Matthew Might, Ph.D.,
Photography: Lexi CoonThe University of Alabama at Birmingham’s Hugh Kaul Precision Medicine Institute, in collaboration with the Maastricht University Department of Advanced Computing Sciences of the Faculty of Science & Engineering, Harvard College, and the University of North Carolina, has received an award from Advanced Research Projects for Health, or ARPA-H, for $8.7 million over three years for their groundbreaking Biomedical Data Fabric program. The PMI team is known as CHARM, which stands for “Collecting, Harmonizing, Analyzing, Reasoning about and Manipulating” biomedical data. The project will also include collaborative efforts with researchers at Maastricht University in the Netherlands.
“We’re essentially building a new foundation for all of biomedical data science and biomedical informatics, in light of the transformative power of generative AI,” said Matt Might, Ph.D., Hugh Kaul Endowed Chair of Precision Medicine and director of the Hugh Kaul Precision Medicine Institute. “A lot of BDF is really about democratizing access to what is currently scarce, valuable and rate-limiting expertise in the form of biomedical data science.”
The BDF program is set to significantly advance the field of biomedical data science, providing immediate benefits to data scientists and creating broader impacts across the entire biomedical science community. While the study and treatment of all diseases are expected to benefit from this advance, there is a specific emphasis early on for improving diagnostics and treatment for both cancer and rare disorders.
“We are thrilled to announce that CHARM, led by Matt Might, Ph.D., has been named a performer team by ARPA-H. This team’s role will be vital in ARPA-H’s efforts to make biomedical research data more accessible and solidifies our school’s commitment to being leaders in transformative health research,” said Anupam Agarwal, M.D., senior vice president for Medicine and dean of the Heersink School of Medicine. “Collaborating with Maastricht University on this initiative exemplifies our commitment to fostering global partnerships that drive scientific advancement. Together, we are paving the way for breakthroughs that will impact health outcomes for generations to come.”
This investment marks a critical step forward in harnessing cutting-edge technology to revolutionize the accessibility and application of biomedical data science.
ARPA-H advances high-potential, high-impact biomedical and health research that cannot be readily accomplished through traditional research or commercial activity.