Professor Zhe He from the Florida State University (FSU) School of Information has been recognized with two prestigious honors for his contributions to the field of health informatics. He has been elected as a Fellow of the International Academy of Health Sciences Informatics (IAHSI) and has received a significant $280,000 grant from the National a2 Pilot Awards Competition, funded by the National Institute on Aging (NIA).
Dean Michelle Kazmer of the College of Communication and Information praised He’s impact on the university community. “Dr. Zhe He has been an extraordinary colleague from the moment he joined the FSU faculty,” she stated. “He is an excellent teacher and mentor, and his transformational research in health informatics has improved health outcomes globally.”
Recognition from International Academy
The IAHSI honors individuals who advance healthcare through research, education, and innovation. This year, 18 Fellows were selected worldwide, with 11 from North America. He expressed his gratitude, stating, “Being elected as a Fellow of the IAHSI is an incredible honor and a deeply humbling experience.” He attributed this recognition to his 17 years of work in advancing biomedical and health informatics.
He focuses his research on the intersection of biomedical and health informatics, artificial intelligence, and big data analytics. He serves as the director of the FSU Institute for Successful Longevity, the director of the UF-FSU CTSA Biostatistics, Informatics, and Research Design Program, and the chair of the AMIA Knowledge Discovery and Data Mining Working Group. His involvement with the IAHSI began through his participation in the International Medical Informatics Association (IMIA), which established the academy in 2017.
“I was both surprised and honored to be nominated and elected by such a distinguished group of peers whose work I have long admired,” He remarked.
In his role as a Fellow, He aims to further the academy’s mission by enhancing global collaboration on critical issues such as climate change, aging, and the ethical application of artificial intelligence in healthcare. He is particularly focused on building leadership practices and sharing knowledge to support low-resource settings.
Significant Grant for Innovative Research
In addition to his fellowship, He has been awarded a one-year $280,000 research grant from the National a2 Pilot Awards Competition. This project, titled “Developing a Multi-Agent AI System for Explaining Lab Results to Older Adults,” aims to address the challenges faced by older adults in understanding lab test results. He explained the importance of this work, stating, “This recognition underscores the importance of addressing the unique challenges older adults and their caregivers face in interpreting lab test results.”
His collaboration with the NIA has previously led to two additional grants focused on clinical trial optimization and the development of personalized AI tools. The LabGenie initiative is designed to enhance patient engagement by providing comprehensive support for interpreting lab results.
“My hope is that LabGenie becomes a model for how AI can enhance patient engagement for those with varying health literacy levels and improve outcomes, especially for older adults with multiple chronic conditions,” He stated.
For more information about the Florida State University’s College of Communication and Information, visit cci.fsu.edu.