Major funding to support the next generation of Clinician Data Scientists

Victor Phillip Dahdaleh Heart and Lung Research Institute colleague, Prof John Danesh (Cardiovascular Epidemiology Unit, Department of Public Health and Primary Care) has secured five PhD data science studentships for healthcare professions funded by Wellcome and Health Data Research UK (HDR UK). MEDATA (Medicines and Health Data Science) award will train the next generation of Clinician Data Scientists from a range of healthcare professions. The initiative aims to address a growing skills gap by combining clinical expertise with advanced data science capabilities.

The award is in partnership with HDR UK and the Universities of Liverpool, Birmingham, Leeds and Strathclyde. MEDATA is supported by £12 million from Wellcome and £1 million from HDR UK. MEDATA will focus on medicines-related data science, training fellows to generate insights that can support the discovery of new medicines and improve the use of existing treatments.

Prof John Danesh, Cardiovascular Epidemiology Unit, Victor Phillip Dahdaleh Heart and Lung Research Institute and Health Data Research UK-Cambridge said: “MEDATA is a bold approach for doctoral training, bringing together outstanding expertise from clinical medicine, population health, data science, statistics and AI to tackle some of the most important challenges in healthcare. By combining disciplinary excellence with a sharp focus on real-world impact, this programme will equip the next generation of clinician data scientists to transform research and improve patients’ lives.”

Modified from a press release University of Liverpool.