ISL Interim Director Zhe He Secures Three Major NIH Grants to Advance HIV Prevention, AI Training, and Aging Research

The Institute for Successful Longevity (ISL) at Florida State University is proud to announce that Dr. Zhe He, Associate Professor in the School of Information and Interim Director of ISL, has been awarded three significant grants from the National Institutes of Health (NIH). These grants will advance public health research, AI training for biomedical researchers, and aging research.

Precision HIV Prevention in North Florida

The first grant is a five-year, $801,110 R21/R33 Phased Innovation Award from the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) for a project titled “Precision HIV Prevention: Piloting a Youth Learning Health Community.” This project seeks to tackle the HIV epidemic among youth in North Florida, an area characterized by high HIV prevalence but limited resources compared to other parts of the state.

Despite significant advances in HIV prevention, many young people still face barriers to accessing and adhering to effective prevention strategies such as Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP). To bridge this gap, Dr. He and his team will establish a Youth Learning Health Community (Y-LHC) in North Florida, integrating data science, implementation science, and community engagement to develop tailored, evidence-based HIV prevention strategies.

Working alongside Dr. Sylvie Naar from the FSU College of Medicine, who serves as the Contact Principal Investigator, Dr. He, as the Multiple Principal Investigator, will lead a team including Henna Budhwani, Jonathan Morgan, and Sara Green from FSU, as well as Yiyang Liu and Mattia Prosperi from the University of Florida. The project aims to map barriers and facilitators to HIV prevention, conduct simulations of interventions, and pilot effective strategies to ensure they are feasible, culturally appropriate, and impactful.

“This project will not only pave the way for multisite pragmatic trials to address the Diagnose and Prevent pillars of the End the Epidemic initiative for youth but also test a transformative framework for translating community-engaged systems science into new implementation strategies,” Dr. He said.

AI Passport for Biomedical Research

The second grant is a five-year R25 grant for a project titled "Artificial Intelligence Passport for Biomedical Research: Digital Experiential Learning Community for Upskilling in Artificial Intelligence for Biomedical, Behavioral, and Clinical Research." The Principal Investigator for this grant is Dr. Azra Bihorac, Associate Dean for Research at the University of Florida College of Medicine. Dr. He will serve as the FSU Site Principal Investigator, leading the development of the AI Passport (AIPassport) curriculum, which will equip biomedical, clinical, and behavioral researchers with state-of-the-art knowledge and skills in AI.

The AIPassport initiative aims to address the growing need for AI expertise in biomedical research. By creating a structured, digital learning experience, the program will foster a community where researchers gain hands-on experience with AI tools and techniques. The curriculum will bridge the gap between the potential of AI and the practical skills needed by researchers to apply these technologies effectively.

“This grant represents an important opportunity to build capacity for AI in biomedical research,” said Dr. He. “Our goal is to create a transformative learning experience that empowers researchers to innovate using AI, ultimately improving health outcomes and advancing science.”

Examining Medical Marijuana and Opioid Use in Older Adults

Dr. He also serves as a Co-Investigator on a newly awarded five-year $3.4 million R01 grant, led by Principal Investigator Dr. Nicole Ennis from the FSU College of Medicine. The project is titled "An open road driving performance task to examine long-term medical marijuana use and prescription opioid positivity in adults 50 and older."

Medical marijuana use among adults 50 and older has more than doubled in the past decade, with continued growth expected by 2050. Given that adults 50 and older are among the largest consumers of medical marijuana—primarily for chronic pain management—and that they are also more likely to be prescribed opioids, this project will explore the combined impact of these substances on driving performance in real-world conditions. The study aims to identify the effects of daily long-term medical marijuana use on driving performance using an open-road driving task in adults 50 and older and Examine the combined effect of medical marijuana use and prescribed opioid use on driving outcomes. In addition, the project would explore to find intervention targets to improve self-regulation of medical marijuana use, prescribed opioid use, and driving performance in adults 50 and older The study will employ open-road driving tests, electronic medical records, and data from RYAH Smart Inhaler devices to assess THC exposure, providing critical insights into the safety implications of medical marijuana and opioid use in this growing demographic. Dr. He will primarily support the use of electronic medical records in this project.

Advancing Public Health, AI Training, and Aging Research

Together, these three grants demonstrate Dr. He’s commitment to advancing public health research, developing AI capabilities in biomedical sciences, and enhancing our understanding of aging-related health challenges. The Youth Learning Health Community project will have a direct impact on HIV prevention efforts among youth, while the AIPassport initiative will empower researchers to harness AI to tackle complex health problems. The third project will provide much-needed insights into the safety implications of medical marijuana and opioid use among older adults, ultimately contributing to safer, more effective care strategies.

The Institute for Successful Longevity congratulates Dr. He on these remarkable achievements, which will significantly impact public health, AI-enhanced biomedical research, and aging research, ultimately improving the well-being of individuals in North Florida and beyond.