Urban Health Research Conference focuses on how AI and big data shape health care – School of Medicine News

The Wayne State University College of Nursing’s 2026 Urban Health Research Conference, set for April 22, will focus on how artificial intelligence and big data are shaping health care delivery.

“Transforming Health Care Through AI, Big Data and Innovation” will run from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Wayne State University Student Center, located at 5221 Gullen Mall in Detroit.

Join researchers, clinicians and community partners for a day focused on how artificial intelligence, big data and innovation are reshaping care delivery and outcomes in urban settings. Nurse scientists, faculty, students, practicing clinicians, health system leaders, community partners and policymakers interested in urban health are encouraged to attend.

Attendance cost is $125. Register here.

Connie White Delaney, Ph.D., R.N., FAAN, FACMI, professor and dean of the University of Minnesota School of Nursing and an American Academy of Nursing 2025 Living Legend, will present the keynote address, “AI and Big Data Empowering Transformation of Care Delivery.” She will explore how artificial intelligence and data science can drive equitable, human-centered health transformation. Drawing on her decades of research and leadership, she will highlight how nurses and interprofessional teams can co-create ethical, people-first AI applications that strengthen patient care, advance health equity and preserve the essential humanity of the profession.

An expert panel of community health leaders in research and administration will examine how AI is shaping care quality, operations and patient outcomes. They will share insights into the future of health care, including where AI is headed and what it will take for organizations to use the tools responsibly and effectively.

The panelists include:

Eric Kaplan, vice president and chief information officer of NorthStar Care Community

Steven Korzeniewski, Ph.D., associate professor of Emergency Medicine at the Wayne State University School of Medicine and principal investigator of the Population Health Outcomes Information Exchange, or PHOENIX, project

Jodyn Platt, Ph.D., M.P.H., associate professor of Learning Health Sciences and of Health Management and Policy at the University of Michigan

Jill Sheipline, B.S.N., R.N., vice president and chief nursing informatics officer of Corewell Health

Eric Wallis, D.N.P., M.S.A., R.N., NE-BC, FACHE, senior vice president and chief nursing executive of Henry Ford Health

Breakout sessions will include:

“Where Virtual Meets Vulnerability: AI-Enhanced Augmented Reality Therapy for PTSD and Anxiety Across Diverse Populations,” Arash Javanbakht, M.D., associate professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neurosciences at the Wayne State University School of Medicine, and Dalia Khalil, Ph.D., R.N., associate professor of the WSU College of Nursing.

“Faculty Intelligence Meets Artificial Intelligence: AI-Driven Excellence in Programmatic Assessment for Interprofessional Education Across Health Professions,” Aline Saad, PharmD; director of Faculty Development and coordinator of Interprofessional Education at the Wayne State University Eugene Applebaum College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences; Randon Jenkins, R.N., B.S.N., D.N.P., AGPCNP-BC, clinical instructor for the WSU College of Nursing; Caitlin Rukat, M.S., research assistant at the WSU Eugene Applebaum College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences; and Brian Barnes, PharmD, associate professor at the WSU Eugene Applebaum College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences.

“Leveraging Artificial Intelligence Across the Care Continuum: Pediatric Sepsis Detection to Patient-Centered Care in Aging Populations,” Cynthera McNeill, D.N.P., A.P.R.N., AGPCNP-C, FAANP, associate professor, and Stacey Sears, D.N.P., CPNP-AC, assistant professor at the WSU College of Nursing.

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