About Us

About Us

Integrating Artificial Intelligence and Nutrition Science to Advance Data-Driven Health Research 

HI-AIPrN is an interdisciplinary training program at the University of Hawaiʻi focused on advancing precision nutrition research through artificial intelligence and data-driven methods.

Diet and nutrition play important roles in metabolic and chronic diseases. At the same time, large-scale biomedical and health data require advanced analytical approaches to better understand relationships between nutrition, biology, and disease.

HI-AIPrN integrates AI and machine learning with nutrition and biomedical sciences to support rigorous cross-disciplinary research training.

Training Approach

The program follows a dual-mentorship model across computational and biomedical disciplines. Trainees complete structured coursework, mentored research, and professional development aligned with their research goals.

Each year, the program supports up to:

  • 3 predoctoral trainees

  • 3 postdoctoral trainees

Program Goal

HI-AIPrN trains scientists who can apply AI and advanced data analytics to:

  • Study nutrition and diet-related mechanisms in health and disease

  • Conduct integrative analyses of complex biomedical data

  • Contribute to evidence-based nutrition research across biological, behavioral, and environmental contexts

Leadership

  • Youping Deng, PhD, Contact PI

  • Rachel Novotny, PhD, RDN, LD, MPI

  • Yiqiang Zhang, PhD, Executive Director

Hawaii Advanced Training Program in Artificial Intelligence for Precision Nutrition Science Research (HI-AIPrN) is supported by federal training funding and institutional support from the University of Hawaiʻi John A. Burns School of Medicine and the College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resources.