2026 BDSIL: UVA Edition
AI-Driven Approaches to Disease Modeling, Drug, and Target Discovery
May 11-14, 2026 · Charlottesville, Virginia
"Our Biomedical Data Science Innovation Lab (BDSIL): UVA Edition was a truly landmark four-day workshop held May 11–14, 2026, at UVA's stunning Morven Sustainability Lab, bringing together 26 faculty investigators from the University of Virginia's Department of Medicine, School of Data Science, and Manning Institute of Biotechnology - many of whom had never worked together before. Facilitated by the expert team at KnowInnovation and guided by four distinguished scientific mentors with deep expertise spanning drug discovery, computational genomics, and translational medicine, participants engaged in a carefully designed sequence of virtual preparatory sessions and an intensive in-person retreat that used structured creativity exercises and facilitated ideation to break down disciplinary walls and spark genuine scientific collaboration. The result was remarkable: six fully developed, grant-ready research projects emerged, spanning AI-driven multi-omic data integration (DataForge), the unexpected role of food IgE antibodies in chronic disease, machine learning harmonization of fragmented cardiovascular-kidney-metabolic cohorts, AI-targeted nanoparticle antibiotic delivery to combat antimicrobial resistance, multimodal foundation models for precision GLP-1 therapy, and automated reproducibility auditing in computational biology - a portfolio that spans the full arc from computational methods development to clinical implementation, all with clear pathways to funding through NIH R21 and R01 mechanisms, the UVA 3Cavs Program, and the Jefferson Trust. The workshop was a success not merely because it produced six compelling research project proposals, but because it created something rarer and more durable: a new community of UVA researchers who now know each other's science, trust each other's expertise, and are genuinely excited to build something together that none of them could have conceived alone. I cannot wait to do it again!"
— Dr. Jack Van Horn, Director
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Participants
26 faculty investigators from the University of Virginia's Department of Medicine, School of Data Science, and Manning Institute of Biotechnology were specially selected to make up our 2026 cohort.
At the conclusion of the event, 6 fully developed, grant-ready research projects emerged, spanning AI-driven multi-omic data integration (DataForge), the unexpected role of food IgE antibodies in chronic disease, machine learning harmonization of fragmented cardiovascular-kidney-metabolic cohorts, AI-targeted nanoparticle antibiotic delivery to combat antimicrobial resistance, multimodal foundation models for precision GLP-1 therapy, and automated reproducibility auditing in computational biology - a portfolio that spans the full arc from computational methods development to clinical implementation, all with clear pathways to funding.
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Mentors
The Mentor Team was composed of 4 senior investigators that brought their experience, encouragement, and support to the developing participant teams. Mentors met with the teams as they are forming to provide feedback, guidance, and direction. They reinforced the positive aspects of potential team projects while asking clarifying questions about areas in need of improvement.
A sincere thank you to our 2026 Mentor Team: Dr. Don Brown of University of Virginia, Dr. Pankaj Kumar of of University of Virginia, Dr. Richard Mailman of University of Virginia, and Dr. Webster Santos of Virginia Tech.
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Provocateurs and Guests
At various times during the Biomedical Data Science Innovation Lab, it is important to be challenged, pushed, and encouraged. That’s where our provocateurs and guests come in to offer unique insights — A special thank you to Dr. Taison Bell, Dr. Matt Howe, Dr. Karen Johnston, Dr. Lori McMahon, and Dr. Nikolay Dokholyan for being a part of our 2026 BDSIL: UVA Edition! In addition, thank you to all of our local UVA guests from the School of Data Science, the Office of the Vice President of Research, and Corporate and Foundation Relations who attended our final presentations!
