The new Centre of Excellence will bring together multiple disciplines across the University to develop and deploy artificial intelligence systems to improve health care

TORONTO, April 9, 2026 – As artificial intelligence (AI) becomes increasingly important, especially in the health-care field, �첥��Ƶ continues to play an outsized role. Today, the University announced the launch of a new Centre of Excellence – Artificial Intelligence for Public Health Advancement (AIPHA) funded through an Ontario Research Fund – Research Excellence program.

Director General, Applied Public Health Sciences Pamela Ponic of the Science and Policy Integration Branch, Public Health Agency of Canada, Chief Medical Officer of Health for the Ontario Ministry of Health Kieran Moore, and MPP for Whitby Lorne Coe, Parliamentary Assistant to the Minister of Colleges, Universities, Research Excellence and Security all spoke at the lunch-time event.

As a key player in supporting health-care decision making, AIPHA will strengthen external partnerships and accelerate the transfer of knowledge from research to policy and practice, where hospitals, medical practitioners, policymakers and leaders can use it. It will also help bridge the gap between health analytics and real-world socioeconomic conditions further positioning York as a national and global leader in AI-integrated public health solutions through research and innovation.

"The launch of AIPHA marks a defining moment for �첥��Ƶ and for the future of public health in Canada. By bringing together expertise across disciplines, from mathematical modelling and AI to health policy and social equity, we are creating something truly transformative: a hub where research doesn't just advance knowledge but directly shapes the decisions that protect and improve people's lives,” says �첥��Ƶ Interim President and Vice-Chancellor Lisa Philipps. “York has long been committed to addressing society's most pressing challenges, and AIPHA reflects that mission at its fullest. We are proud to be building the next generation of AI-adept public health leaders right here, and to be positioning Canada as a global force in equitable, evidence-informed health innovation."

As a dedicated, multi-disciplinary and national hub, AIPHA will bring together expertise from across faculties, including in advanced mathematical and computational modelling, precision analytics and multi-source databases. The goal is to integrate epidemiological, clinical, environmental, climate and socioeconomic indicators in newly created AI models, while training the next generation.

“Artificial intelligence tools are increasingly being used in health-care settings but a coordinated, ethical and equitable approach to ensure the tools use integrated data sources, and that they are being properly tested and deployed for patient good is lacking. The current speed of newly developed AI models is at times outpacing governance,” says Faculty of Science Dean Maydianne Andrade. “As a new Centre of Excellence in the Faculty of Science, AIPHA will lead the way toward better integration of these new technologies in a cohesive manner that will help advance public health care.”

Two projects already underway include: Integrating AI with disease transmission dynamics models for informed prevention and control of outbreaks in indoor and mass gathering settings (2025 to 2031) and Advanced mathematical technologies for respiratory infection risk assessment and pharmaceutical intervention scenario analysis (2024 to 2028), both led by AIPHA’s inaugural director Jianhong Wu.

“The AI for Public Health Research Centre is a coordinated innovation hub that will help improve health-care efficiency and outcomes, as well as ensure coordinated, ethical and equitable transformation of public health systems,” says AIPHA Director and University Distinguished Research Professor Jianhong Wu of the Faculty of Science. “This kind of central hub is much needed in the health-care sector today to ensure emerging AI tools are properly integrated and decision and policy makers are provided with robust information toward developing a more cohesive, ethical and equitable public health-care system.”

AIPHA will integrate epidemiological, clinical, environmental and socioeconomic data into the AI-enabled decision-support systems it develops and deploys to guide equitable and evidence-informed public health action. In ensuring the development of fair and equitable AI systems, the hub will combine not only advanced mathematical and computational modelling and AI and predictive analytics, but also health systems and policy research with social determinants of health and equity frameworks.

AIPHA will act as a research accelerator for large collaborative grants, train the next generation of AI-adept public health leaders and develop pilot AI-integrated protypes for infectious disease modelling, health system resource allocation and climate health risk forecasting.

It will also strengthen Canadian pandemic and emergency preparedness, enhance evidence-based policymaking, support climate-health adaptation strategies, improve health equity outcomes, and increase York’s national visibility in AI governance and public health innovation.

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Five-year project aimed at ensuring vulnerable and at-risk populations are included in disease outbreak management and policies

TORONTO, Sept. 7, 2022 – At a time when the risk of emerging or re-emerging infectious diseases (ERIDs) is increasing, an international team led by �첥��Ƶ successfully competed to receive a CAD7.25 million grant from the  (IDRC) to help tackle the issue. This grant will enable the research team to work alongside countries in the Global South to develop equitable and responsible artificial intelligence (AI) solutions and big data approaches to improve public health outcomes.

The five-year project, Global South Artificial Intelligence for Pandemic and Epidemic Preparedness and Response Network, is borne out of the promise of AI solutions across the Global South to improve the health system response to infectious disease outbreaks, and the commensurate need to examine important ethical, legal and social implications of these solutions on populations most susceptible to disease and compromised overall well-being.

