The Future: PHDA 2021

With 2020 behind us, we are excited for what this year has in store for the PHDA. From exciting new proposals and projects, impressive results from existing projects, and further collaboration opportunities with Amazon Web Services (AWS) – there’s a lot to look forward to.

In addition to the portfolio of ongoing projects, the PHDA received more than 25 new proposals from a variety of schools and departments at Pitt and held our first-ever virtual pitch day with CMU. Incoming proposals and pitches included projects to use data to tackle challenges in Substance Use Disorder (SUD), clinical trials, cancer treatment, and more. Investigators ranged from new to senior faculty members and included a breadth of innovation and commercialization experience. Each project is unique in its focus and how they attempt to use digital technology to improve healthcare operations as well as patient outcomes.

A few PHDA project teams completed their research in 2020; themes ranged from personalized diagnoses to measuring the success of remote patient care. Their research does not stop here! As part of the next steps, project teams will conduct additional research, publish their findings, and embark on plans for commercialization. Keep an eye out on our blog for more information about these completed projects in 2021!

This year, we’ll also be hosting our first-ever webinar in collaboration with Amazon Web Services (AWS). In this webinar, you’ll hear from an AWS expert on how to set up and use ML tools for maximum efficiency. The speaker will also include examples of how researchers are using AWS ML and AI tools to accelerate or improve research. Stay tuned for more information in the coming months detailing the webinar and how to participate.

In 2020, events drastically changed – with many organizations having to learn to adapt to the new “virtual” event world. This year, as we continue to acclimate to this new normal, the PHDA plans to stay connected to the local community through virtual events and networking opportunities.

The PHDA program has been operating for more than five years, and during this time we have been privileged to work toward our goal of turning data into improved human health. We can’t wait to share new developments in the works this year as we continue this dynamic partnership between UPMC, Pitt, and CMU.