PCEC News
The Health Informatics and Bioinformatics Journal Club
November 21, 2023
The Health Informatics and Bioinformatics Journal Club, led by Dr Suhila Sawesi, stemmed from a desire to create a collaborative platform where students could delve into recent topics in health and bioinformatics. The club’s relevance and appeal led it to a steady growth that now allows it to embrace students from programs within the School of Computing such as Data Science and Applied Computing.
The primary goal of the club is to cultivate skills in critically reading and summarizing academic papers, with a particular focus on understanding the methods and results. This is crucial in a field like health informatics, as staying abreast of cutting-edge research and methodologies is essential. By doing so, students not only enhance their academic knowledge but also develop practical skills that are directly applicable in the HIB industry.
Hemalatha Sabbineni, a consistent member of the club, echoed this sentiment during a conversation on her most impactful international education experience. “The journal club meetings have been particularly beneficial, offering insights into literature review, systematic review, and meta-analyses. This exposure to diverse research methodologies has provided a unique and valuable perspective, allowing me to bridge the gap between theoretical knowledge and real-world applications,” she said.
Looking ahead, Dr Sawesi anticipates that the club's impact will be
multifaceted. "For students, it's an invaluable opportunity to
deepen their understanding of the field, engage in meaningful
discussions, and network with peers and professionals. For the HIB
industry at large, we are nurturing a generation of informed, skilled
professionals who are well-versed in the latest research and trends.
This, in turn, can foster innovation and drive advancements in health
informatics. I'm excited about the future of the HIB Journal Club and
its potential contributions to both academic and professional
communities,” Dr Sawesi said.