Houston Methodist, Rice University launch groundbreaking Digital Health Institute to transform the future of health care

The initiative is led by Houston Methodist’s Khurram Nasir, M.D., Houston Methodist’s William A Zoghbi, M.D. Centennial Chair in Cardiovascular Medicine and division chief of cardiovascular prevention and wellness, and Rice’s Ashutosh Sabharwal, Ernest Dell Butcher Professor of Engineering and professor of electrical and computer engineering. “This partnership between our institutions marks a bold new chapter in driving meaningful innovation at the intersection of health care and technology through solutions that are both visionary and practical,” said Marc L. Boom, M.D., president and CEO of Houston Methodist. “Our longstanding relationship with Rice University has produced impactful collaborations, but this initiative allows us to combine our mutual strengths in clinical medicine and computer science to lead medicine through digital innovation.” This initiative builds on ongoing collaborations between Houston Methodist and Rice University, including the Center for Neural Systems Restoration launched earlier this year, and the Center for Human Performance established in 2022. “This partnership embodies Rice’s bold vision to lead at the forefront of innovation in health and responsible AI,” said Rice President Reginald DesRoches. “By combining our strengths with Houston Methodist, we are creating a transformative platform to address critical challenges in health care with solutions that are ethical, accessible and impactful. This initiative exemplifies our commitment to driving interdisciplinary collaboration and advancing global health for the benefit of humanity.”