatics and inspired ongoing collaboration.

Stay tuned for future quarterly seminars!

Next month, our faculty and staff will make a strong showing at the AMIA 2024 Annual Symposium in San Francisco. Our team will lead four workshops/tutorials, present three panels, three papers, twelve podium abstracts, and nine posters, and engage in a debate and demonstration. The symposium, taking place from November 9-13, centers on the theme “Informatics in the Age of Generative Artificial Intelligence,” featuring over 600 sessions, keynote speakers, and ample networking opportunities. This is a prime opportunity to explore cutting-edge advancements in health informatics and celebrate Yale BIDS' impactful contributions.

View BIDS Speaker Schedule

Co-authors Dr. Dennis Shung from Yale School of Medicine and Dr. Alexander Tong from the Mila - Quebec Artificial Intelligence Institute, along with Dr. Yoshua Bengio from Mila and additional collaborators Yuan Pu from Yale and Dr. Xi Zhang from Mila, have had their paper titled "Trajectory Flow Matching with Applications to Clinical Time Series Modeling" selected for a spotlight presentation at NeurIPS 2024 this December. This recognition places their work in the top 3% of submissions, highlighting its impact on advancing AI in healthcare.

Preview the Abstract.

Discover the latest research from Yale BIDS appointees (Primary and Secondary)! Our Publications Page features cutting-edge contributions in biomedical informatics and data science that are shaping the future of healthcare. From innovative advancements to collaborative breakthroughs, explore the impactful research that addresses complex biological systems and healthcare outcomes. Explore the full list of publications here: Yale BIDS Publications.