Carla Stipe, director of the Office of Research Development, recently outlined key funding opportunities and the importance of communication within the research landscape during a symposium at the Medical University of South Carolina (MUSC). Her remarks underscored the efforts of the Office of Vice President for Research (OVPR) in keeping researchers informed about evolving funding mechanisms and timely opportunities.
Aziz, a representative from the South Carolina Established Program to Stimulate Competitive Research (SC EPSCoR), articulated the program’s mission to enhance the state’s research capabilities. With South Carolina receiving only 0.68% of the total National Science Foundation (NSF) funding, just shy of the 0.75% threshold for EPSCoR eligibility, there is significant room for growth. The initiative aims to strengthen the state’s infrastructure, support scientific talent, and foster collaborative innovation, positioning South Carolina to capitalize on EPSCoR programs designed to elevate its research competitiveness.
Central to this growth is the state’s Vision 2030 Science and Technology Plan, which aims to propel high-tech industry, enhance innovative entrepreneurship, deepen pathways in STEM education, and bolster research excellence at local universities. This strategy includes various funding streams to support the current NSF EPSCoR Research Improvement Track-1 award known as ADAPT in SC, which is focused on transforming AI-enabled biomedical devices statewide.
ADAPT in SC—an acronym for AI-enabled Devices for the Advancement of Personalized and Transformative Healthcare in South Carolina—concentrates on the development of intelligent biomedical technologies designed to enhance research and clinical decision-making. The initiative is not merely about AI for its own sake; it seeks to integrate intelligent capabilities into medical devices for practical applications. Researchers at MUSC involved in this initiative include Jihad Obeid, M.D., Jesse Dean, Ph.D., G. Hamilton Baker, M.D., Grant Goodrich, and Jean Marie Ruddy, M.D. Their work encompasses nine funded research projects, featuring advances in explainable AI diagnostics and deep learning-driven rehabilitation tools.
Among the specific projects under ADAPT in SC are XAI-enabled diagnostic and planning devices, biomedical devices for personalized prognostics and treatment, and AI-driven rehabilitation and therapeutic systems. The initiative has already resulted in five new faculty hires across the state, with MUSC currently seeking a faculty member focused on biomedical data curation. This strategy not only builds expertise but also offers a collaborative environment for researchers requiring AI acumen to remain competitive.
As SC EPSCoR lays the groundwork for statewide research advancements, MUSC is concurrently establishing a robust technological foundation. Marylyn Ritchie, Ph.D., MUSC’s chief artificial intelligence officer, shared how AI has significantly impacted her research, touching on aspects such as disease subtyping, electronic health record-based phenotyping, and multi-omic integration. With MUSC’s electronic health record dataset dating back to 2012 and enhanced by geospatial and environmental data, Ritchie noted the immense potential for AI-driven breakthroughs in healthcare.
To support the strategic vision of OneMUSC, Ritchie’s AI Center for Health Innovation and Informatics focuses on several objectives, including pioneering AI-driven healthcare delivery, building a competent AI-ready workforce, ensuring ethical and secure AI utilization, and developing tools that empower researchers. An AI governance framework is also nearing launch at MUSC, aiming to ensure that AI development is responsible, safe, and aligned with public trust.
The collaborative efforts between SC EPSCoR and MUSC highlight a commitment to advancing the state’s research landscape through innovative technology and strategic partnerships. As these initiatives unfold, they promise to elevate South Carolina’s position in the competitive field of biomedical research and technology.
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