The Future of Health in a Data Storm (BINF20001)

New advanced technologies are transforming and disrupting traditional healthcare and biomedical research, driven by data of unprecedented volume, variety and velocity. The discipline of Health and Biomedical informatics provides insights, tools and methods to shape this increasingly complex scenario in ways that advance human health.

This subject is structured as a “journal club”, a widely popular form of learning and knowledge sharing in science.

An introductory week will feature an asynchronous overview of the subject, the discipline and how a journal club works (video); followed by asynchronous activities focused on participant introductions, practice assignments, feedback and discussion.

Weeks 2 through 13 will follow the pattern of an asynchronous overview of the theme by an expert; followed by asynchronous activities focused on structured student-led discussions of journal articles selected from a pool developed by subject teaching experts. These will be cumulatively assessed to furnish half the overall mark for the subject.

In Weeks 14 and 15 students will prepare and upload videos, in which they briefly present for peer review, a synthesis of current journal reports on a topic of their choice (negotiated with teaching staff). The final asynchronous classes will facilitate the peer review process and expansive discussion around the subject theme of the future of health in a data storm.

Week by week outline:

Week 1 – The future of health in a data storm

Weeks 2 - 4 – e-health, m-health, tele-health

Weeks 5 - 7 – Personalised medicine

Weeks 8-10 – Participatory health

Weeks 11-12 – Student presentations

This subject will be managed by the Health and Biomedical Informatics Centre, a University Centre with members from different Schools and Departments across the University.