New Master’s Degree Boosts AI Skills in Biomedical Sciences

The University of Texas at Dallas has established a new Master of Science in artificial intelligence for biomedical sciences and a related certificate program to help meet workforce demands in rapidly growing, data-driven sectors in health and medical fields.

The Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board in April approved the School of Natural Sciences and Mathematics (NSM) degree program, which is set to launch this fall.

While graduate programs in AI are offered by several universities in Texas, the new UT Dallas initiative is among the first AI programs that focus on applications in biomedical sciences.

“Artificial intelligence is becoming more and more essential to many areas of medical science, medical practice and the health industry, from disease diagnosis and treatment development to health care management,” said Dr. Vladimir Dragovic, professor and head of mathematical sciences at UT Dallas. “We have designed this curriculum to meet the needs of potential students where they are and to get students where they desire to be and where future employers want them to be.”

In addition to research-intensive careers, job opportunities for program graduates could include roles in biotechnology or bioengineering companies, health informatics businesses, or the pharmaceutical industry.

“Because these AI skills can be applied in the service of many scientific disciplines, graduates should find job opportunities in a wide range of industries,” Dragovic said.

Faculty in the mathematical sciences department led the development of the curriculum for the new program, which includes courses contributed by the departments of biological sciences, chemistry and biochemistry, physics and bioengineering.

A graduate certificate in biomedical artificial intelligence is also being offered. Dragovic said skills acquired through the certificate could potentially enhance employment opportunities for students who are already working on advanced degrees in biomedical sciences, bioengineering, computer science, chemistry or physics.

“This master’s program has a very strong research component,” said Dr. Pankaj Choudhary, professor of mathematical sciences and associate dean of graduate studies for NSM who helped design the curriculum. “The combination of this research experience with an emphasis on strong AI skills will provide students with versatile training so they can be engaged in many different career fields.”

Aryan Najjari, a biomedical engineering doctoral student in the Erik Jonsson School of Engineering and Computer Science, has applied for both the new degree and certificate program. His biomaterials research focuses on the characterization of various materials and processing methods to develop medical devices — such as implants — that are compatible with the human body. His goal is to work in the medical-device industry.

“We are living in an era where AI plays a crucial role in accelerating routine tasks, allowing researchers to focus more on creativity, innovation and testing complex techniques with greater ease in less time,” Najjari said. “Gaining AI skills will not only enhance the quality and efficiency of my current research, but also broaden my career opportunities in the future.

“AI is a powerful and versatile tool that can be applied across many areas of biomedical engineering and beyond, making me more adaptable and prepared for both industry and academic roles in this rapidly evolving field.”

Choudhary said that undergraduate students who are pursuing most science and engineering disciplines will have the background to be considered for the master’s program, which requires at least one semester each of calculus and statistics, but no prior computer programming experience.

“Students who enroll in the program can go all the way from basic programming to cutting-edge AI skills,” he said.

The program also is available as a fast-track master’s degree option for well-qualified students who take graduate-level courses as they are completing their undergraduate degrees in biomedical sciences, biology, molecular biology, chemistry, biochemistry or physics.

“Our biological sciences degree programs, as well as our degree and certificate programs in data science, are already very popular and attractive to students in many disciplines,” said Dr. David Hyndman, NSM dean and the Francis S. and Maurine G. Johnson Distinguished University Chair. “We anticipate that the MS in AI for biomedical sciences will also be a pioneering step forward for the School of Natural Sciences and Mathematics.”