Influential Women honors UF scientist Raquel Dias for AI genomics work

Influential Women is spotlighting University of Florida assistant professor Raquel Dias for research that combines artificial intelligence, machine learning and genomics to improve precision medicine. Her work at UF’s AI initiative aims to uncover disease drivers in large clinical and genetic datasets while helping train the next generation of scientists. Why it matters: - Raquel Dias is working on tools that could improve disease prediction and make healthcare more personalized. - Her research sits at the intersection of artificial intelligence, genomics and clinical data, a space shaping the next wave of precision medicine. - The University of Florida’s AI initiative gives Dias access to major computing resources for large-scale biological analysis. What happened: - Influential Women is honoring Raquel Dias, an assistant professor in the University of Florida’s Microbiology and Cell Science Department. - Dias has led her own laboratory at UF in Gainesville since January 2022. - Her research focuses on computational biology, artificial intelligence, machine learning and human health innovation. - UF’s AI initiative is a collaboration with NVIDIA backed by a $70 million investment for a new supercomputer and faculty recruitment. The details: - Dias uses machine learning and high-performance computing to analyze genomic and clinical datasets tied to multifactorial diseases. - Her team is developing methods to identify hidden patterns in biological and clinical data. - The goal is to uncover disease mechanisms and support more personalized healthcare approaches. - Dias earned a bachelor’s degree in Biological Sciences and a master’s degree in Computer Science from the Pontifical Catholic University in southern Brazil. - She later completed a PhD in Microbiology and Cell Science at the University of Florida. - Her doctoral work included machine learning tools for protein-ligand interactions and research on the human gut microbiome in Type 1 Diabetes. - After her PhD, Dias held a postdoctoral position at Northern Arizona University focused on genetic variants and cancer research in Native American communities. - She later joined the Scripps Research Institute as a senior staff scientist and worked on AI applications in clinical genomics, including coronary artery disease risk prediction. - Dias has received Brazil’s Young Scientist Prize and an NIH K-type career development award. - Her work is also tied to mentoring early-career scientists. - She attributes much of her path to encouragement from her parents, older brother, high school science teacher Patricia Silva and mentor Dr. Eric Triplett. - Dias says her first international scientific conference showed her the value of collaboration in research. - She enjoys 3D printing, science fiction, video games and time with her husband and young son. Between the lines: - Dias’ career reflects a broader shift in biology toward computation-heavy research that depends on large datasets and advanced modeling. - Her emphasis on openness and collaboration stands in contrast to the competition that often shapes academic science. - Her comments on gender imbalance point to persistent barriers for women in STEM, especially in computer science and other male-dominated fields. - The University of Florida AI effort appears to be building both research capacity and faculty depth around data-intensive science. What’s next: - Dias is expected to keep expanding AI-driven methods for genomics and clinical research at the University of Florida. - Her lab is positioned to contribute to UF’s broader push in artificial intelligence and life sciences. - She also aims to continue mentoring students and encouraging more women to enter computer science and related fields. The bottom line: - Raquel Dias is becoming a visible example of how AI, genomics and precision medicine are converging at the University of Florida, while her career path highlights the importance of mentorship and representation in STEM. More information and her University of Florida profile