Durham, N.C.-based Duke University established the Sherry and John Woo Center for Big Data and Precision Health, which will support research, education and entrepreneurship opportunities for Duke faculty and students.
The center was opened at Duke University's Pratt School of Engineering with more than $3 million in funding over three years from John Woo, a biotech industry executive and philanthropist.
Duke faculty and students will be able work with healthcare industry stakeholders, such as hospitals, government agencies and biotech companies, to further data-driven health research. The center will award pilot grants up to $150,000 each to Duke researchers to develop ideas for collaborative research projects in big data and health. Additionally, the center will organize an annual symposium.
"Big data and precision medicine have the potential to vastly improve human health, and Duke has a special role to play with its unique combination of strengths in data science and machine learning, biomedical engineering and medicine — our faculty are world leaders in each of these areas," said Larry Carin, vice provost for research at Duke.