(Reported by the Scientific Research Department) On the afternoon of June 21, Professor Wu Hulin, Distinguished Lifetime Professor at the University of Texas, Chair of the Department of Biostatistics and Data Science at the UTHealth Houston School of Public Health, and founder of the Medical Big Data Research Project at the University of Texas, visited our institute to deliver a special lecture and engage in academic exchanges. The exchange session was presided over by Vice President Qin Yanguo.
Jiang Chunming, Director of the Academic Office of the Norman Bethune Health Science Center, Chang Shuguo, former Director of the Industrial Department of Jilin University, along with President Zhang Xuewen, Vice President Yang Wei, heads of relevant functional departments, research leaders, secretaries, and key research staff from various departments attended the lecture.
President Zhang Xuewen first extended a warm welcome to Professor Wu Huilin’s arrival. He emphasized that in today’s rapidly advancing field of medicine, the mining and application of big data play a significant role in driving medical progress in China. Moreover, it holds great importance for clinical medical research and the development of hospitals.
Professor Wu Hulin delivered a special lecture titled "Medical Big Data and Disease Risk Prediction." He introduced the basic overview of his research team focused on statistical analysis of big biological data at the University of Texas in the United States, and compared the differences between traditional problem-driven scientific research and target-driven big data scientific research. Additionally, Professor Wu presented successful cases of large-scale big data initiatives worldwide, such as the UK Biobank and U.S. projects like GEO and electronic health record big data, in which he has been involved. These examples provided the audience with insights into the achievements of medical big data analysis in the U.S., particularly in the accurate prediction of diseases such as hypertension, heart failure, and subarachnoid hemorrhage.
He emphasized that the development of data-centric big data platforms must prioritize standardized data collection,规范化 data management, and scientific data analysis. He suggested that, in China, the advancement of big data requires comprehensive policy support at the national level, along with strengthened training for data analysis professionals. In the field of medical research, he pointed out the importance of keeping abreast of academic frontiers and exploring new approaches for collaboration between clinical medicine and big data science to foster mutual development. Furthermore, he highlighted the need to achieve modularization, automation, and scalability in medical research data through statistical analysis of big data.
During the Q&A session after the lecture, the attendees engaged in a lively discussion with Professor Wu, showing great interest in the integration of big data statistical analysis with clinical scientific research. They exchanged views with Professor Wu on issues such as the current challenges in integrating existing clinical data, difficulties in data processing, and how to achieve effective bridging between clinical practice and big data. Many expressed a strong desire to establish in-depth collaboration with Professor Wu's team.
Through this lecture exchange, the academic horizons of our faculty and students have been broadened, which has played a significant role in stimulating clinical researchers' thinking and expanding channels for research collaboration.
Moving forward, our institution will prioritize practical clinical research, aiming to enhance scientific research benefits through academic exchanges. By leveraging the advancements in smart medicine and big data, we will provide robust support for fostering innovative concepts in our research work and among medical researchers.
