Aim-Ahead - University of Houston
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Overview

The University of Houston is part of AIM-AHEAD a $50 million NIH-funded national initiative led by the University of North Texas Health Science Center. The program aims to enhance the participation and representation of researchers in the development of AI/ML models and to improve the capabilities of this emerging technology, beginning with electronic health records (EHR) and extending to other diverse data to address health disparities and inequities.

Dr. Bettina Beech the is leading the AIM-AHEAD South Centeral Hub at the University of Houston alongside other universities in the consortium. The program will bring together experts in community engagement, AI/ML, health equity research, data science training, and data infrastructure.

South-Central Hub Team

bettina-beech
Bettina Beech
DrPH
Chief Population Health Officer University of Houston Population Health
AIM-AHEAD South Central Hub Lead
Marino Bruce
Marino Bruce
PhD
College of Medicine Clinical Professor Director of Collaboratories
susiegronseth
Susie Gronseth
PhD
Clinical Professor in the Learning, Design, and Technology program College of Education
Elizabeth Heitman
Elizabeth Heitman
PhD
Professor, Program in Ethics in Science and Medicine University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center
Nomita Bajwa
Nomita Bajwa
Pharma D, EdD
Director of Multi-Sector Partnerships AIM-AHEAD Project Director, South-Central Hub
Nomita Bajwa
Nada Haboudal
MS Engineering
Data Systems Manager
Univeristy of Houston Population Health

AIM-AHEAD North Stars

AIM-AHEAD Year 3 Call for Proposals

1.  AIM-AHEAD Federated Network

This RFA calls for site participation in AIM-AHEAD federated research programs. The research team from each site is expected to (i) assemble EHR data locally from their institution to be used for AIM-AHEAD research projects; (ii) provide informatics expertise to participate in EHR data harmonization across sites; and (iii) facilitate the analysis of EHR data using AI/ML algorithms developed by the AIM-AHEAD researchers. While all patient-level EHR data remain behind the firewalls of the local site, the research team is expected to facilitate the sharing of aggregated data to support AIM-AHEAD research projects. 

Application Due: June 3, 2024
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2. AIM-AHEAD Research Fellowship

This Program will engage a group of early-career researchers to actively participate in biomedical research that involves the use of AI/ML methodologies on biomedical research data, clinical and genomic cohorts to address health disparities and inequities, including bias in AI/ML algorithms or data.The program is open to individuals conducting research at the intersection of healthcare practice and delivery, AI/ML methods, and the advancement of health equity. The AIM-AHEAD Consortium seeks projects from institutions and their investigators from a variety of fields of study, institutions, and geography.  

Application Due: June 17, 2024
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3.  AIM-AHEAD AI/ML in Biomedical Research and Clinical Practice That Embodies Ethics and Equity (ABC-EE)

This program will support teams at any stage of development, including those creating and/or validating frameworks for reasoning about the creation of AI/ML tools, on application of such tools in biomedical or behavioral health research, and on their translation into clinical care in a socially responsible manner. Topics of interest for this program include but are not limited to: the co-creation of data and/or AI/ML tools with target populations; the development of privacy enhancing technologies to support the collection, sharing, and/or use of such diverse data in AI/ML; and investigations into the trustworthiness and reliability of AI/ML, including emerging technologies such as generative AI and chatbots.  

Application Due: June 16, 2024
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4. AIM-AHEAD Consortium Development Program (CDP) - Innovation For Equity in Low-Resource Settings

The 2024 Call for Proposals (CFP) of the AIM-AHEAD Consortium Development Program (CDP) focuses on Innovation for Equity in Low-Resource Settings and provides funding to catalyze multi-disciplinary research projects to plan and pilot Artificial Intelligence/Machine Learning (AI/ML) algorithms or tools to address health disparities and minority health in cancer, cardiometabolic and mental/behavioral health.

Application Due: June 17, 2024
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5.AIM-AHEAD Public-Private Partnerships to Improve Population Health Using AI/ML

The AIM-AHEAD Public-Private Partnerships to Improve Population Health Using AI/ML Program is designed to support mutually beneficial triadic partnerships among a 1) local, state, and tribal accredited health departments; 2) limited resource higher education institution; and 3) a data-science oriented organization with an accessible data library to collaboratively conduct health equity-related AI/ML studies that align with the overall goal of AIM-AHEAD. Over 370 health departments exist in the United States (U.S.), many of whom are accredited and have research units that conduct and manage grant applications. Public health departments work to achieve health equity and serve as a force in their communities to shape the conditions for population health.

Application Due: June 25, 2024
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6. AIM-AHEAD Hub Specific Projects

The goal of is to advance the conduct of community-based participatory research (CBPR) using AI/ML to address and reduce health disparities. This funding opportunity will support small-scale research projects co-led by community-based organizational leaders and researchers from academic institutions. Collaborative teams are encouraged to submit applications using novel approaches to address diseases and conditions that disproportionately affect populations that experience health disparities. Approaches that utilize the interests, concerns, and values of communities have led to improvements in population-level outcomes.

Application Due: June 16, 2024
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7. AIM-AHEAD Clinicians Leading Ingenuity in AI Quality (CLINAQ)

The Fellowship Program is a one-year fellowship (September 16, 2024 - August 29, 2025) that seeks to operate in parallel with clinical practice to empower clinicians (defined below) in the field of Artificial Intelligence/Machine Learning (AI/ML). The term clinician encompasses a broad range of professionals including physicians, nurses, physician assistants, therapists, and pharmacists, among others. By fostering an interdisciplinary approach, the CLINAQ Fellowship cultivates a new generation of clinicians who can champion innovation in AI for healthcare.  

Application Due: June 30, 2024
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