Who We Are Azizi Seixas

Azizi Seixas
Associate Professor, University of Miami
Citation
For pioneering AI-driven personalized healthcare, advancing digital health equity, and creating novel technologies through inclusive decentralized trials addressing global health disparities.
Presentation: Harnessing AI, Innovation, and Big Data for Global Health Equity: Advancing Precision, Personalization, and Inclusivity in Healthcare from Florida to the Global South
Artificial Intelligence (AI) is poised to revolutionize healthcare by making it more precise, personalized, and equitable, particularly in the Global South where disparities in healthcare access and outcomes are most pronounced. In this lecture, Dr. Azizi Seixas will explore how AI can bridge these gaps by leveraging innovative approaches. He will discuss how AI can address cardiovascular and brain health disparities across diverse communities, focusing on differences between urban and rural settings, racial and ethnic groups, and sex. Dr. Seixas will discuss how AI can develop personalized interventions using digital twins, virtual replicas of patients that allow for precise simulations and predictions of health trajectories, from prevention to diagnosis and treatment. A significant portion of the lecture will be dedicated to the future of clinical trials, where Dr. Seixas is pioneering decentralized methodologies that enhance inclusivity and representation. This approach is critical for generating data that reflects diverse populations. Additionally, he will present advancements in early dementia screening and diagnosis through genetics, digital biomarkers and augmented reality, which promise to transform early intervention strategies. Dr. Seixas will also highlight his leadership in the HARMONI Alliance, a $312 million global initiative aimed at promoting healthy aging through technology, and the digital health equity framework he developed. These initiatives underscore Florida’s role as the epicenter and nexus of the Global South and Global North in order to advance global health equity through AI, innovation, and technology.
Bio
Azizi Seixas, Ph.D. is the Interim Inaugural Chair of the Department of Informatics and Health Data Science, Founding Director of The Media and Innovation Lab (The MIL), Associate Director of the Center for Translational Sleep and Circadian Sciences (TSCS), and Director of Population Health Informatics within the Institute for Data Science and Computing at the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine. Dr. Seixas is a nationally recognized scientist and technology leader. He was named Cell Press’ Top 100 Most Inspiring Black Scientists in America, 2022 Amazon’s Education Champion Award, 2023 Miami’s Most Influential and Powerful Black Business Leader, 2024 South Florida’s Black Educator of the Year, and the Inaugural 2024 Tipping Point Award from Malcolm Gladwell and TMobile.
Dr. Seixas has made significant contributions in education, research, clinical care, venture, and service. He pioneered several educational programs in AI, big data, digital technology, STEM education, underrepresented groups, and mentored over 40 junior scientists. Dr. Seixas has an extensive publication record with over 200 peer-reviewed and published papers and abstracts in the following areas: 1) exploring cardiovascular and brain health disparities among diverse communities, with a focus on urban and rural settings, racial/ethnic groups, and sex differences; 2) investigating the impact of sleep, physical activity, diet, and stress on cardiovascular and brain health; 3) developing personalized behavior modification strategies using machine learning and AI to enhance healthcare through digital twins; 4) developing novel decentralized clinical trial methodologies to increase research inclusivity, as highlighted in a recent Science manuscript; and 5) advancing early dementia screening and diagnosis through digital biomarkers and augmented reality. Dr. Seixas is Principal Investigator for 3 large grants (2 NIH and industry grants) and holds key leadership roles in 5 NIH grants. Dr. Seixas developed and pioneered several innovations: 1) The MIL Box, a remote health monitoring technology program and kit; 2) a 10-minute digital and augmented reality-based cognitive assessment (e.g. Altoida) to detect cognitive impairment and dementia; 3) the HARMONI Alliance and Real World Data platform, a global alliance dedicated to promoting healthy aging for all through innovation and technology; 4) digital health equity framework: developed a novel turn-key software to increase technology capacity for under-resourced communities in Florida via the NIH AIM AHEAD project
Dr. Seixas has made significant contributions in education, research, clinical care, venture, and service. He pioneered several educational programs in AI, big data, digital technology, STEM education, underrepresented groups, and mentored over 40 junior scientists. Dr. Seixas has an extensive publication record with over 200 peer-reviewed and published papers and abstracts in the following areas: 1) exploring cardiovascular and brain health disparities among diverse communities, with a focus on urban and rural settings, racial/ethnic groups, and sex differences; 2) investigating the impact of sleep, physical activity, diet, and stress on cardiovascular and brain health; 3) developing personalized behavior modification strategies using machine learning and AI to enhance healthcare through digital twins; 4) developing novel decentralized clinical trial methodologies to increase research inclusivity, as highlighted in a recent Science manuscript; and 5) advancing early dementia screening and diagnosis through digital biomarkers and augmented reality. Dr. Seixas is Principal Investigator for 3 large grants (2 NIH and industry grants) and holds key leadership roles in 5 NIH grants. Dr. Seixas developed and pioneered several innovations: 1) The MIL Box, a remote health monitoring technology program and kit; 2) a 10-minute digital and augmented reality-based cognitive assessment (e.g. Altoida) to detect cognitive impairment and dementia; 3) the HARMONI Alliance and Real World Data platform, a global alliance dedicated to promoting healthy aging for all through innovation and technology; 4) digital health equity framework: developed a novel turn-key software to increase technology capacity for under-resourced communities in Florida via the NIH AIM AHEAD project