Center for Machine Learning and Health
Driving Healthcare Innovation
Unprecedented resources through the Center for Machine Learning and Health (CMLH) have the potential to turn Carnegie Mellon University's novel, interdisciplinary research and innovation into data-driven health solutions that matter. The Center for Machine Learning and Health (CMLH) is sponsored by UPMC Enterprises with a mission to fund innovative research in digital health across CMU to improve healthcare delivery and outcomes, and reduce healthcare cost.
The CMLH at CMU was founded in 2015 under the umbrella of the Pittsburgh Health Data Alliance (PHDA), a collaboration between CMU, the University of Pittsburgh and UPMC. This unique collaboration unites world-class computer science, artificial intelligence and medical research from CMU and Pitt with clinical expertise and data from UPMC to facilitate innovation in digital health. Our projects focus on three areas: healthcare outcomes, consumer-oriented healthcare, and healthcare infrastructure and efficiencies.
Working Beyond Disciplines
The CMLH is open to all Carnegie Mellon research faculty seeking to shape the future of healthcare. Our faculty partners from across the university bring together research teams with distinct but complementary expertise. By working across all of Carnegie Mellon's areas of study — from computer science and engineering to social sciences, design and business — our interdisciplinary teams have a competitive advantage to drive the digital healthcare revolution.
Fellowships Through the CMLH
To date, the CMLH has awarded 73 Fellowships in Digital Health Innovation. The fellowship program is designed to give Ph.D. students focusing on digital health an opportunity to deepen their knowledge base and contribute meaningfully in making healthcare better. Digital health is a vast sector — and our fellows' interests are just as broad as the technologies supporting the healthcare ecosystem. The CMLH is incredibly grateful for the curiosity, dedication and diverse skill sets the fellows bring to our center.
In fall 2022, a new group of fellowships were introduced — the CMLH Translational Fellowships in Digital Health. The projects are led by CMU faculty, research faculty or a system scientist with a Ph.D. student working as a team. The initial phase one research for the project must have already been completed in order to qualify for this fellowship. To date, 12 fellowships have been awarded to faculty/Ph.D. student teams with diverse approaches and disciplines in healthcare.
Meet Our 2024 Digital Health Innovation Fellows
Project Funding and Proposals
From bench to bedside, the CMLH funds projects that strive to bridge the gap between research and practice. We offer an annual Call for Proposals for internal Carnegie Mellon faculty-led projects only. (Additional co-PIs or collaborators from Pitt and/or UPMC are welcome as research members.)
All funded work at CMLH has a clear line of sight to commercial application. Although many CMLH projects involve data analytics and machine learning, our approach is technology agnostic. We welcome proposals that involve human-computer interaction, language technologies, information systems, computer graphics, computer vision, artificial intelligence, robotics, electrical engineering, economics, psychology, sociology, public policy, business administration, law, design, and any other disciplines that apply to healthcare.
What We Do
We solve complex problems in healthcare, creating impact and value that change lives and grow businesses. Our projects develop interventions to advance science, enhance patient and provider engagement, and improve care delivery.
Improve Outcomes
We believe that digital health technologies have the power to improve the quality, efficiency and accessibility of healthcare. CMU helped invent artificial intelligence more than half a century ago, and the convergence of digital health and AI has created historic healthcare transformations. These changes suggest a brighter future for increasing quality healthcare experiences for both providers and patients.
Drive Consumer-Oriented Healthcare
Among many research areas, the CMLH projects develop solutions that allow consumers to access medical services and information anytime, anywhere, and to engage in all steps of the healthcare journey. Consumer-driven healthcare is a major movement and strategy for promoting better care management and encouraging patient-centered innovation.
Innovate and Create Support Services
CMLH services support researchers as they secure funding and develop the impact of their innovations. The many services we offer include call for proposal feedback, presentation prep, project support, and connections to clinical expertise and data.