The Eastern Caribbean Center (ECC) at the University of the Virgin Islands (UVI) is thrilled to announce its selection as a recipient of two highly competitive grants from the National Institutes of Health’s Artificial Intelligence/Machine Learning Consortium to Advance Health Equity and Researcher Diversity (AIM-AHEAD) program. These awards, totaling $550,000, will enable the ECC to harness artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) to tackle health inequities and improve healthcare service delivery in the U.S. Virgin Islands (USVI). 

Both grants will be conducted in partnership with the Virgin Islands Department of Health (DOH), strengthening collaboration between UVI and local public health institutions to address the territory's pressing healthcare needs. 

Federated Network Grant 

The Federated Network Grant, a two-year award of $400,000, will be led by Dr. Aaron Rapp, principal investigator and Data Science Program coordinator at UVI’s College of Science and Mathematics, and Ayishih Bellew, co-principal investigator and statistician at the ECC. The initiative will integrate electronic health records (EHRs) from the Virgin Islands into the AIM-AHEAD Federated Network, a secure platform for collaborative research. The project aims to develop protocols for data curation, harmonization, and AI/ML analysis to support health equity and advance public health decision-making while maintaining stringent patient privacy standards. 

Hub-Specific Pilot – Year 3 Grant 

The Hub-Specific Pilot – Year 3 Grant, a one-year award of $150,000, is headed by Dr. Marissa Johnson- Rogers, principal investigator and director of the ECC, and Trevesia Queeley-Richardson, research specialist at the ECC. The project will conduct a comprehensive needs assessment of family planning clinics in the USVI, evaluating operational challenges and exploring how AI/ML technologies can enhance efficiency and service delivery for underserved populations, particularly low-income residents and adolescents. 

UVI joined the Southeast Hub of AIM-AHEAD in 2022, following a partnership agreement with Morehouse School of Medicine, solidifying the university’s commitment to advancing AI/ML research and health equity. The ECC is also leading a Year 2 Hub-Specific Grant, awarded in 2023 and led by Dr. Deshona Williams-Liburd, ECC’s research administrator. The ongoing study examines Virgin Islands medical practitioners' awareness, perceptions, and opinions of AI/ML technologies in healthcare, helping to build local capacity for future innovations. 

Dr. Johnson Rogers highlighted the significance of the grants: “These awards position the University of the Virgin Islands and the Eastern Caribbean Center as leaders in addressing health disparities through innovative AI/ML technologies. The collaboration with the Department of Health underscores our shared commitment to enhancing healthcare delivery in the Virgin Islands.” 

For more information, contact pr@uvi.edu or ecc@uvi.edu.  

 

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About AIM-AHEAD: The AIM-AHEAD Consortium is a national initiative dedicated to fostering diversity in AI/ML research and ensuring underrepresented communities benefit from technological advancements. By leveraging electronic health records and other datasets, AIM-AHEAD develops solutions to address health disparities and promote equity. 

 

About the Eastern Caribbean Center: Serving as the Virgin Islands’ Census Data Center, the ECC conducts an annual housing survey and conducts a variety of scientific samplings. These reports serve as the base of socioeconomic, demographic, and other reporting that inform decision-making, planning, grant writing, and more.