The Precision Health and Environment (PHE) cluster will focus on links between exposure to environmental conditions and human health outcomes at multiple levels.
The PHE will target six health outcomes known to have strong linkages to the environment:
vector-borne diseases, infectious diseases, cardiac conditions,
respiratory conditions, mental health conditions, cancers
Among these, cardiac health, respiratory illnesses, and cancer related disorders are the top three healthcare problems across the state of Tennessee. Using electronic health record data sets from collaborating health systems, namely the University of Tennessee Medical Center, and collecting specific environmental samples, PHE will determine relationships and build system and mathematical models using machine learning and artificial intelligence to predict clinical outcomes. Oak Ridge National Laboratories will also bring their expertise and technologies to the PHE for assistance tackling major climate conditions impacting human health.
What is precision health?
Precision Health is a type of care that not only takes into account a person’s genes, but also the environments and lifestyles that that person lives. Based on these factors, treatment and prevention strategies are formulated in accordance with patients’ unique background and condition. This gives a medical team a better understanding of the human body and treatment options.
Working Group Teams
The cluster will be working in four groups: environmental informatics, health data optimization, machine learning and modeling, and health outcomes integration. The Cluster will be led by a governing board, which will include Dr. Nina Fefferman (One Health Initiative), a representative from each working group and collaborating colleges, as well as a chair. While the hiring process is active, the board will be co-chaired by Tami Wyatt and Chris Cox.
Environmental informatics
Develop methods for individual-level exposure to environmental pollutants and stressors. This group includes: Cox, Fu, Hazen, He, Loeffler, and Evans & Annyamba at ORNL, plus an environmental organic chemist.
Health Data Optimization
Optimize health data including processing of EHR data using natural language processing (NLP)This group includes: Gregor, Bell & Osborne at UTMC, plus a natural language processing expert bioinformatics/epidemiology expert and a nurse informaticist.
Machine Learning and modeling
Integrate other relevant data impacting health outcomes such as nutrition, psychological factors, social determinants of health, and genetic data when available as additional factors impacting health outcomes. As well as provide essential integration across all working groups. This group includes: Berg, Fefferman, Khojandi, Li, Maroulas, Odoi, Strickland, bioinformatics/epidemiology expert, and a math deep learning researcher
Health Outcomes Integration
Provide health related knowledge to provide context and meaning while linking physiological data to health conditions/outcomes. This group includes: Wyatt, nurse informaticist, Allard, Trout-Fryxell Bell, Banks & Osborne at UTMC, Davis & Williams @UTHSC, Huang/EECS plus a health information expert.
Work Space
The Precision Health and Environment (PHE) project workspace will be the UTMC and University Health Surgeons Orthopaedic Institute. The third floor will be the Center for Precision Health. The space will include collaborative space, data visualization capabilities, and workstations.
For questions, contact the PHE co-leaders:
Chris Cox at [email protected] or Tami H. Wyatt at [email protected]
Please include Subject line: Professor–PHE Initiative