The RCMI Program in Health Disparities Research at Meharry Medical College

Meharry Medical College, Nashville TN

Investigators

Linked publications, trials & patents

Abstract

PROJECT SUMMARY Meharry Medical College (Meharry) is the largest private, historically black institution in the United States dedicated exclusively to educating healthcare professionals and biomedical scientists. In February 2021, Meharry established its fourth and first school in more than 80 years: School of Applied Computational Sciences (SACS). SACS was officially launched in fall 2021 when it started offering, in part, a Master of Science in Biomedical Data Science. In fall 2022, SACS launched a Doctor of Philosophy in Biomedical Data Science. Both degree programs include strong research emphasis on eliminating health disparities. In March 2022, Meharry launched the Enterprise Data and Analytics (EDA) division as a reflection of its ongoing expansion and data- centric vision. The EDA serves the lead role of all data management, stewardship, and business intelligence in Meharry’s clinical, research, academic, and business enterprises. The addition of SACS and EDA has helped Meharry begin to bridge the gap between its traditional biomedical scientific research and data science so that scientific discovery can be accelerated. With NIH support, Meharry plans to further enhance its institutional data science capacity by (i) creating Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning AI/ML resources in the cloud and on on-prem high-performance computing facility for advanced research, training, and education, (ii) offering a range of training and education programs that will enhance the data science competencies of Meharry faculty, staff, and students who are not data savvy, and (iii) strengthening existing partnerships to promote data science identity and equitable data practices through collaborative research projects. Realization of these three key objectives will broaden Meharry’s data science capabilities, enhance its data science and biomedical research programs, and provide its diverse students with exposure to data science career pathways. Expected outcomes also include the development of new research projects and collaborations, increased engagement and participation of students, educators, and community partners in data science initiatives, and the establishment of long-term partnerships that enhance the knowledge and skills of our researchers and students in data science. This will position Meharry at the forefront of data science and biomedical research and advance its mission to improve health outcomes for all. The proposed project will, thus, expand the scientific capabilities and accomplishments of Meharry on issues related to NIH's mission, scientific achievement, and technological advancements. The involvement of students in data science training at an HBCU will lead to the production of diverse graduates with competencies in cloud computing and data access, informatics and data management, data visualization, and issues of data privacy in human subject’s research.