AI and innovation take center stage at WVU’s 2025 Van Liere and WV IDeA Research Conference
MORGANTOWN, W.Va. — Collaboration, innovation and discovery were on full display as researchers, students and faculty from across West Virginia gathered for the 2025 Van Liere and WV IDeA Research Conference, held Oct. 17–18 at the Erickson Alumni Center and West Virginia University Health Sciences Center.
The two-day event built on WVU’s long-standing tradition of research excellence, combining the legacy of the Van Liere Research Day, established in 1965, with the statewide Institutional Development Award, or IDeA, network conference. Together, the programs highlighted how West Virginia’s research community is using emerging technologies and ideas to improve health outcomes across the region.
This year’s theme, “AI for Health,” set the tone for a program that explores how artificial intelligence is transforming medicine and scientific discovery.
Keynote speaker Ashwini Davison, MD, FACP, FAMIA, chief medical informatics officer (CMIO) for oncology at Amazon Web Services (AWS), challenged attendees to consider how AI can be used ethically and effectively in health care and research.
“AI for Good means working backwards from the mission of improving patient outcomes, accelerating research and improving health in communities,” Dr. Davison said. “We’re thrilled to be supporting initiatives that enable health care organizations to aggregate data responsibly, advance discovery and ultimately identify cures that would be difficult to do without AI assistance.”
Throughout the conference, speakers and sessions focused on how AI can enhance patient care, clinical trials and data-driven medical education. Poster and oral presentations by undergraduate, graduate and professional students — including those in MD and PharmD programs — as well as postdoctoral trainees, residents, fellows and faculty, highlighted how advanced data tools are transforming research and improving health outcomes.
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Ming Lei, PhD, interim vice president of research at WVU who also leads research and graduate education at the Health Science Center, said the conference underscores the University’s commitment to advancing technology and innovation in alignment with President Michael T. Benson’s “Think Big” initiative.
“This is an event to celebrate our research overall,” Dr. Lei said. “We’re really trying to stay in or stay ahead of the game because AI is a game changer for everyone. President Benson’s ‘Think Big’ initiative challenges us to leverage technology in bold, responsible ways that advance health and research for West Virginia and beyond.”
Lei said he hopes the event inspires students and early-career researchers to take advantage of the opportunities that AI presents.
“There’s a tremendous opportunity for the younger generation,” he said. “Everything we do could be changed significantly — from how we detect health problems using data and trials to how we develop medical interventions. It’s a game changer for the entire spectrum of how health is evolving.”
Across two days of discussions, poster sessions and presentations, the Van Liere and WV IDeA Research Conference highlighted WVU’s role as both a research hub and a collaborative bridge for institutions across the state.
For more information about research opportunities, programs and upcoming events at WVU Health Sciences, visit the Office of Research and Graduate Education to learn how you can get involved.
Top photo, from left: Dr. Ming Lei, Mick Lerlop, Dr. Ashwini Davison, West Virginia University President Michael T. Benson, Dr. Sameer Bades and Alex Irwin.
-WVU-
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CONTACT: Nicole Renner
Executive Director, Office of Research and Graduate Education