Phyloinformatics Lab at the GRADS-4C Research Symposium on AI and Digital Health
Phyloinformatics Lab at the GRADS-4C Research Symposium on AI and Digital Health
Anastasiia Duchenko, Ph.D. student, represented the Phyloinformatics Lab at the Genomics Research and Data Science Center for Computation and Cloud Computing (GRADS-4C) Research Symposium, which focused on “AI and Digital Health: Potential, Promise, and Peril.” The symposium took place from June 8–9, 2026, at the Koury Convention Center in Greensboro, NC, and was hosted by North Carolina A&T State University. Anastasiia gave a rapid talk titled, “FAIR Docking: Best Practices for Reproducible Protein-Protein Interactions on the Cloud Platforms,” and gratefully acknowledges the symposium organizers for the travel award that made her participation possible. Over the two days of active participation and networking, Anastasiia had the opportunity to connect with scientists from all over the USA, enjoying great conversations during lunches and poster presentations.
Here are some highlights from the attended talks and workshops:
Talk: “Accelerating Biomedical Research with Responsible AI” by Mohd Anwar, Ph.D.
Dr. Anwar discussed the criteria for accelerating biomedical research using multiple AI models in parallel. He covered how to properly evaluate machine learning results and avoid overfitting or overestimating performance. A key takeaway was his cautionary advice: “Greater accuracy should make you cautious, not celebratory by default.”
Workshop: “Think It, Build It: From Vibe Coding to Vibe Engineering” by Jichun Xie, Ph.D. & Yi Zhang, Ph.D.
This advanced, hands-on workshop demonstrated how to implement AI and architect cloud solutions for genomics data and single-cell analyses.
Workshop: “AnVIL 101: Accessing large genomic datasets and advanced computational resources using the AnVIL platform” by Frederick Tan, Ph.D. & Natalie Kucher, B.S.
This session provided practical training on running analyses on the AnVIL cloud platform with a week of free access to the platform.
Panel: “The Business of Science: Entrepreneurial Pathways for STEM Professionals in the Age of AI”
This inspiring panel featured distinguished scientists, professors, and successful businessmen, including Michael Harrington, Ph.D., Del Ruff, Birton Cowden, Adrian Allen, Naomie Lucas, and Dewayne Branch. The discussion gave me several ideas for our Grad Fellow Workshop on how Ph.D. students can transform their innovative ideas into startups.
Talk: “NIH Grants 101: Finding Opportunities, Navigating Applications, and Winning Funding” by Shurjo Sen, Ph.D., Joseph L. Graves. Jr., Ph.D., and Kelsie Bernot, Ph.D.
A very helpful session for young researchers and postdocs, offering valuable insights into the grant application process.
Conclusion
The symposium was a powerful reminder of the importance of Cloud computing, reproducible research, and the inspiration that drives scientific discovery. I am leaving with a renewed sense of purpose, inspired by the idea of “working with people, and remembering that they are emotional creatures who require community and a supportive environment to thrive.”
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Anastasiia Duchenko Was Appointed as a 2026 to 2027 Graduate Life Fellow