Discussion topics

Dr. Carlisle is Lead MPI for the AIM-AHEAD Infrastructure Core. He will tap his broad experience leading research efforts at several top medical centers, and building public-private partnerships, to discuss issues related to data governance and utility.

• Given the abundance of data that exists today, including biomedical research data and data generated in health care and consumer health settings, how might we balance the abundance of these data sources with their utility?

• What are key data governance considerations and models to facilitate data use?

• How can we build support for cost-effective, sustainable infrastructure and tools to leverage these data sources and maximize their utility?

Bio

Dr. Carlisle holds a Doctorate in Biochemistry & Molecular Biology from Howard University and received his post-doctoral training at the NIH. His work has focused on developing and applying innovative data analytic approaches to understanding disease progression and how to prevent it. While at the NIH, he developed bioinformatic tools for analyzing gene expression data in prostate cancer and Parkinson’s Disease; later, while at Northrop Grumman Health, he helped develop a prototype for near real-time analysis of integrated genomic and electronic health record data in the cloud, and later led the development of a prototype Precision Oncology Analytics Platform for predicting tumor stage and health outcome in neuroblastoma patients. Dr. Carlisle is the CEO of NADPH, a National nonprofit that leverages advanced computational and data science technologies such as artificial intelligence and machine learning in support of its mission to eliminate health disparities and improve health equity in marginalized and under-resourced communities.

Discussion topics

Dr. Hendricks-Sturrup presently serves as Co-Chair of the AIM-AHEAD Ethics and Equity Workgroup. She has extensive experience leading conversations about data sharing and use policy, and will launch our discussions with the following questions:

• How can academic institutions successfully collaborate with corporate stakeholders to facilitate meaningful data sharing and use?

• What regulatory, policy, and/or legal considerations arise most frequently when leveraging data from a variety of sources for health research? 

• What is AIM-AHEAD doing to address these issues, and what are our next steps?

Bio

Dr. Rachele Hendricks-Sturrup is the Chief Data Governance Officer at the National Alliance Against Disparities in Patient Health (NADPH) and Research Director of Real-World Evidence at the Duke-Margolis Center for Health Policy. As a researcher, bioethicist, and policy practitioner, her work centers on addressing implementation and ethical, legal, and social implications issues at the intersection of health policy and innovation. She presently serves as Co-Chair of the AIM-AHEAD Ethics and Equity Workgroup, leading the group in private and public discussions about implementation strategies, barriers, and facilitators to ethics and equity practice implementation in health settings that leverage artificial intelligence and machine learning (AI/ML) tools. To date, she has engaged over 200 community leaders in areas relevant to the AI/ML learning data lifecycle; presented in several public and private forums hosted by governmental, industry, and academic stakeholders; been cited in highly circulated new articles such as Consumer Reports and STAT, and published work in high-impact and high-quality peer-reviewed journals and outlets, including but not limited the New York Times, JAMA, and Health Affairs Forefront.

Discussion topics

Dr. Shara is the MedStar Health Research Institute’s site MPI for the AIM-AHEAD Data Science Training Core and the Data and Research Core. She will discuss what AIM-AHEAD is doing to remove obstacles for targeted groups and institutions so that they may participate in and contribute to this watershed moment in biomedical and behavioral research.

• What are root causes of the lack of diversity in biomedical research? Why have certain people and institutions been left out? 

• How can we build trust among faculty, students, patients, and funding organizations? How can we approach this important aspect of community-building?

• How can we ensure access to educational opportunities, materials and networks that are tailored to accelerate the advancement of emerging researchers and providers?

Bio

Dr. Nawar Shara is an accomplished biostatistician and data scientist with over 20 years of experience leading federal and industry-funded research projects. She currently serves as the Director of the Center of Biostatistics, Informatics and Data Science at the MedStar Health Research Institute (MHRI), where she spearheads data science research endeavors, oversees a team of experts in biostatistics, informatics, and data science, and develops and implements data science strategies for research. Dr. Shara is responsible for ensuring the highest standards of data quality and integrity, collaborating with researchers across MedStar Health to identify opportunities for innovative research, and advancing health equity through data science. Her research interests are focused on Big Data solutions, predictive analytics, data mining, artificial intelligence (AI), and machine learning (ML), with a particular emphasis on ethics and health equity. Additionally, in her role, Dr. Shara leads a multi-disciplinary team where she provides the necessary infrastructure for research in areas such as study design, statistical consulting, data management, cohort discovery, and innovative data solutions. She is experienced in designing and developing biostatistical curriculum, modular courses, and workshops with a focus on applications of AI/ML in health sciences. Dr. Shara has reviewed studies for the Veterans Affairs, Department of Defense, and National Institutes of Health (NIH) and has published over 100 peer-reviewed papers. She is the site lead for the AIM-AHEAD NIH-funded consortium for the Data Science and Training Core and the Research and Data Core. Overall, Dr. Shara's leadership, coupled with her expertise in biostatistics, data science, AI, and ML, make her a valuable contributor to the field of health research and innovation.

Discussion topics

Malaika is an AIM-AHEAD Ethics and Equity Workgroup Member with extensive experience in community engagement and workforce development. She will share insights about data-driven decision-making through an equity lens, leading us in discussion with the following guiding questions:

• How can we build persistent community partnerships to facilitate trusted and transparent data sharing and use?

• How can we involve patients and communities in all stages of data generation and uses for health research?

• How might we build a diverse workforce that is capable of navigating challenges and opportunities that accompany acquisitions and uses of data from a growing variety of scientific and non-scientific sources?

