March Data Sharing and Reuse Seminar

Friday, March 14, 2025

Kasim Allel, Fred Mutisya, Patricia Bradford, and Rebecca Li will present "The VivliAMR DATA Challenge as a Use Case" on March 14, 2025, from 12:00 p.m.–1:00p.m. ET.

About the Seminar

This webinar will explore the critical role of data sharing and re-use and demonstrate how data sharing can be effective using a case study in the area of anti-microbial resistance (AMR) using the real-world AMR data challenge as a use case. Experts and Global Grand prize data challenge awardees from 2023 and 2024 will discuss best practices for overcoming barriers to data accessibility, ensuring responsible re-use, and fostering international collaboration through the mechanism of a data challenge. A key focus will be the AMR Register run by Vivli, a global data-sharing platform designed to facilitate access to antimicrobial resistance data, enhance transparency, and drive innovative solutions in AMR research. 

About the Speakers

Kasim Allel, Ph.D., Researcher, University of Oxford, UK (email: [email protected])

Kasim Allel is a researcher at the Nuffield Department of Primary Care, University of Oxford, specialising in epidemiological, mathematical, and health-economic modelling of antimicrobial resistance (AMR). He holds a PhD in Infectious Diseases from the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine and an MSc in Health Economics from University College London. His research examines how socioeconomic, environmental, and spatial factors drive AMR transmission and its health and economic impacts. He focuses on integrating transmission modelling into health-economic evaluations to strengthen surveillance and intervention strategies for AMR and infectious diseases.

Fred Mutisya, M.D., Field Epidemiology Resident, Kenya (email: [email protected])

Dr. Fred Mutisya is a registered medical doctor, FELTP resident and AI developer. He completed his Bachelor's degree in Medicine and Surgery at the University of Nairobi in 2013. Currently he is enrolled in a Master’s in Field Epidemiology degree sponsored by the CDC (FELTP). He is finalizing his Master’s in AI and Data Science in Germany with a thesis on the performance of open-source large language models for clinical decision support during Epidemics. He is involved with multiple consultancies in the AI field including Antibiotic decision support using AI, and Retinopathy prediction using computer vision. Before proceeding on study leave, Dr. Mutisya was in charge of a 150-bed hospital in Narok County and supervised 20 dispensaries and health centers in the Maasai Mara ecosystem. He is a member of the Adult & Pediatric HIV committee of experts in Kenya. For these efforts, his team received the 2020 PEPFAR Heroes award. He is a member of the Kenya Medical Association where he sits in the managed healthcare and ICT committees. Fred enjoys playing jazz guitar as his creative outlet.

Patricia Bradford, Ph.D., Microbiology Consultant, Antimicrobial Development Specialists, LLC (email: [email protected]

Patricia A. Bradford is the owner of Antimicrobial Development Specialists LLC, a consulting company that focuses on the late-stage development of antibiotics. Prior to this she has held positions in antibiotic research for AstraZeneca, Novartis, Wyeth Pharmaceuticals and Lederle Laboratories. Dr. Bradford is fellow in the American Academy of Microbiology and has over 115 publications in peer-reviewed scientific journals.  She is currently on the editorial board for several society journals.  Dr. Bradford received a Ph.D. in Medical Microbiology from Creighton University and completed a post-doctoral fellowship in β-lactamase research.

Rebecca Li, Ph.D., Vivli CEO and Board Member (email: [email protected])

Rebecca Li, Ph.D., is the CEO of Vivli and on faculty at the Center for Bioethics at the Harvard Medical School.  Previous to her current role she was the Executive Director of the MRCT Center of Brigham and Women’s Hospital and Harvard for over 5 years and remains a Senior Advisor at the Center.  She has over 25 years of experience spanning the entire drug development process with experience in Biotech, Pharma and CRO environments. She completed a Fellowship in 2013 in the Division of Medical Ethics at Harvard Medical School.  She earned her Ph.D. in Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering from Johns Hopkins University.

