MUSC, South Carolina launch coordinated AI research strategy
The Medical University of South Carolina is positioning itself as a hub for AI-driven biomedical research, backed by a statewide initiative to build research capacity across South Carolina's universities.
At an early March symposium hosted by MUSC's Office of the Vice President for Research, leaders outlined how state and institutional funding streams will support faculty recruitment, workforce training and health care innovation. The event brought together researchers from across MUSC's enterprise to hear from state and institutional officials about upcoming grant opportunities in AI.
South Carolina's research funding gap
South Carolina receives 0.68% of all National Science Foundation funding-below the 0.75% threshold that qualifies states for the federal EPSCoR (Established Program to Stimulate Competitive Research) program. That qualification positions the state to continue accessing federal money designed to strengthen research competitiveness in historically underfunded regions.
Timothy Stemmler, vice president for research at MUSC, noted that MUSC has successfully leveraged these opportunities. The institution leads the nation in COBRE (Centers of Biomedical Research Excellence) funding, with more than $159 million awarded across current and prior programs.
ADAPT in SC: A statewide AI initiative
South Carolina's updated Vision 2030 Science and Technology Plan focuses on expanding high-tech industry, accelerating entrepreneurship, deepening STEM education and strengthening research at state universities. A centerpiece is ADAPT in SC-AI-enabled Devices for the Advancement of Personalized and Transformative Healthcare in South Carolina.
ADAPT in SC funds nine research initiatives across state universities. Projects range from explainable AI diagnostics to deep learning-driven rehabilitation tools. MUSC investigators involved include Jihad Obeid, M.D.; Jesse Dean, Ph.D.; G. Hamilton Baker, M.D.; Grant Goodrich, Ph.D., and Jean Marie Ruddy, M.D.
The initiative has supported five new faculty hires statewide. MUSC is recruiting a faculty member specializing in biomedical data curation.
MUSC's internal AI infrastructure
Marylyn Ritchie, MUSC's chief artificial intelligence officer, outlined how the institution is building its technological foundation. MUSC's electronic health record dataset spans back to 2012 and includes geospatial and environmental data-resources that enable disease subtyping, phenotyping, multi-omic integration and disease trajectory prediction.
Ritchie launched the AI Center for Health Innovation and Informatics to pioneer AI-driven health care delivery, research and education; build an AI-ready workforce; ensure ethical and secure AI use; develop prototypes and tools for investigators; and strengthen partnerships with other research institutions.
An AI governance framework is nearing launch at MUSC to ensure responsible development aligned with patient and public trust.
Upcoming funding streams
Several funding opportunities are on the horizon for researchers:
- EPSCoR Research Incubators for STEM Excellence (E-RISE)
- Duke Endowment grants in health care, including population health, oral health and mental health
- South Carolina Clinical and Translational Research Institute pilot programs
- Collaborative grants through the MUSC-UF Southeastern Health AI Consortium
- Forthcoming AI Center pilot grants
Researchers can consult the Clemson-MUSC AI Hub for guidance on AI applications. The Office of Research Development can help identify collaborators aligned with state research priorities and build competitive proposals.
For researchers looking to build expertise in AI applications across scientific domains, resources like AI for Science & Research offer structured learning paths covering data modeling, analysis and laboratory optimization.
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