Medical Imaging Informatics Training Program

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DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): The objective of this grant is to support training of the upcoming generation of scientists in medical imaging informatics. The next significant challenge in biomedical informatics will be to support new knowledge discovery: thus, the application domain of this training program will be on informatics in support of clinical and translational research. In addition to existing informatics research, fundamental theories and developments from a spectrum of disciplines (computer science, applied math, statistics, medicine) will be required to facilitate such informatics research, and must be integrated into a forward-looking training program. This program further focuses on imaging informatics: with the now ubiquitous usage of imaging as an in vivo method for objectively documenting and understanding human disease, new and unique research challenges arise in the acquisition, the understanding, and the usage of such data towards creating novel insights. Evolving from the current UCLA NLM training grant in imaging-based medical informatics, doctoral (PhD) and postdoctoral training are offered through an approved degree-granting track in medical imaging informatics in the UCLA Biomedical Engineering Interdepartmental Program. The program consists of a comprehensive one year core curriculum that provides a breadth of understanding in biomedical informatics (medical data standards and information architectures; knowledge representation; medical decision making; information extraction/ retrieval; bioinformatics) and the underlying principles of medical image acquisition, standardization, and content understanding. Further specialization is achieved through subsequent elective courses that provide expertise in a given informatics area. Importantly, the program stresses informatics research and its subsequent application, requiring trainees to conduct novel and innovative investigations as part of the course of study. Core faculty are drawn from an interdisciplinary group of researchers in the UCLA Schools of Medicine, Engineering, Letters & Sciences, and Information Studies. This program will be able to leverage the wide array of biomedical and informatics endeavors from its core faculty and across the UCLA campus to provide students with numerous opportunities for research. Additionally, this training program will support short-term summer training for undergraduate students to encourage interest in biomedical and imaging informatics graduate work.