About the Seminar Series

The seminar is open to the public and registration is required each month. Individuals who need interpreting services and/or other reasonable accommodations to participate in this event should contact Allison Hurst at 301-670-4990. Requests should be made at least five days in advance of the event.

The National Institutes of Health (NIH) Office of Data Science Strategy hosts this seminar series to highlight exemplars of data sharing and reuse on the second Friday of each month at noon ET. The monthly series highlights researchers who have taken existing data and found clever ways to reuse the data or generate new findings. A different NIH institute or center will also share its data science activities each month.

NIH releases updated strategic plan for data science

Friday, January 17, 2025

NIH announces the release of the 2025-2030 Strategic Plan for Data Science.

The National Institutes of Health (NIH) is pleased to announce the release of the 2025-2030 Strategic Plan for Data Science which sets a bold vision for the future of data science at the NIH. 

Significant advances in data science have been made since the initial NIH Strategic Plan for Data Science, released in 2018. This updated 2025-2030 NIH Strategic Plan for Data Science builds on those accomplishments and collaborations across the NIH and with other partners in academia, industry, and philanthropy under the initial NIH Strategic Plan for Data Science, as well as input from the data science community to address challenges and opportunities going forward. 

This Strategic Plan sets five goals that prepare NIH to navigate the evolving technology landscape, address the rapid rise in the quantity and diversity of data, and bridge new data to existing knowledge — ultimately supporting data-driven discovery that will improve health for all. 

Read the 2025-2030 Strategic Plan for Data Science

Public Trust in Biomedical Research in the Era of AI

Wednesday, December 18, 2024

Susan K. Gregurick, Ph.D., Associate Director for Data Science at NIH and Director of the Office of Data Science Strategy, recently shared some insights about Artificial Intelligence’s (AI) immense potential for solving complex biomedical problems. Dr. Gregurick highlighted recent breakthroughs biomedical research and well as challenges in using AI. She also underscored how important it is for science communicators to understand AI’s potential and limitations, and outlined three principles for communicating about AI in biomedical research to help ensure its ethical use.

Read the full story: Public Trust in Biomedical Research in the Era of Artificial Intelligence: Opportunities and Challenges

ODSS Featured in December NIEHS Environmental Factor

Thursday, December 5, 2024

Two Office of Data Science Strategy (ODSS)-National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS) collaborative efforts have been highlighted in the December 2024 Environmental Factor. The Environmental Factor is a monthly news publication produced by NIEHS.

Data science infrastructure fuels biomedical research 

Dr. Susan Gregurick stands at a podium giving a talk at NIEHS.
Photo courtesy of Steve McCaw / NIEHS

Susan Gregurick, Ph.D., NIH Associate Director for Data Science and ODSS Director, was recently hosted by NIEHS Director Rick Woychik, Ph.D., to deliver remarks about data and AI at NIH. 

The lecture focused on data management, sharing, and artificial intelligence resources for researchers at NIEHS and other institutes. Dr. Gregurick also highlighted the value of partnership and workforce development. 

Learn more about these remarks and data resources, read the full story.

New conference breaks ground on developing common data elements for data collection

Participants listen to a presentation The Myositis Common Data Elements Consensus Conference
Photo courtesy of Steven Ramsey

The first Myositis Common Data Elements Consensus Conference took place at the National Library of Medicine (NLM) on November 14. Researchers discussed the development of common data elements (CDEs) for studying myositis, a group of rare autoimmune diseases involving chronic muscle inflammation.

Belinda Seto, Ph.D., ODSS Deputy Director, was a participant in this conference of international experts. ODSS was tasked by Congress to support development of CDEs in disease areas where they currently do not exist, such as autoimmune diseases. During the conference, Dr. Seto highlighted the importance of incorporating patient input in the data collection process. 

Learn more about this conference, read the full story.