News

e-HAIL researchers: If you have news to share, please forward the link to jflorusb@umich.edu.

News Feed
June 6, 2025

Statistical Advisory Panel

e-HAIL member Ivo Dinov, PhD, was recently elected to the Statistical Advisory Board of Nature Medicine.
May 13, 2025

Obsessed with Getting Good Sleep? That Could Be Making It Worse.

e-HAIL member Cathy Goldstein, MD, was recently quoted in an article about sleep trackers.
May 13, 2025

The Medical Field and AI: How Could Future Doctors Appointments Look with AI?

e-HAIL member Jodyn Platt, MD, MPH, recently had her research on how adults feel about AI in the medical field featured in an article in Mid-Michigan Now.
University of Michigan: May 9, 2025

MTRAC Awards $2.1M to Biomedical Research Projects

e-HAIL member Daniel Ehrmann, MD, MS, was awarded a Kickstart early-stage funding grant from the Michigan Translational Research & Commercialization (MTRAC) Life Sciences Innovation Hub for the project Obtaining Transparent Therapeutic Optima Multidirectional Communication Platform. e-HAIL member Karthik Ramani, MD, MHA, MB, and colleague Albert Shih, MS,PhD, received a mid-stage funding award for their research project, Dialy-Safe Needle.
University of Michigan: May 9, 2025

Transforming Pancreatic Cancer Research Through Collaboration

Kudos to e-HAIL member Timothy Frankel, MD, and Michigan Medicine colleagues, whose collaborative research on pancreatic cancer is featured in a U-M report on the Impact of Federally Sponsored Research.
University of Michigan: April 2, 2025

Thirteen U-M Faculty Members Named as 2024 AAAS Fellows

Kudos to e-HAIL member Arvind Rao, PhD, who earned election to the American Association for the Advancement of Science in 2024, along with twelve other U-M faculty.
March 31, 2025

Macy Faculty Scholars Program

e-HAIL member Cornelius James, MD, was named a 2025 Macy Faculty Scholar. This select group of early-career faculty members are chosen for their timely scholarly work and promise as future leaders in health professions education.

2025 EECS Outstanding Achievement Awards

The EECS Department has honored four faculty for their sustained excellence in instruction and curricular development, distinguished participation in service activities, or for their significant achievements in scholarly research.

Shaping the future of AI: A Q&A with Rada Mihalcea

The director of the AI Lab at the University of Michigan discusses the lab’s rich history and its ambitious future.

Dhruv Jain and Devin McCaslin receive William Demant Foundation grant for AI-driven dizziness diagnosis

The grant will support their pioneering research to improve diagnostics and management of dizziness, a symptom associated with hearing loss, using AI technology.
University of Michigan: February 3, 2025

Artificial Intelligence in Healthcare

Check out the new video series from the Institute for Health Policy and Innovation (IHPI), which highlights how IHPI researchers are actively exploring and shaping AI application in health and healthcare. Featured researchers include e-HAIL members Cornelius James, MD, Rahul Ladhania, PhD, MPhil, and Jodyn Platt, PhD, MPH. e-HAIL and its co-Lead Convener Akbar Waljee, MD, MSc, are featured in the accompanying article, “e-HAIL: Accelerating Interdisciplinary Innovation in eHealth and Artificial Intelligence.”
The University Record: February 3, 2025

Twenty U-M Faculty Leaders Named Innovation Champions

e-HAIL member Arvind Rao, PhD, was selected into the inaugural cohort of U-M Innovation Champions. The Innovation Champions were chosen for their passion and dedication to advancing innovation within their units and will collaborate with U-M leadership on innovation efforts university-wide.

AI, AI, Oh! Task Force Prepping Medical School Community to Adapt to New Tools

e-HAIL Co-lead Convener Akbar Waljee, MD, MSc, AGAF, Advisory Convener Brahmajee Nallamothu, MD, MPH, and member Jun Li, PhD, serve as co-chairs of the Research working group, one of the four working groups that together constitute the GenAI taskforce.
University of Michigan: November 25, 2024

A Cause for Collaboration

Congratulations to e-HAIL member Scott VanEpps, MD, PhD, and Vishu Asthana, MD, PhD, on being awarded funding from the Frankel Innovation Initiative to continue their work on the development of the Rapid Response system to treat sepsis.
The Washington Post: October 29, 2024

How Long Can You Stand on One Foot? The Answer May Predict Your Fall Risk.

e-HAIL member Devin McCaslin, PhD, was featured in an article discussing the deterioration of the inner ear’s sense of balance over time (subscriber-only article).

$1.2 million NSF funding for U-M research on surgical training

The researchers will apply computational methods to assess and enhance surgical training and patient outcomes.

Maggie Makar receives Google Research Scholar award for work on causally motivated AI models

The award will support Makar’s work to develop machine learning models that leverage causal reasoning to detect and manage chronic pain.

