Can you remember all the way back to January of 2025? We had the year’s first Grand Rounds with University of Arkansas’ Taren Massey-Swindle, Ph.D., and our faculty member Rhama Mkuu, Ph.D., started a UF Global Fellowship. As the months accumulated, so did the accolades and accomplishments of our department. Take a stroll down HOBI’s memory lane as we revisit some of the moments, photos, and stories that got our attention this year.
Gold Level
A champion for medical databases
Piyush Chaudhari earned the university’s gold-level award for Superior Accomplishment as a HOBI employee. Then he became a HOBI student.
Three educators earn award for teaching excellence
Yi Guo appointed chief of Biomedical Informatics and Data Science
Yonghui Wu Appointed as Chief Data Scientist at UF CTSI
Naomi Parker uses communication to make cancer care more accessible
Christopher Kaufmann earns K02 award from NIH
Kaufmann’s 5-year project is called “Leadership Training in Real-World Data Analytics: Sleep and Alzheimer’s Disease.”
Rahma Mkuu starts UF Global Fellows Program
“The program will allow me to train in how to successfully conduct research projects in Kenya, including receiving mentorship from Dr. Ramzi Salloum, a global expert in implementation science and cancer control,” Mkuu said.
Jeremy Balch wins AI Research Dissertation Award
HOBI doctoral graduate Balch received the AI Research Dissertation Award for developing AI tools that improve surgical safety and efficiency.
Texas Team
Texas Health and Human Services awards UF a contract to assess the Medicaid program
The Texas External Quality Review Organization focuses on assessing quality of care and providing evidence-based information to the Texas Medicaid Program about the care provided to Medicaid enrollees.
Data Trust
Rediscover the “plus” in OneFlorida+ Clinical Research Network
The new website will serve as an active resource for investigators to request collaboration, find information for grant applications and stay updated on processes and procedures. The network facilitates research and collaboration with real-world electronic medical records.
Research in Brief
Florida’s red tide events tied to illness
Study finds most cancer patients exposed to misinformation
Weight loss medications linked to lower cancer risk
Pilot grants fund novel applications of AI in cancer research
Cancer screenings continue years after guidelines change to limit unnecessary tests
Children may face complications after COVID
UF researchers to enhance rural healthcare using mobile AI
Fellowship to increase uptake of lung cancer screenings
Media Coverage
News outlets cover HOBI's research
Stories about our researchers and their studies appear in Newsweek, The Guardian, and even a podcast about the hit TV show This Is Us.
A few favorite photos from 2025