Led by �첥��Ƶ Assistant Professor  of the Faculty of Science, this project will support prevention, early detection, preparedness, mitigation and control of emerging or re-emerging infectious disease outbreaks in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) in Africa, Asia, Latin America and the Caribbean, and the Middle East and North Africa.

"�첥��Ƶ is honoured to have this opportunity to create positive change by fostering more equitable and responsible approaches to complex health-care needs through the ethical use of artificial intelligence,” says �첥��Ƶ President and Vice-Chancellor Rhonda Lenton. “This project will help us strengthen our impact on several United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, including good health and well-being, as well as gender equality and partnerships. I'd like to thank IDRC for their ongoing support of York's commitment to collaboratively addressing pressing global issues and congratulate Jude Kong on all his work in this area."

Globally, as humans continue to encroach on animal habitats and climate change worsens, incidents of disease outbreaks are expected to increase in severity and frequency – often stemming from viruses, bacteria and parasites that jump from animals to people. These outbreaks can have calamitous consequences which cascade across socio-economic boundaries, particularly affecting vulnerable populations, magnifying social inequities, and putting pressure on weak health-care systems, which further exacerbate underlying inequities and disparities.

“As the world continues to grapple with the COVID-19 pandemic, alongside outbreaks such as Ebola and hMPXV, previously known as monkeypox, IDRC’s commitment to supporting innovative and locally championed solutions from LMICs is renewed and further deepened," says IDRC President Jean Lebel. "We are delighted to build on IDRC’s deep experience in using AI to solve pressing social and economic challenges by supporting the team at �첥��Ƶ in funding thought leaders in the LMICs to develop, use and scale responsible AI solutions to strengthen health systems. This collaborative effort will foreground AI applications that are ethical, respect privacy, and support gender equality and inclusive benefits across low-resource settings.”

The project will develop a diverse, multi-regional and interdisciplinary network of partners and teams to help address gaps in knowledge, capacities and solutions, and better understand how AI can improve public health preparedness and response. It will promote southern-led equitable and ethical use of AI and big data to improve public health preparedness and response, identify risks, conduct predictive modelling and provide evidence-based recommendations for public health policy and action.

"It is important to design, manage and govern AI and big data approaches using a health-equity and gender-equality lens to avoid amplifying existing inequalities leading to the possibility of significant harm rather than tremendous benefits," says Kong, the project’s executive director and director of the Africa-Canada Artificial Intelligence and  Data Innovation Consortium (ACADIC).

The goal is to ensure vulnerable and at-risk populations are included in disease outbreak management and policies, including racialized visible minorities, women, geographically isolated individuals, Indigenous communities, migrants and refugees, unhoused people and the socio-economically underserved. COVID-19 has underlined the need for timely, accurate, and reliable data to inform evidence-based public health decision-making.

"AI techniques have developed rapidly over the last decade and the ability to store large data sets has led to novel methods of analysis, allowing for modelling predictions on a scale that was previously not possible,” says Kong. "ERIDs present global challenges, and as such, international communication and shared strategies, which build on varying types of expertise, are required to successfully address them. This project is a small step in that direction."

PHOTOS: Jude Kong – horizontal & vertical

VIDEOS: Building capacity to tackle emerging or re-emerging infectious diseases in the Global South - Project will build a network and use AI and big data to fight against infectious diseases - 

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�첥��Ƶ is a modern, multi-campus, urban university located in Toronto, Ontario. Backed by a diverse group of students, faculty, staff, alumni and partners, we bring a uniquely global perspective to help solve societal challenges, drive positive change and prepare our students for success. York's fully bilingual Glendon Campus is home to Southern Ontario's Centre of Excellence for French Language and Bilingual Postsecondary Education. York’s campuses in Costa Rica and India offer students exceptional transnational learning opportunities and innovative programs. Together, we can make things right for our communities, our planet, and our future. 

As part of Canada’s foreign affairs and development efforts, the International Development Research Centre (IDRC) champions and funds research and innovation within and alongside developing regions to drive global change. We invest in high-quality research in developing countries, share knowledge with researchers and policymakers for greater uptake and use, and mobilize our global alliances to build a more sustainable and inclusive world.

Media Contacts:

Sandra McLean, �첥��Ƶ Media Relations, 416-272-6317, sandramc@yorku.ca

Steven Morris, IDRC Media Relations, 613-696-2011, smorris@idrc.ca

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TORONTO, Nov. 12, 2021��– Today, �첥��Ƶ and Oak Valley Heath announced a local health partnership aimed at advancing innovative medical education and research collaboration opportunities as well as improving the health and health care of citizens in Markham, Whitchurch-Stouffville, Uxbridge and beyond.

