The ICDS/Huck AI Symposium, hosted by the Huck Institutes of the Life Sciences and the Institute for Computational and Data Sciences on Oct. 15, invites researchers from across Penn State and beyond to explore how artificial intelligence (AI) is transforming the life sciences.
The symposium will bring together scientists working in life sciences, artificial intelligence, data science and computational modeling to discuss emerging opportunities for AI-driven discovery. Sessions will focus on three areas: AI for Molecular and Cellular Biology, AI for Food and Environment, and AI for Health. The symposium is designed to foster cross-disciplinary exchange, identify shared methodological challenges and build new collaborations at the intersection of AI and the life sciences at Penn State and beyond.
The event, set for 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Oct. 15 in Alumni Hall, HUB-Robeson Center, at University Park, will open with welcome remarks from Christina Grozinger, Publius Vergilius Maro Professor and Huck Scholar of Entomology and director of the Huck Institutes of the Life Sciences, and Andrew Read, senior vice president for research and Evan Pugh University Professor of Biology and Entomology.
Featured speakers include Ed O'Brien, professor of chemistry at Penn State and director of the National Synthesis Center for Emergence in the Molecular and Cellular Sciences, who will speak on AI for Molecular and Cellular Biology; Joao Dorea, assistant professor of animal and dairy sciences at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, speaking on AI for Food and Environment; and Jun Deng, professor of therapeutic radiology and biomedical informatics and data science at Yale University, who will present on AI for Health.
The day also will include a lunchtime panel discussion with representatives from the Air Force Office of Scientific Research and the U.S. National Science Foundation, along with more than a dozen additional talks from Penn State faculty and researchers spanning gene regulation, precision agriculture, digital twins for medicine, drug repurposing and more.
"The research landscape at Penn State is growing exponentially," said ICDS Director Guido Cervone, professor of geography, of meteorology and of atmospheric science. "It is more important now than ever that we as research institutes work together to collaborate when topics and challenges are beyond the scope of any single institute."
"Each research institute has their specialty, but coming together opens doors for tackling complex challenges with diverse ranges of expertise, building new connections and community and embracing our position as leaders in Penn State research."
The event is free and open to the public, but registration is required by Oct. 1.
The symposium is organized by a planning committee that includes Wenrui Hao, director of the Center for Mathematical Biology and professor of mathematics; Sarah Ivory, associate professor of geosciences and Wilson Faculty Fellow; Sharon Huang, David Reese Professor of Informatics and Intelligent Systems and head of the Department of Informatics and Intelligent Systems; Enrico Casella, assistant professor of data science for animal systems; Vishal Singh, associate professor of nutritional physiology and microbiome; Dajiang Liu, distinguished professor of public health sciences; and David Koslicki, associate professor of computer science and engineering and of biology.