Leveraging artificial intelligence for early detection of lung cancer

Predictive models developed by an interdisciplinary U-M research team have improved early lung cancer detection beyond traditional measures, with the potential to save lives.
University of Michigan: August 29, 2024

Eckner and Lavieri Awarded DoD Grant for Concussion Risk Prediction Research

Congratulations to e-HAIL members Mariel Lavieri, PhD., and James Eckner, MD, MS, who were recently awarded a DoD grant to develop predictive tools to identify cadets and midshipmen from US Service Academies at the highest risk for sustaining concussions.
University of Michigan: August 1, 2024

Physical Activity Improves Early with Customized Text Messages in Patients with Heart Problems

Jessica Golbus, M.D., is part of a team using wearable technology to study how personalized text messages effectively promote increased physical activity for patients after significant heart events.
In the News: August 1, 2024

Cameras with Facial Recognition Detect Driver Impairment

A research team led by Mohammed Islam, professor of electrical engineering and computer science, developed a system that relies on 3D cameras that can cost-effectively be added to advanced driver-assistance systems (ADAS), which have been used in cars for years (article from Vision Spectra).
University of Michigan: August 1, 2024

e-HAIL co-Lead Convener Akbar Waljee, M.D., M.Sc., Appointed Assistant Dean for Global Health Research

e-HAIL co-Lead Convener Akbar Waljee, who has been appointed assistant dean for global health research in the Medical School. In this role, he works closely with the dean of the Office of Research to accelerate U-M’s partnerships in global health discoveries in research and advancements in health solutions internationally.

You’re just a stick figure to this camera

The anonymity could reduce unnecessary surveillance in an age of smart devices.

CSE researchers receive Social Impact Award at NAACL 2024

The award recognizes the importance of their research on cultural biases in large language models.

Forecasting ‘forever chemicals’ in U.S. waterways with AI

In collaboration with the Environmental Working Group, researchers at U-M have received a Graham Sustainability Institute Catalyst Grant to develop AI tools that can predict PFAS contamination in water sources across the U.S.
University of Michigan: June 11, 2024

Improving shared decision-making among interprofessional teams

e-HAIL member, Vitaliy Popov, Ph.D., and his work on creating a new teaching tool to aid with shared decision-making among patients and their care team is highlighted in this article from the RISE Innovation Development Program.

Leveraging AI to improve video-based surgical learning

New tool can help surgeons quickly search videos and create interactive feedback, saving time while improving educational value for trainees.
University of Michigan: May 6, 2024

Can AI Make Us Healthier Humans?

Jodyn Platt, M.P.H., Ph.D., was featured on the Back 2 The Fundamentals research podcast where she discussed the ethical use of data for research and the promise of artificial intelligence to improve healthcare.
University of Michigan: May 3, 2024

University of Michigan Creates AI Tool for Campus, Students

Kudos to David Jurgens, Ph.D., whose work on the new University of Michigan AI tools for campus and students was mentioned in a PBS news special.

Maggie Makar receives NSF CAREER Award to develop machine learning models backed by causal reasoning

Makar’s research will leverage causal mechanisms to build more robust machine learning models.

Harnessing tech to shape the future of pandemic defense

The Computing Community Consortium, including CSE Prof. Rada Mihalcea, has released a new workshop report on the role of computing in preventing and mitigating the effects of pandemics.
University of Michigan: February 26, 2024

Mariel Lavieri Selected to Join the New Voices Program of the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine

Congratulations to e-HAIL member Mariel Lavieri, Ph.D., on being selected to join the New Voices program of the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine. She is recognized for excellence in research related to human health as well as championing diversity, equity and inclusion.

Widely used AI tool for early sepsis detection may be cribbing doctors’ suspicions

When using only data collected before patients with sepsis received treatments or medical tests, the model’s accuracy was no better than a coin toss.
University of Michigan: February 12, 2024

Multimodal AI model may guide personalized treatments for tuberculosis

Kudos to e-HAIL member Sriram Chandrasekaran, Ph.D., Associate Professor, Biomedical Engineering, and postdoctoral fellow Awanti Sambarey, who led a team of U-M researchers to develop a multimodal AI model to predict treatment outcomes of tuberculosis (TB) patients. Their analysis of real-world worldwide patient data may lead to personalization of TB treatment.

Hearing emotion: Redefining mental health monitoring via voice-based mood detection

Researchers at U-M have received a $3.6 million NIH grant to support their development of new digital phenotyping tools to better detect and measure symptoms of bipolar disorder via audio monitoring.
University of Michigan: January 16, 2024

Identifying Dementia from EHR Data

Dr. Vinod Vydiswaran gives an interview on how he is developing methods to identify dementia from Electronic Health Record (EHR) data. While the adoption of EHR systems into healthcare introduces new and exciting opportunities to extract information that can be used to augment other types of data for research, it can be tricky to pull out meaningful information from the text of clinical notes.
University of Michigan: January 12, 2024

For surgery patients, AI could help reduce alcohol-related risks

e-HAIL member Vinod Vydiswaran, Ph.D., M.Tech is working on a project that uses artificial intelligence to scan surgery patients’ medical records for signs of risky drinking in order to help spot those whose alcohol use raises their risk of problems during and after an operation.

Clinicians could be fooled by biased AI, despite explanations

Regulators pinned their hopes on clinicians being able to spot flaws in explanations of an AI model’s logic, but a study suggests this isn’t a safe approach.

