# Harvard Medical School Biomedical Informatics PhD Program ![Aim cohort 2024](/sites/g/files/omnuum6836/files/styles/hwp_21_9__1920x825/public/2025-07/AIM%20w%20Zak%20copy.jpg?itok=zvz4F_dd) [Bioinformatics and Integrative Genomics PhD Track ](/big-track/welcome-big) [Artificial Intelligence in Medicine PhD Track ](/aim-track/welcome-to-aim) ## [**Welcome to BMI!**](/welcome-bmi "Welcome to BMI!") The [**HMS Department of Biomedical Informatics**](https://dbmi.hms.harvard.edu/) offers a PhD in Biomedical Informatics in the areas of Bioinformatics and Integrative Genomics (BIG) and Artificial Intelligence in Medicine (AIM). The [**Bioinformatics and Integrative Genomics PhD**](/big-track/welcome-big "Welcome to BIG!") track led by Program Director Dr. Peter Park and Associate Director Dr. Maha Farhat, provides students with the tools to conduct original research and the ability to develop novel approaches and new technologies to address fundamental biomedical questions. The track draws on three significant strengths of the local academic environment: the breadth of talented investigators at Harvard Medical School and its affiliated hospitals and research institutes; the rich variety of quantitatively-oriented courses in bioinformatics and genomics offered at Harvard and MIT; and national leadership of BIG faculty in genome-scale disease research and approaches to clinical applications. The [**Artificial Intelligence in Medicine PhD**](/aim-track/welcome-to-aim "Welcome to AIM") track, led by Program Directors Dr. Isaac "Zak" Kohane and Dr. Sebastian Schneeweiss trains the next generation of leaders in harnessing real-world health data and AI methods to transform healthcare. The curriculum emphasizes interdisciplinary collaboration, clinical immersion, and methodological expertise, and includes a co-mentorship model and access to common datasets to ensure a deep understanding of the clinical ecosystem and the development of robust tools that meet real-world needs. Although the BIG and AIM tracks have separate curricula, faculty, and, advising models; all students are part of one cohort and participate in shared social and community events, such as the annual student retreat. To learn more about each track, please visit the following links: [BIG track details](/big-track/welcome-big "Welcome to BIG!"), [AIM track details](/aim-track/welcome-to-aim "Welcome to AIM"). [### Peter J. Park ](/people/peter-j-park)BIG Program Director Professor of Biomedical Informatics ![Peter Park headshot](/sites/g/files/omnuum6836/files/styles/hwp_4_5__690x865/public/2025-04/peter_park_dbmi_2023c-400x480.png?itok=2mv6GuSd) [### Maha Farhat ](/people/maha-farhat)BIG Associate Director Associate Professor of Biomedical Informatics ![Maha Farhat](/sites/g/files/omnuum6836/files/styles/hwp_4_5__690x865/public/2025-06/Maha_Farhat.jpg?h=ae6421f8&itok=jYYZTcCV) [### Isaac Samuel Kohane ](/people/isaac-samuel-kohane)AIM Program Director Professor of Biomedical Informatics Lawrence J. Henderson Professor of Pediatrics ![Zak Kohane](/sites/g/files/omnuum6836/files/styles/hwp_4_5__690x865/public/2025-06/Web%20Res_Zak%20Head%20Shot%20Harvard%201101231807%20325x427_0.png?h=b537d360&itok=GjbsYsPk) [### Sebastian Schneeweiss ](/people/sebastian-schneeweiss)AIM Program Director Professor of Medicine and Epidemiology ![sebastian_schneweiss](/sites/g/files/omnuum6836/files/styles/hwp_4_5__690x865/public/2025-06/sebastian_schneweiss.png?itok=KJqX9xl1) [### Lilen Uchima ](/people/lilen-uchima)Director of Educational Programs, DBMI she/her/hers ![Lilen Uchima](/sites/g/files/omnuum6836/files/styles/hwp_4_5__690x865/public/2025-06/Lilen_Uchima.jpg?itok=vheMZUsh) [### Cathy Haskell ](/people/cathy-haskell)Program Manager, BMI she/her/hers ![Cathy Haskell](/sites/g/files/omnuum6836/files/styles/hwp_4_5__690x865/public/2025-06/0056_CatherineHaskell_003-300x350.jpg?h=7648b1c5&itok=Y9FnyDMB) ## Spotlight [### 2024 Harold M. Weintraub Graduate Student Award recipient from DMS ](/news/2024harold-m-weintraub-graduate-student-award-recipient-dms) March 04, 2024 Please join us in congratulating the DMS student who has received the Harold M. Weintraub Graduate Student Award for 2024. Michelle Li is a G5 student in the Biomedical Informatics Program. For further information, please view the Fred Hutch News Release. ![Michelle