Health Informatics—MS

Research Labs

Research Labs

H2C2 Lab

Location: Electrical Energy Resource Center (EERC) 419

The Human Health Computing and Cybersecurity (H2C2) Lab in Michigan Tech’s Health Informatics Graduate Department is focused on improving human health outcomes through the use of data science methods and development of innovative technologies. There is a strong potential for computing resources to enhance patient health outcomes, while helping to improve and manage our population’s health through accurate and reliable exchange of data.

The use of innovative computing technologies, medical devices, and the exchange of health information poses serious threats to patient security and privacy. Research in the lab develops and tests effective models and technologies to mitigate or remove security vulnerabilities while enhancing patient health and safety.

Current Research Projects

  • Increasing patient safety within Emergency Medical Services (EMS) to Emergency Room Department handoffs for rural communities using mixed reality development training exercises with Microsoft HoloLens. This study, in collaboration with the State of Michigan’s Region 5 EMT-P, EMS-IC, and Bay de Noc Community College’s EMS training facility, focuses on integration of mixed reality with traditional training to enhance EMS to ED handover communications and procedures.
  • Improved patient behavioral health quality measurements, clinical decision models, and self-management through patient reported outcomes (PROs) and mHealth (Mobile Health) applications. Pilot study to focus on patients diagnosed with Type II diabetes and depression and/or anxiety. The aim is to improve transition of care for patients in rural environments by developing an integrated service model capable of identifying patients who should receive specific health screenings, social interventions and care-coordinated programs, referrals, and match a their individual needs to the appropriate mode of care, such as telehealth consultation.
  • A study on developing a unique, secure, and interoperable biometric identifier for both patients and medical personnel in accessing electronic patient data. The solution is called Unique Medical Biometric Recognition Enforcement of Legitimate and Large-scale Authentication (UMBRELLA).
  • Preventative health tracking and education through the use of a mHealth application designed to help lower the risk of developing cervical cancer in HIV positive women.
  • Design of an open-source gait analysis system using computer vision with Microsoft Kinect. This research utilizes markerless skeleton tracking of the patient and uses machine learning (ML) and natural language processing (NLP) algorithms to track and assess the patient’s gait condition.

Medical Imaging Informatics Lab

Location: Electrical Energy Resource Center (EERC) 718

The Medical Imaging Informatics Lab at Michigan Tech focuses on delivering accurate, clinically relevant analysis and visualization of medical imaging data. The lab's research is dedicated to the development of novel techniques to detect and assess medical image data.

Current Research Projects

Development of deep-learning algorithms to detect abnormalities in mammography images. Computer-aided detection/diagnosis (CAD) systems have been available in health-care settings for many years. These systems were developed to find and discriminate between normal and abnormal tissues in many clinical areas including lung nodules, fracture detection, aneurysm detection, and breast lesions. Many CAD systems utilize human-driven processes of feature recognition and a-priori knowledge to accomplish the task. Artificial intelligence, and more specifically, deep-learning methods, shift the rule-based, problem- specific solutions to more generic methods using predictive algorithms and data-based mathematical optimization processes. Our research team is working in collaboration with Henry Ford Hospital in Detroit, Michigan for differentiation of breast abnormalities in mammography images using deep-learning algorithms.

Electrical Energy Resources Center (EERC)

Medical informatics curriculum at Michigan Tech is technology based and research-focused. There is strong emphasis on lab experiences. The Electrical Energy Resources Center (EERC),  located on the main campus, provides optimal, up-to-date, and well-maintained spaces, equipped with industry-standard technology to enable a smooth transition from college to the workplace, or on to further research work.

Located on the main University campus, the EERC houses the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering and Information Technology. The Paul and Susan Williams Center for Computer Systems Research is on the fifth floor, the Electrical and Computer Engineering Women’s Center is on the seventh floor, and the Electrical and Computer Engineering Learning Center is on the first floor.

Core Facilities

The interdisciplinary nature of our work is enhanced through the University's research centers and laboratories—microanalytical to geospatial—that serve as critical resources, incubators, and testing grounds for world-changing ideas and innovations. Learn more about our core facilities.