During the last few years, substantial enthusiasm has emerged towards the application of big data in medicine in China, in the expectation of resolving many existing challenges by combining powerful data resources with novel technologies. In the present talk, the data eco-system, status of current practice, existing challenges in the area will be discussed.  In addition, the activities of National Institute of Health Data Science at Peking University will be briefly introduced. 

Dr. Luxia Zhang is a professor in the renal division of Peking University First Hospital and the Assistant Dean of National Institute of Health Data Science at Peking University.  She obtained her MD at Peking University and her MPH at Harvard School of Public Health. Her research has focused on prevalence, risk factors, intervention and management of kidney disease in China.  Her work provides first-hand information of kidney disease in China and has gained wide attention internationally. During the last three years, she initiated several projects based on big data and utilizing machine learning in the field of major non-communicable chronic diseases. Her studies have been published in top medical journals including the New England Journal of Medicine, Lancet, and The BMJ. She was given 2016 Young Investigator Award by the Chinese Society of Nephrology. She is now the vice president of Beijing Young Nephrologists Society, and the editor of American Journal of Kidney Diseases. Dr. Zhang is active in the Michigan Medicine-PKUHSC Joint Institute for Translational and Clinical Research as co-PI with UMMS Professor of Internal Medicine Rodica Busui, MD, PhD on the project "Understanding the Heterogeneity in the Risk for Diabetes Complications in China and U.S."