Translational Biomedical Informatics News

Michael Pencina, PhD, stepped down as vice dean for data science at Duke University School of Medicine and chief data scientist for Duke Health, effective September 30, 2025. He accepted an exciting new opportunity as chief AI scientist with UnitedHealth Group

Thyroid cancer is common, but many cases — up to 77% — are believed to be over diagnosed. That means that people with cancer that may never have caused harm or symptoms may undergo stressful and costly unnecessary biopsies.

Although it aims to use AI to advance health care, two Duke Health researchers see it as a tool that requires careful evaluation and thoughtful oversight.

Duke University School of Medicine researchers have proposed a new statistical approach to improve how scientists and policy makers use health record data to guide decisions, such as when it's time for a booster shot.

The project, co-led by Matthew Engelhard, PhD, assistant professor of biostatistics and bioinformatics, aims to bring early mental health screening to clinics where access to care is limited.

B&B faculty Matthew Engelhard, PhD, and David Carlson, PhD, discussed a Duke pilot project on the use of artificial intelligence in classrooms in this article by the Associated Press.

Xiaoyue Ni, PhD, who has a secondary appointment in the Department of Biostatistics and Bioinformatics, led engineers in developing new wearable technology that provides real-time medical and athletic insights.

Dunn was recognized for her work to use wearable technologies like smartwatches to identify digital biomarkers for disease.

Duke researchers, including Ben Goldstein, PhD, are collaborating on a new project that uses machine learning to recognize patterns in electronic health record data associated with children who are later diagnosed with autism.

Division of Translational Biomedical Informatics faculty member Jessica D. Tenenbaum, PhD, FACMI, associate professor of biostatistics and bioinformatics, has been named as a 2025 fellow of the International Academy of Health Sciences (IAHS) Informatics, one of the highest honors in the field.