Research

Attendance at MBIS workshops and consultations increased, primarily due to a heightened focus on data science and expanded bioinformatics sessions. New bioinformatics workshops covered topics such as single-cell multiomics and spatial data analysis. We expanded community engagement in bioinformatics education by mentoring a local high school student through the Office of Science Education Outreach, Health Sciences Research Training Program. The student completed a bioinformatics research project on the impact of a reverse transcriptase inhibitor on Alzheimer’s disease in mouse models, gaining hands-on experience with bioinformatics tools and databases to tackle complex scientific questions.

Through collaboration with the Departments of Biomedical Informatics and Human Genetics, our team developed and delivered educational programs to help researchers effectively use the All of Us (AoU) Research Program dataset. These initiatives provide researchers with the skills needed to investigate health disparities and develop strategies to improve health equity. Recognizing the complexities of working with AoU data, particularly the need for advanced Python and R programming skills, we offered targeted training, including a four-day lunchtime R bootcamp.

We launched a comprehensive website providing Pitt researchers with essential AoU program information, data access guidance, and training opportunities. To further support data analysis, we worked with Pitt IT to help researchers set up Google Cloud accounts for AoU research. Throughout the year, we hosted workshops on topics like the Researcher Workbench, EHR and Survey Data Analysis, and Genomics. Additionally, we developed an 8-week self-paced Canvas course on probability and data analysis using R, offering hands-on learning with synthetic datasets.

We also created Python and R code templates for association studies, made accessible via GitHub and Google Drive. Regular biweekly office hours were held to provide personalized guidance, and we taught two multi-week courses on translational biomedical analytics as part of the MD/PhD Medical Scientist Training Program and Physician Scientist Training Program.

Our AoU training efforts and bioinformatics service have attracted national attention, with institutions across the country requesting access to our materials.