University of Hawaiʻi researchers awarded $12M grant to advance AI, data science in medicine
University of Hawaiʻi researchers received a $12 million grant from the National Institutes of Health to establish the Pacific Center for Artificial Intelligence and Data Science in Medicine (PAC-AID). This center will accelerate biomedical discoveries using AI and data science, and involves renovating the UH Cancer Center Data Center to create a new Medical AI Core with advanced computing resources. The funding aims to improve health outcomes in Hawaiʻi and foster the next generation of AI investigators.
Researchers at the University of Hawaiʻi Cancer Center and UH Mānoa John A. Burns School of Medicine have been awarded a $12 million grant from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) to establish the Pacific Center for Artificial Intelligence and Data Science in Medicine (PAC-AID). U.S. Sen. Brian Schatz played a key role in securing the funding, which will be distributed over five years through February 2031. The primary goal of PAC-AID is to accelerate biomedical discoveries using AI and data science, directly benefiting residents in Hawaiʻi and the broader Pacific region.
A significant component of the project involves renovating the UH Cancer Center Data Center to create a new Medical AI Core (MedAI Core). This core will provide advanced, high-performance computing resources and AI expertise necessary for the center's research initiatives. Led by Principal Investigators John Shepherd and Youping Deng, PAC-AID will fund four major inaugural research projects and establish a Pilot Projects Program for more than eight new, locally relevant pilot studies. The center aims to strengthen AI and data science capabilities, support the development of future investigators, and generate high-paying jobs, contributing to Hawaiʻi's economic benefit and position as a global leader in health innovation.
The project is expected to have a substantial impact on Hawaiʻi, potentially attracting an additional $19.5 million in federal research funding. It will also foster the development of early-stage faculty members who will use AI and data science to address health disparities in medically underserved regions.