As the healthcare and life sciences fields shift toward transdisciplinary and data-intensive research, the Institute for Informatics (I2) provides an academic and professional home for informatics science and practice. I2 engages in innovative research, workforce development and informatics service delivery.
The fields of healthcare and life sciences are experiencing a fundamental shift toward transdisciplinary, integrative and data-intensive approaches to research. These developments, coupled with the use of information technology platforms, are helping transform healthcare, achieving greater value alongside improved outcomes and safety. The complex data, information and knowledge needs associated with these changes requires a comprehensive approach to biomedical informatics research, education and practice.
Washington University (WU) has created the Institute for Informatics (I2) to provide an academic and professional home for informatics science and practice. I2 spans the School of Medicine (SOM) as well as partnerships with the School of Engineering and Applied Science, the Institute for Public Health, the Brown School, the Olin School of Business, the Health Systems Innovation Lab and Center for Clinical Excellence at BJC HealthCare, and the Cortex Innovation Community.
The institute engages in innovative research, workforce development and informatics service delivery, targeting a variety of critical areas of need, including:
- The integration and dissemination of heterogeneous data, information and knowledge resources
- Computational approaches to the interpretation of bio-molecular, image and clinical phenotypes to inform precision medicine
- The acceleration of clinical and translational research through the systematic management of study protocols, data resources and analytical pipelines
- The creation of learning healthcare systems in which cyclical evidence generation and application becomes integral to care delivery
- The use of ubiquitous computing and sensing technologies capable of facilitating population health monitoring and intervention strategies
- Methodological and technical approaches to enable and enhance research reproducibility and rigor
I2 is led by Philip R.O. Payne, PhD, FACMI, and draws upon a multi-disciplinary team of faculty investigators, technical staff and trainees that are fully integrated with the departments and institutes comprising the SOM and partnering academic units from throughout WU. The institute provides for a crosscutting community of practice that enhances and extends the academic and operational strengths of WU and leverages the unique living laboratory afforded by the WU, BJC HealthCare, and the Cortex Innovation Community.