UC San Diego obtiene subvención de $5.6 millones del NIH para prevención de VIH, hepatitis C y sobredosis con IA

A researcher at the University of California San Diego has been awarded a prestigious $5.6 million National Institutes of Health (NIH) Avant Garde Award to develop innovative artificial intelligence tools aimed at preventing HIV, hepatitis C virus (HCV), and overdose among people who use drugs across the United States. The project, centered in San Diego County, will leverage AI-powered "digital twins"—virtual replicas of individuals and communities—to help public health agencies model and improve prevention strategies.

By simulating real-world scenarios, the digital twins can predict how interventions might reduce transmission rates and overdose deaths. The award underscores the growing role of AI in public health, particularly for marginalized populations.

The initiative will focus on data from San Diego and other regions, with plans to scale nationally. Researchers hope the tools will enable more targeted and effective responses, ultimately saving lives and reducing health disparities.

The project is expected to run for five years, with community input guiding its development. This award is part of the NIH's broader effort to support high-risk, high-reward research that tackles pressing public health challenges.