Earlier today, �첥��Ƶ President Rhonda Lenton was joined by Jo-anne Marr, President and CEO, Oak Valley Health, and Frank Scarpitti, Mayor of Markham, at a virtual signing event to celebrate this partnership and discuss the shared vision for the future.

The Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) is a three-year agreement that sets out strategic areas of engagement and co-operation: future medical education partnerships; development of research capacity and opportunities between faculty and health care professionals and other hospital staff; clinical placements and experiential learning opportunities for students; continuing education and development for health care professionals and other hospital staff; health and wellness partnerships including clinics, community health initiatives, public and community education, global health initiatives and special events; information systems integration partnerships including learning management systems and test systems, and other mutually agreed educational or research programs including , to be housed at Markham Campus opening Fall 2023.

Watch video below:

QUOTES:

“Since establishing��its Faculty of Health in 2006,��York��University has been steadily expanding its leadership in health education and��research offered through programs and organized research units that build on our distinct interprofessional and interdisciplinary approach to keeping more people healthier longer in their communities. We are pleased to partner with Oak Valley Health to further enhance the future of medical education and the training of the next generation of world-class health professionals as we work together to create healthier and more equitable communities. We also appreciate the ongoing support of Oak Valley Health and local government leaders as we continue to advance our plans for a����that will build on our strong foundation and innovative community collaborations to drive positive change both locally and globally.” – Rhonda Lenton, President and Vice-Chancellor, �첥��Ƶ

“We are thrilled to be partnering with �첥��Ƶ and working towards a shared goal – providing meaningful learning opportunities to the future health care professionals and leaders in our region. By working together we will create even more opportunities for clinical placements, continuing education, information systems integration and many more initiatives. This partnership plays a foundational role in Oak Valley Health’s academic strategy. It is our goal to continue fostering a collaborative and inclusive environment where our people will continue to grow and never stop learning.” – Jo-anne Marr, President and CEO, Oak Valley Health

“The City of Markham strived to attract �첥��Ƶ’s new Markham Campus to build on our community’s capacity for innovation and research. Now, more than ever, we appreciate the need for collaboration between healthcare providers and relevant partners. Oak Valley Health has demonstrated its strength in providing on-the-ground healthcare while advancing important clinical trials. Congratulations to both �첥��Ƶ and Oak Valley Health on this agreement which further strengthens medical education and research in Ontario.” – Frank Scarpitti, Mayor of Markham

QUICK FACTS

• �첥��Ƶ’s Faculty of Health includes one of Canada’s largest Nursing and Nurse Practitioner programs as well as outstanding bachelor and graduate degrees in psychology, kinesiology and health sciences, global health, health studies, health policy and management, health informatics, critical disability studies, and neuroscience.
• �첥��Ƶ is home to centres of research excellence in antimicrobial resistance, disease modelling, data visualization, advanced robotics, global health, healthy aging, and muscle health, among others.
• �첥��Ƶ’s Centre for Vision Research is world-renowned and has an expansive network of global health partners.
• IP Osgoode provides thought leadership on the ownership, use and governance of data, including personal health data.
• �첥��Ƶ is advancing health and healthcare in York Region and across the GTA by building capacity in health research, education, innovation, and commercialization through the Vaughan Healthcare Centre Precinct (VHCP) — a ground-breaking public/private partnership between the University, the City of Vaughan, Mackenzie Health, and ventureLAB.

About �첥��Ƶ:

�첥��Ƶ is a modern, multi-campus, urban university located in Toronto, Ontario. Backed by a diverse group of students, faculty, staff, alumni and partners, we bring a uniquely global perspective to help solve societal challenges, drive positive change and prepare our students for success. York's fully bilingual Glendon Campus is home to Southern Ontario's Centre of Excellence for French Language and Bilingual Postsecondary Education. York’s campuses in Costa Rica and India offer students exceptional transnational learning opportunities and innovative programs. Together, we can make things right for our communities, our planet, and our future.

About Oak Valley Health:

is one of Ontario’s leading community health systems. Across our two hospitals, Markham Stouffville Hospital (MSH) and Uxbridge Hospital (UXB), as well as our Reactivation Care Centre (RCC), we provide high quality, patient-centred care to more than 474,000 patients each year. We offer diagnostic and emergency services and deliver clinical programs in acute care medicine and surgery, addictions and mental health, and childbirth and children’s services. We are proud to be part of the Eastern York Region North Durham Ontario Health Team (EYRND OHT).

Our 489 physicians, 28 midwives, over 2,900 staff and over 1,000 volunteers serve patients and families with an honoured to care mindset and are focused on delivering an extraordinary patient experience to the residents of Markham, Whitchurch-Stouffville, Uxbridge and beyond.

Media Contacts:

Kayla Lewis, �첥��Ƶ, 416-455-4710, lewiskay@yorku.ca

Melissa Londono, Oak Valley Health, 416-270-6009, mlondono@msh.on.ca

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