Big Data Health
Science Center
A University of South Carolina Excellence Initiative, the USC Big Data Health Science
Center (BDHSC) serves as a campus-wide interdisciplinary enterprise that conducts
cutting-edge research and discovery, offers professional development and academic
training, and provides service to the community and industry.
BDHSC Research Data Repositories
The University of South Carolina Big Data Health Science Center (BDHSC) is pleased to announce that USC faculty will now have access to a wide range of BDHSC research data repositories (RDR) for big data health science research. The current research dataset collection includes South Carolina COVID-19 cohort (S3C) data, South Carolina pregnancy cohort data, cell-phone based place visitation data, and Twitter data.
Accepting Proposals for the BDHSC 2023 Pilot Project Program
University of South Carolina Big Data Health Science Center is seeking proposals for the conduct and uptake of pilot research projects focusing on the Big Data analytics in addressing critical issues related to health behavior, healthcare, and population health. Proposals are due by 5pm on April 14, 2023. Please review the RfP for more specific details regarding eligibility, timeline, allowable costs, etc.
Registration for the 4th Annual National Big Data Health Science Conference is now open!
We are pleased to announce that registration for the 4th Annual National Big Data Health Science Conference is now open. Please visit our conference website at SC Big Data Health Science Center Conference 2023 to learn more about the two-day conference schedule, the incredible lineup of keynote speakers, opportunities for financial assistance, and other specifics.
Recent News
Save the Date for the Annual Big Data Health Science Student Case Competition
We are hosting our 4th annual student case competition, a virtual event in which students compete in teams to solve an issue in healthcare using big data analytics. The 4th Annual Big Data Health Science Case Competition will be held virtually between February 3-5, 2023, ahead of the University of South Carolina’s National Big Data Health Science Conference, scheduled for February 10–11, 2023.
Researchers develop algorithm to determine when COVID-19 infection happens during pregnancy using nationwide electronic health records
Researchers from the USC Arnold School of Public Health and School of Medicine Columbia have developed an algorithm for identifying the gestational week when COVID-19 infection occurs. Published in PLOS ONE, the method leverages large amounts of data from electronic health records and enables researchers and clinicians to better understand the potential risks to both fetus and mother.
Chen Liang named Fellow of the American Medical Informatics Association
Health services policy and management assistant professor Chen Liang has been selected as a Fellow of the American Medical Informatics Association. He will be formally inducted into the fellowship at the association’s annual meeting next spring. Dr. Liang is a faculty affiliate with the USC Big Data Health Science Center and South Carolina SmartState Center for Healthcare Quality. Liang’s work involves developing and applying data science, informatics and artificial intelligence to help these populations with a focus on infectious diseases (particularly COVID-19), obstetrics and gynecology.
Call for Abstracts - 2023 Annual Big Data Health Science Conference
The Big Data Health Science Center is seeking research and program-based abstracts for oral and poster presentations responsive to its 4th annual conference theme, “Unlocking the Power of Big Data in Health: Translating Data Science into Program Development and Implementation”. Accepted abstracts will be published in conference proceedings Research and program-based abstracts in the areas of infectious diseases, AI for sensing and diagnosis, EHR, social media data, genomics analysis, geospatial research, GIS, infrastructural and capacity development, professional development, community/industry engagement, academic training, and methodological advances are desired.
Now Accepting Applications for the T35 Big Data Health Science in Infectious Diseases Summer Research Training Program
We are now accepting applications for our T35 Big Data Health Science in Infectious Diseases Summer Research Training program. The NIH-funded T35 Research Traineeship Program is designed specifically for pre-doctoral students in physical and/or quantitative sciences from across the United States. This is an 11-week, full-time intensive course-based training program to work alongside established clinical scientists on one or more Big Data Health-related studies.
Recent & Upcoming Events
Deadline for 2023 Pilot Project Proposal Submission
April 14, 2023
National Big Data Health Science Conference 2023
February 11 – 12, 2023
Big Data Health Science Student Case Competition 2023
February 3 – 5, 2023
BDHSC Pilot Project Showcase
January 25, 2023
Learning Individualized Treatment Rules with Many Treatments
December 7, 2022
Deadline for Abstracts Submission - 2023 Annual Big Data Health Science Conference
December 12, 2022


Keynote Speakers
The scopes of the projects range from investigating the different ways that COVID-19 impacts people; making better predictions of COVID-19; designing telehealth services and technology innovations for the future; and engaging cutting-edge methods through artificial intelligence, data science, computational methods and statistical modeling.
NIH Grant to Develop Data-driven Strategies in Fighting COVID-19
This two-year grant will support the team’s efforts to develop a database system via REDCap and a mobile application for collating surveillance, clinical, multi-omics and geospatial data on both COVID-19 patients and health workers treating COVID-19 patients in South Carolina.
NSF Award for “Monitoring the Spatial Spread of COVID-19 through the Lens of Human Movement using Big Social Media Data”
Three members of the BDHSC have been awarded $108,717 by the National Science Foundation for their project titled “Monitoring the Spatial Spread of COVID-19 through the Lens of Human Movement using Big Social Media Data.”
Internal COVID-19 Research Grants
The UofSC Office of the Vice President for Research recently announced the recipients of its special internal funding initiative to support COVID-19 research and scholarship. BDHSC is pleased to announce that of the 42 projects funded, BDHSC faculty serve as PI for 10 projects and Co-I for 7 different projects.