UTCSW faculty members Dr. Kristen Ravi and Dr. Anne Conway along with the College of Nursing faculty Dr. Anujit Sarkar and Dr. Ji Youn Yoo Interdisciplinary team, led by Dr. Anujit Sarkar, were awarded a $75,000 AI SPARKs grant.
Adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) are prevalent in the U.S. and can contribute towards long-term adverse health outcomes such as chronic diseases. Understanding such early physiological changes can be crucial in identifying the adverse changes, thereby providing the opportunity for appropriate intervention to prevent adverse health outcomes. In this study, the team plans to employ advanced machine learning (a subset of artificial intelligence) methods by combining data from DNA, RNA, and other small molecules contributed by the microbes living inside the human body to detect such physiological changes in children experiencing ACEs. The team will use publicly available data, as well as collecting data from children to build the machine learning model and then tune the model for best performances. Once completed, this model can be helpful in detecting early changes in the body due to ACEs and providing ample time for intervention to protect the physical and psychosocial health of children.