Dr. Sam Wu Awarded Three NIH Grants

Professor Wu and his collaborators received three NIH awards in September 2021.

  • Professor Samuel S. Wu (PI) and Professor Robert Cook (MPI) received a $2.5 million U24 award titled “Southern HIV and Alcohol Research Consortium Biomedical Data Repository.” This project will pursue three aims: 1) Integrate the disparate data sources through standardization, harmonization, and merging; 2) Develop a web-based data sharing platform including virtual data sharing communities, data privacy protection, streamlined data approval and access, and tracking of ongoing research activities; 3) Provide statistical support to junior investigators to use the data repository for exploratory data analysis and proposal development. The proposed study will unleash the potential of data and information, accelerate knowledge discovery, advance data-powered health, and transform discovery to improve health outcomes for people living with HIV.
  • Professor Shigang Chen (PI) and Professor Samuel S. Wu (MPI) received a $1.1 million R01 award titled “SCH: Enabling Data Outsourcing and Sharing for AI-powered Parkinson’s Research.” The goal of this project is to develop novel data masking technologies based on randomized orthogonal transformation to enable AI-computation outsourcing and data sharing. It will remove a major privacy roadblock that restricts medical data accessibility and hinders cloud-based operations of deep-learning artificial neural networks for biomedical research. Also, new ANN prediction models could provide improved diagnosis and classification of PD for future patients, leading to better choice of treatments.
  • Professor Samuel Wu is Principle Investigator of the Data Science Core and UF site PI of a $6.4 million P01 award titled “SHARE Program: Innovations in Translational Behavioral Science to Improve Self-management of HIV and Alcohol Reaching Emerging adults.” The Data Science Core will serve as a powerhouse to provide strong support in study design, high quality data collection and management, integrative use of data resources, and innovative data analysis for development of effective intervention strategies for comorbid HIV and alcohol use in young people living with HIV. It will also enhance the research capacity of emerging investigators through training and mentoring in advanced and innovative research methodologies, and data science support for pilot projects. It is an essential component of the program project to ensure the rigor and validity of the proposed studies, monitor and maintain the integrity and quality of research data, exploit disparate data sources, advance data-powered health, and transform discovery to health and health care.

The Research Design and Data Coordinating Center is jointly established by the Clinical and Translational Science Institute and the department of biostatistics in the UF College of Public Health & Health Professions and the UF College of Medicine. The mission of RDDC is to advance biomedical research by providing innovative research design, high-quality data management, state-of-the-art data analysis, and advanced data privacy technologies. More information about RDDC can be found at the following link: https://www.ctsi.ufl.edu/research/research-design-and-data-coordinating-center/.