CSE researchers present new findings and tech at UIST 2023

CSE researchers have 2 papers and 4 demos appearing at the conference, covering new tech that improves accessibility, enhances user experience, and helps surgeons-in-training.

Dhruv Jain receives NIH grant to improve health education for people with sensory disabilities

Prof. Jain and his collaborators in Michigan Medicine will develop best practices to increase health literacy and access to information for patients with disabilities.

Nikola Banovic receives NSF CAREER Award to advance explainable AI

Prof. Banovic aims to use human-AI interaction to explain and justify AI decisions to end users.
University of Michigan: August 17, 2023

AI can predict certain forms of esophageal and stomach cancer

e-HAIL Co-Lead Convener, Akbar Waljee, M.D., M.Sc., Lyle C. Roll Endowed Professor; Professor, Learning Health Sciences; Professor, Internal Medicine, is a senior author on a study with a team of researchers including Joel Rubenstein, M.D., M.S., a research scientist at the Lieutenant Colonel Charles S. Kettles Veterans Affairs Center for Clinical Management Research; Professor, Internal Medicine. The team is studying a new artificial intelligence tool that accurately predicts certain forms of cancer at least three years prior to a diagnosis.

New apps for visually impaired users provide virtual labels for controls and a way to explore images

With VizLens, users can touch buttons while their phones read out the labels, and Image Explorer provides a workaround for bad or missing alt text

With language models on the rise, how can Natural Language Processing be used for good?

A research team led by Prof. Rada Mihalcea and PhD student Zhijing Jin has created a method for identifying and categorizing research that uses NLP to address social problems.

Dhruv Jain named Google Scholar to design accessible technologies for deaf and hard of hearing people

Jain is working to design next-generation accessible technologies to give DHH people better awareness of their surroundings.
The University Record: May 15, 2023

Committee to explore applications of generative AI

e-HAIL Co-Lead Convener Rada Mihalcea, Ph.D., the Janice M. Jenkins Professor of Computer Science and Engineering, Director of the Michigan Artificial Intelligence Lab, has been appointed to the university-wide Generative Artificial Intelligence Advisory Committee, which will make recommendations about how U-M should approach the evaluation, use, and development of emergent artificial intelligence tools and services

Seven papers by CSE researchers presented at CHI 2023

30 University of Michigan researchers authored and co-authored papers spanning surveillance, virtual reality, algorithmic stigma, assistive technology, and sensing systems.

Jenna Wiens receives U-M Sarah Goddard Power Award for outstanding research and advocacy for women in academia

The award recognizes U-M faculty and staff who have significantly contributed to the betterment of current challenges faced by women.

Prof. Emily Mower Provost receives NSF grant for research in personalized emotion recognition

The project aims to create new and personalized speech emotion recognition approaches and to use these approaches to investigate how changes in emotion are related to changes in mental health.

Six new projects funded by LG AI Research  

The projects are a part of LG’s mission to advance AI such as Deep Reinforcement Learning, 3D Scene Understanding, and Reasoning with a Large-scale Language Model and Bias & Fairness related to AI ethics.

Rada Mihalcea receives Distinguished Faculty Achievement Award

Mihalcea is being recognized for her contributions to computational linguistics and her efforts to broaden participation in the field of computer science.

Paper by U-M researchers selected for Best Paper in IEEE Transactions on Affective Computing

The research on automatic speech emotion recognition is one of the five papers featured in the collection.
The Atlantic: July 22, 2022

The Risk and Opportunity of Online Fertility Groups

e-HAIL member, Nazanin Andalibi, Assistant Professor of Information, was recently quoted in an article about how online fertility groups can help people with a history of being ignored or stereotyped by medical professionals.
Multicenter Perioperative Outcomes Group: July 1, 2022

Cardiac sURgery anesthesia Best practices to reduce Acute Kidney Injury (CURB-AKI) R01 Grant

e-HAIL members Michael Mathis, M.D., a cardiac anesthesiologist, and Karandeep Singh, M.D., M.M.Sc., a nephrologist and data scientist, are co-principal investigators on the study, which leverages data science techniques to better understand the impact of anesthesia practices for cardiac surgical patients on acute kidney injury following surgery.

Rada Mihalcea named new council member for CRA Computing Community Consortium

Mihalcea has been appointed as one of six new members on the Council, which works to catalyze computing research activity. Her term begins July 1.
University of Michigan: June 2, 2022

NIH Grant in Kenya to Enhance Understanding of Aging in Africa

Anthony Ngugi (Aga Khan University) and Joshua Ehrlich (U-M) are co-principal investigators on the grant, which supports pilot work to lay the groundwork for future NIH grant applications aimed at launching the full-scale LOSHAK cohort study of older adults in Kenya.
The Lancet: May 12, 2022

AI models in health care are not colour blind and we should not be either

Prof. Jenna Wiens comments on a finding that AI systems can be trained to determine a person’s self-reported race based on a medical image.

Paper recognized for lasting impact on natural language processing

AAAI recognized Prof. Rada Mihalcea’s 2006 paper which devised a way to semantically compare short texts.