Bio

Malaika Simmons, MSHE, is the Chief Operating Officer for the National Alliance against Disparities in Patient Health (NADPH), a data-driven, nonprofit health research organization. She uses her background in research, psychology, and design thinking to promote empathy-based leadership with over 20 years of experience in corporate policy, training, and program management, operating at the convergence of health research, IT, and consumer issues. Malaika has a strong commitment to improving the health of underserved populations and more broadly supports these efforts through her organization Momentology Media. Through Momentology, Malaika fulfills her passion for the elimination of economic and health disparities in minority communities by using her proprietary framework to empower women to own businesses, champion health causes and enter the corporate and political landscapes to affect change in their corner of the world. 

Discussion topics

Dr. Thorpe is the PI of the Northeast Hub and serves as one of the directors of the Leadership Fellowship program at AIM-AHEAD. Dr. Thorpe will lead us in discussion with these guiding questions: 

• What are current challenges faced by researchers and health organizations that have been historically excluded from using AI/ML as a tool to address health disparities?

• What is needed to develop our workforce to use AI/ML as a tool to address health disparities?

• What investments are worth making in minority-serving institutions now that will create conditions for the successful use of AI/ML as a tool to address health disparities?

• What is AIM-AHEAD doing to address health disparities with AI/ML, and what are our next steps?

Bio

Dr. Thorpe, Jr. is a Professor in the Department of Health, Behavior, and Society, Founding Director of the Program of Men’s Health Research in the Hopkins Center for Health Disparities Solutions (HCHDS), Deputy Director of HCHDS, Co-Director of the Johns Hopkins Alzheimer’s Disease Resource Center for Minority Aging Research, Co-Director of the Health Equity and Social Justice Concentration in the DrPH Program. He holds joint appointments in the Division of Geriatric Medicine and Gerontology in the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, and the Department of Neurology at the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine. Dr. Thorpe is a social epidemiologist and gerontologist who has significantly contributed to the understanding of how race, SES, and segregation influence health and well-being of African Americans. His most recent work focuses on improving the lives of Black men. Dr. Thorpe serves as principal investigator on several NIA funded grants: Stress and Mortality among Black Men Study, Stress and Longevity among African American Families Study, and the Johns Hopkins Alzheimer’s Disease Resource Center for Minority Aging Research. He participates in several training programs designed to develop under-represented minorities at many career stages. Dr. Thorpe is an Associate Vice Provost for Faculty Diversity at Johns Hopkins University. He is a past recipient of the Johns Hopkins School of Public Health Advising, Mentoring, and Teaching Recognition Award, the inaugural annual 2018 NHLBI OHD PRIDE Roland J. Thorpe, Jr. mentoring award, recipient of the 2020 Minority Issues in Gerontology Outstanding Mentorship Award and the 2020 JHBSPH Dean’s Award of Distinction in Faculty Mentoring. Dr. Thorpe is also the Editor in Chief of Ethnicity & Disease. Dr. Thorpe earned a bachelor’s in theoretical mathematics from Florida A&M University, a master’s in statistics, a Ph.D. in clinical epidemiology with a graduate minor in gerontology from Purdue University, and received postdoctoral training in health disparities and gerontology from the Division of Geriatric Medicine and Gerontology at the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine.

Discussion topics

As the Contact PI for the Leadership Core of AIM-AHEAD, Dr. Vishwanatha has architected a network of leaders and programs that span USA geographies, including Hawaii, American Samoa and Guam. His extensive experience in stakeholder engagement, and his work with minority-serving institutions to increase the diversity of the biomedical workforce, will support this discussion. To begin, he will address these guiding questions:

• How can we build diverse biomedical research teams that are ready to address health disparities with AI/ML?

• What are some of the challenges and pitfalls? What works?

• Where do we see successful strategies for stakeholder engagement? What were the conditions for success?

• What is happening with AIM-AHEAD pilot projects across the country, and what are our next steps?

Bio

Dr. Vishwanatha is a Regents Professor and Vice President, and Founding Director of the Texas Center for Health Disparities at the University of North Texas Health Science Center at Fort Worth.  He is a principal investigator of the National Research Mentoring Network, a NIH Common Fund initiative to provide mentorship, networking and professional development for a diversified biomedical and behavioral workforce.  He is also a principal investigator of the NIH Specialized Center of Excellence in Health Disparities, AIM-AHEAD Coordinating Center, as well as the Texas CEAL Consortium.  Dr. Vishwanatha received the Presidential Award for Excellence in Science, Mathematics and Engineering Mentoring (PAESMEM) from US White House in October 2019. Dr. Vishwanatha received his Ph.D. in biological sciences from the University of South Carolina in 1983. Dr. Vishwanatha’s research is in cancer molecular biology, experimental therapeutics and nanotechnology.  His laboratory is investigating genetic markers that predict development of aggressive prostate and breast cancers, and nanotechnology-based therapies for breast and prostate cancers. His research is funded by NIH, DOD and other agencies.

Dr. Vishwanatha is actively involved in mentorship and networking programs to diversify the biomedical research workforce, and has mentored numerous undergraduate and graduate students from underrepresented groups in biomedical sciences. As the founding director of the Texas Center for Health Disparities, a Specialized Center of Excellence funded by the National Institutes of Health, he has directed health disparity research, education and community outreach programs. For the past 12 years, he has organized the annual Texas Conference on Health Disparities that attracts national speakers and participants.  He serves on the external advisory committees for University of Puerto Rico-Cayey, PR; St. Mary’s University, San Antonio, Texas; Alabama State University, Montgomery, Alabama; Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, and Savannah State University, Savannah, Georgia.  He has been an active member of the AACOM Diversity Council, AAMC GREAT Group, SACNAS and ABRCMS.