New partnership between Oracle and Baylor College of Medicine aims to accelerate breakthroughs in alcohol-related liver disease 

Oracle Health and Life Sciences has announced a collaboration with Baylor College of Medicine to advance research on alcohol-related liver disease (ALD), using AI and real-world data (RWD) to support earlier detection and improved understanding of the condition. 

ALD is one of the fastest-growing causes of liver-related illness and mortality in the US, with recent studies indicating a rising prevalence among younger adults. In response, Oracle Health and Life Sciences and Baylor College of Medicine have formed a collaboration aimed at strengthening research into ALD and supporting improved prevention, diagnosis, and treatment. 

Under the partnership, Baylor College of Medicine will use Oracle Health’s AI data platform and extensive RWD resources, which include more than 120 million longitudinal anonymized patient records. The goal is to establish one of the largest ALD cohorts in the US, expanding to more than one million patients, to enable large-scale research into disease progression and risk factors. 

Researchers at Baylor plan to use Oracle’s datasets and AI-based analytical tools to identify patterns, predictive markers, and other insights that could help advance understanding of ALD. Findings from this work are expected to contribute to clinical research and inform broader public health strategies aimed at reducing the burden of the disease. 

“Alcohol-related liver disease represents a critical public health challenge, and earlier identification is key to changing outcomes,” said Seema Verma, Executive Vice President and General Manager, Oracle Health and Life Sciences. “With Oracle’s robust data and analytics capabilities and Baylor’s expertise in clinical research and patient care, we have the opportunity to help transform how this condition is studied, diagnosed, and treated.” 

Dr Hashem El-Serag, Vice President for the Learning Health System Initiative, and Professor and Chair of the Department of Medicine at Baylor College of Medicine, described the collaboration as, “an exciting opportunity to accelerate discovery and improve clinical practice in the era of digital medicine.” He added: 

“By building one of the largest alcohol-related liver disease cohorts in the country, we’re not only creating a critical research resource, but also advancing the potential to intervene earlier and more effectively for patients at risk.”