What's happening?
The initiative follows a $4.99 million U.S. Department of Education Research and Development Infrastructure grant awarded to SHSU-COM to expand research capacity and attract top faculty.
The grant also supports the college’s upcoming Master of Applied Biomedical Sciences program, which shows the role of AI in improving health care access and education, according to the news release.
The new institute will unite SHSU-COM faculty and collaborators in biomedical research, data science, clinical care and public health to explore how AI can improve diagnostics, treatment and medical training, the release states. Its goal is to equip health care professionals with ethical, data-driven tools that enhance patient outcomes across Texas and beyond.
“Artificial intelligence and machine learning are already transforming the future of healthcare,” Thomas J. Mohr, dean of SHSU-COM, said in the release. “I am excited about the opportunities this initiative will create for our faculty, students and partners to advance medical education, research and patient care.”
What they’re saying
Vinoth Sittaramane, program director for the MABS program, will serve as director of the institute. He said the focus will be on translating data-driven discoveries into practical health care applications while maintaining a focus on ethics and accessibility.
“Artificial intelligence is reshaping how we understand and deliver healthcare,” Sittaramane said. “Through this institute, we aim to ensure those advancements are guided by ethics, accessibility and a commitment to improving patient outcomes.”
According to the release, the Medical Artificial Intelligence Institute will strengthen SHSU’s partnerships with regional health systems, academic institutions and industry collaborators, fostering innovation in AI-enabled medicine and workforce development across Texas.