Li](/sites/g/files/omnuum6836/files/styles/hwp_16_9__480x270/public/bigphd/files/michelleli_headshot.jpg?itok=MnDary8g) [### Watch Live Stream of 2023 DMS Hooding Ceremony ](/news/watch-live-stream-2023-dms-hooding-ceremony) May 19, 2023 The 2023 DMS Hooding ceremonies will be live-streamed on YouTube. Thursday, May 25, 2023: Hooding Ceremony for 2023 graduates begins at 5:00pm. The video can be viewed by visiting our Commencement and Hooding page. Congratulations and Best Wishes to all... ![Division of Medical Sciences banner](/sites/g/files/omnuum6836/files/styles/hwp_16_9__480x270/public/bigphd/files/dms_hms_banner.jpg?itok=oyLhnTwR) [### Student Profile of 2022 BIG graduate Eduardo Maury ](/news/student-profile-2022-big-graduate-eduardo-maury) May 05, 2022 Exploring the Brain BIG PhD grad Eduardo Maury is deciphering somatic mutations to better understand neurological disease. Read about the influence his neurosurgeon father had on his career, and the role Maury's mentors played in his growth as a scientist... ![Eduardo Maury](/sites/g/files/omnuum6836/files/styles/hwp_16_9__480x270/public/bigphd/files/eduardo_maury_grad.jpg?itok=ZOrmVkJG) [### BIG Program Welcomes 2021-2022 Class ](/news/big-program-welcomes-2021-2022-class) September 01, 2021 We were delighted to welcome our new entering class last week for an in-person orientation. Our cohort is 13 students this year. Our students have undergraduate degrees in computational biology, mathematics, statistics and data science, biomedical... ![BIG Class 2021-2022](/sites/g/files/omnuum6836/files/styles/hwp_16_9__480x270/public/bigphd/files/img_5933.jpg?itok=nJJXCg8C) [### BIG Program Welcomes 2020-2021 Class ](/news/big-program-welcomes-2020-2021-class) September 22, 2020 We would like to extend a very special welcome to our entering BIG class. From cities near and far, students joined together for this virtual greeting and orientation as we began the new academic year. With 14 students, it is the largest BIG cohort ever... ![New Students Zoom Orientation 2020](/sites/g/files/omnuum6836/files/styles/hwp_16_9__480x270/public/bigphd/files/big_zoom_orientation_ay_20-21.jpg?itok=KMt26q0r) [### BIG Student Launches Podcast ](/news/big-student-launches-podcast) July 28, 2020 BIG student Anika Gupta launched a new podcast: The Data Pulse. The Data Pulse dives into the growing role that data science plays in biotechnology and biomedical innovations, through conversations with veterans and rising stars at that intersection-... ![Anika Gupta](/sites/g/files/omnuum6836/files/styles/hwp_16_9__480x270/public/bigphd/files/gupta_anika.jpeg?itok=3lCbIFAg) [### BIG student a finalist at MIT Sloan Sports Analytics Conference ](/news/big-student-finalist-mit-sloan-sports-analytics-conference) April 09, 2020 On March 5, 2020, BIG student Qingbo Wang participated in the MIT Sloan Sports Analytics Conference (SSAC) hackathon, and was selected as a finalist (#6 out of >140 applications) to present in the large conference room. View his presentation here, where... ![BIG student Qingbo Wang](/sites/g/files/omnuum6836/files/styles/hwp_16_9__480x270/public/bigphd/files/hackathon018.jpg?itok=ppXPGHDi) [### BIG Alumni Honoree in Forbes "30 Under 30" ](/news/big-alumni-honoree-forbes-30-under-30) January 03, 2020 BIG alumni Dr. Jean Fan honored in the 2020 Forbes 30 under 30 Healthcare category ![Jean Fan](/sites/g/files/omnuum6836/files/styles/hwp_16_9__480x270/public/bigphd/files/416x416_jean.jpg?itok=yMSJXCCe) [### BIG students win 1st prize in Vivli and Microsoft Clinical Trial Datathon ](https://vivli.org/events/winners-announced-for-vivli-microsoft-data-challenge/) June 21, 2019 On June 21, 2019, BIG students Qingbo Wang and Gaurav Luthria participated in and won the Vivli Microsoft Data Challenge! As a solution for sharing patient data while maintaining patient privacy, they proposed a two-folded approach: 1. Advanced Querying... ![Microsoft Vivli](/sites/g/files/omnuum6836/files/styles/hwp_16_9__480x270/public/bigphd/files/microsoft_vivli.jpg?itok=gWBrSqaC) [### BIG students win NBA hackathon ](/news/big-students-win-nba-hackathon) September 22, 2018 On September 22, 2018, BIG students Surge Biswas and Amaro Taylor-Weiner participated and won the NBA hackathon! ![Surge and Amaro](/sites/g/files/omnuum6836/files/styles/hwp_16_9__480x270/public/bigphd/files/nba_hackathon.jpg?itok=aVA9Cx5O)