As artificial intelligence (AI) becomes increasingly important, especially in the health-care field, York University continues to play an outsized role. On April 9, the University announced the launch of a new Centre of Excellence - Artificial Intelligence for Public Health Advancement (AIPHA) funded through an Ontario Research Fund - Research Excellence program.
Director General, Applied Public Health Sciences Pamela Ponic of the Science and Policy Integration Branch, Public Health Agency of Canada, Chief Medical Officer of Health for the Ontario Ministry of Health Kieran Moore, and MPP for Whitby Lorne Coe, Parliamentary Assistant to the Minister of Colleges, Universities, Research Excellence and Security all spoke at the lunch-time event.
As a key player in supporting health-care decision making, AIPHA will strengthen external partnerships and accelerate the transfer of knowledge from research to policy and practice, where hospitals, medical practitioners, policymakers and leaders can use it. It will also help bridge the gap between health analytics and real-world socioeconomic conditions further positioning York as a national and global leader in AI-integrated public health solutions through research and innovation.
"The launch of AIPHA marks a defining moment for York University and for the future of public health in Canada. By bringing together expertise across disciplines, from mathematical modelling and AI to health policy and social equity, we are creating something truly transformative: a hub where research doesn't just advance knowledge but directly shapes the decisions that protect and improve people's lives," says York University Interim President and Vice-Chancellor Lisa Philipps. "York has long been committed to addressing society's most pressing challenges, and AIPHA reflects that mission at its fullest. We are proud to be building the next generation of AI-adept public health leaders right here, and to be positioning Canada as a global force in equitable, evidence-informed health innovation."
From left, AIPHA Scientific Director Seyed Moghadas, Faculty of Science Dean Maydianne Andrade, AIPHA Director and University Distinguished Research Professor Jianhong Wu
As a dedicated, multi-disciplinary and national hub, AIPHA will bring together expertise from across faculties, including in advanced mathematical and computational modelling, precision analytics and multi-source databases. The goal is to integrate epidemiological, clinical, environmental, climate and socioeconomic indicators in newly created AI models, while training the next generation.
"Artificial intelligence tools are increasingly being used in health-care settings but a coordinated, ethical and equitable approach to ensure the tools use integrated data sources, and that they are being properly tested and deployed for patient good is lacking. The current speed of newly developed AI models is at times outpacing governance," says Faculty of Science Dean Maydianne Andrade. "As a new Centre of Excellence in the Faculty of Science, AIPHA will lead the way toward better integration of these new technologies in a cohesive manner that will help advance public health care."
Two projects already underway include: Integrating AI with disease transmission dynamics models for informed prevention and control of outbreaks in indoor and mass gathering settings (2025 to 2031) and Advanced mathematical technologies for respiratory infection risk assessment and pharmaceutical intervention scenario analysis (2024 to 2028), both led by AIPHA's inaugural director Jianhong Wu.
"The AI for Public Health Research Centre is a coordinated innovation hub that will help improve health-care efficiency and outcomes, as well as ensure coordinated, ethical and equitable transformation of public health systems," says AIPHA Director and University Distinguished Research Professor Jianhong Wu of the Faculty of Science. "This kind of central hub is much needed in the health-care sector today to ensure emerging AI tools are properly integrated and decision and policy makers are provided with robust information toward developing a more cohesive, ethical and equitable public health-care system."
AIPHA will integrate epidemiological, clinical, environmental and socioeconomic data into the AI-enabled decision-support systems it develops and deploys to guide equitable and evidence-informed public health action. In ensuring the development of fair and equitable AI systems, the hub will combine not only advanced mathematical and computational modelling and AI and predictive analytics, but also health systems and policy research with social determinants of health and equity frameworks.
AIPHA will act as a research accelerator for large collaborative grants, train the next generation of AI-adept public health leaders and develop pilot AI-integrated protypes for infectious disease modelling, health system resource allocation and climate health risk forecasting.
It will also strengthen Canadian pandemic and emergency preparedness, enhance evidence-based policymaking, support climate-health adaptation strategies, improve health equity outcomes, and increase York's national visibility in AI governance and public health innovation.
