UCLA Biodesign AI

UCLA Biodesign AI is a unique healthcare data science and innovation fellowship that is a partnership between the UCLA Department of Computation Biomedicine Data Science, the UCLA Health Office of Health Informatics and Analytics (OHIA),  and the UCLA Biodesign Program. UCLA Biodesign AI combines rigorous training in foundational data science at the intersection between AI applications in healthcare and software engineering. Through degree completion in the Data Science in Biomedicine Master’s program, the UCLA Biodesign AI Fellowship offers an exciting year-long entrepreneurial opportunity at a world-class health organization.

Health systems routinely capture vast amounts of data of many different modalities; recently, the amount and types of data have dramatically increased.  Recently developed infrastructure developed by the Office of Health Informatics and Analytics (OHIA) provides the UCLA research community access to these tremendous health data resources.  The UCLA Biodesign AI Fellowship provides trainees with the opportunity to be on the frontline of the data science revolution that is now pushing the boundaries of artificial intelligence research. Advances in machine learning have opened up new applications leveraging an increasing number of data types and sources to streamline healthcare delivery.

Trainees who are part of the program will be enrolled as enrolled students in the Data Science in Biomedicine MS program and also obtain training as UCLA Biodesign AI Fellows. They will join the annual UCLA Biodesign Fellowship cohort that also includes Discovery, Accelerator, and Translational Fellows. UCLA Biodesign AI Fellows will have the opportunity to leverage clinical and data resources at UCLA Health through clinical immersion across specialties.  Fellows will receive curated instruction during an intensive boot camp and mentorship throughout the program from industry professionals with domain expertise across the life science and technology ecosystems.  

UCLA Biodesign AI Fellows will work in collaboration with UCLA Health clinical units utilizing advanced algorithms to address a clinical problem.  UCLA Biodesign AI Fellows follow a three-stage development process that forms the cornerstone of their entrepreneurial journey: 

1. Identify - Meaningful Clinical Opportunities
2. Invent - Solution Development
3. Implement - Venture Creation

Over the course of the year-long fellowship, trainees learn the fundamentals of product development – from the identification of clinical opportunities to the initiation of a new venture. The work on the clinical problem will be integrated into the Data Science in Biomedicine MS curriculum and contribute to the capstone project.

Students interested in applying for the Biodesign AI Program must complete an application to the Data Science in Biomedicine MS program in addition to filling out the application form below.

The Office of Health Informatics & Analytics (OHIA) is the data and analytics pillar of the UCLA Health Information Technology organization.  Throughout UCLA Health Sciences, OHIA works to advance the use of artificial intelligence in clinical research and patient care with its team of data scientists, health informaticists, machine learning engineers, and data architects.  To promote the responsible use of AI, OHIA operates the UCLA Health AI Council, which provides guardrails and recommendations for procuring, developing, and deploying AI solutions.  Effective use of AI in health system operations is made possible through OHIA’s cloud-enabled data platform, as well as an OHIA-led health analytics community that provides broad expertise in various disciplines and service lines across the organization.

UCLA Biodesign is pioneering healthcare innovation. Uniting stakeholders across the healthcare ecosystem, UCLA Biodesign seeks to transform medicine through the development of novel technologies. Education and training are central to UCLA Biodesign’s mission. UCLA Biodesign works with industry partners and the medical community to advance solutions that deliver improved value and outcomes to patients worldwide.  UCLA Biodesign utilizes an interdisciplinary approach to assemble a team of fellows that tackle some of today’s most challenging clinical needs. Development opportunities are aimed at transformative and equitable technologies – from advanced devices to sophisticated digital therapeutics.