Graph-based AI to detect hospital-onset sepsis and find modifiable hospital factors
Official title: Graph Neural Networks and Longitudinal Mediation Analysis for Hospital-Onset Sepsis to ImproveEarly Detection and Uncover Modifiable Risk Factors
Funded at Washington University · NIH-11428470 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A patient-friendly program uses advanced computer models to spot hospital-onset sepsis early and uncover hospital practices that can be changed to reduce risk.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Washington University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Saint Louis, United States) |
| Project start | September 1, 2026 |
| Project end | April 30, 2031 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $359,227 |
| NIH project number | 1R01GM166117-01 |
| Project ID | NIH-11428470 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Hospital patients at risk for or developing sepsis in inpatient settings.
✕Less likely to help
Patients not exposed to hospital-onset sepsis or those in settings not studied by this project.
What this research studies
This project treats hospitals as living networks and uses new machine learning methods to study how system-level factors in a hospital influence sepsis risk. By analyzing patient data, nurse interactions, and the hospital environment, it aims to identify modifiable factors that could prevent hospital-onset sepsis. The research will translate complex modeling into insights that could guide hospital staff and administrators toward safer practices and timing of care. If successful, these findings could inform targeted interventions to lower sepsis deaths in hospital wards.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: Patients could benefit from earlier sepsis detection and safer hospital practices that reduce infections.
How similar studies have gone: Previous work suggests ML models can improve infection detection but this study emphasizes hospital-level dynamics and system factors, so results could be novel.
Where this research is happening
-
Washington University
Saint Louis, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Vazquez Guillamet, Maria Cristina — Washington University
- Study coordinator: Vazquez Guillamet, Maria Cristina
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About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.