New BioMedics Department Positions SHSU-COM for Growth in Medical AI and Healthcare Innovation

New BioMedics Department Positions SHSU-COM for Growth in Medical AI and Healthcare Innovation

Sam Houston State University College of Osteopathic Medicine (SHSU-COM) has received approval from the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board to establish a new academic department to advance the future of healthcare innovation, medical education and applied research.

The Department of Biomedical & Digital Health Intelligence in Clinical Systems (BioMedics) will officially launch Sept. 1, 2026, with Vinoth Sittaramane, PhD, DVM, serving as department chair.

The new department was created to advance the integration of biomedical sciences, artificial intelligence, digital health and clinical informatics across medical education, research and healthcare delivery. The department will support interdisciplinary education, applied innovation and strategic partnerships designed to improve clinical decision-making, patient outcomes, healthcare operations and population health, particularly in rural and underserved communities.

“The creation of the BioMedics Department represents an exciting step forward in the continued growth and evolution of SHSU-COM,” said Thomas J. Mohr, DO, vice president for medical affairs at SHSU and dean of SHSU-COM. “Healthcare is changing rapidly through advances in technology, data science and artificial intelligence. This department positions our college to prepare future physicians and healthcare leaders to thoughtfully and responsibly lead in that environment while continuing to emphasize patient-centered care.”

The department will support research and training opportunities for medical students and residents while also serving as the academic home for the SHSU-COM Institute for Medical Artificial Intelligence, an interdisciplinary initiative launched to advance ethical, innovative and patient-centered uses of AI in healthcare and medical education.

In addition, BioMedics will provide the core faculty for the proposed Master of Applied Biomedical Sciences program, which is expected to launch this fall pending final approval. The proposed graduate program is supported through a $4.99 million federal Research and Development Infrastructure grant awarded by the U.S. Department of Education to strengthen biomedical research, faculty expertise and workforce development at SHSU-COM.

“These cutting-edge technologies are already transforming healthcare delivery, clinical decision-making and patient engagement,” Sittaramane said. “Through the BioMedics Department, we are building a collaborative environment where students, residents and faculty can work across disciplines to develop innovative solutions that improve healthcare access, efficiency and patient outcomes.”

The department’s creation builds on SHSU-COM’s growing work in medical artificial intelligence and innovation in graduate medical education. Last month, SHSU-COM received an Innovations in Graduate Medical Education Development Grant from the American Association of Colleges of Osteopathic Medicine to support AI Across Residency, a new initiative designed to introduce responsible AI education into residency programs connected through the Sam Houston Regional Education Consortium.

The BioMedics Department will also strengthen opportunities for collaboration with healthcare systems, industry partners and academic institutions focused on biomedical research, healthcare technology, clinical systems and workforce development.