Program Overview

Introduction to the Digital Health Co/Lab

The Digital Health Co/Lab at the University of Kansas (KU) is dedicated to fostering the development of trainees interested in digital health research and commercialization. The Co/Lab serves faculty from all KU campuses, providing focused support and expertise in developing advanced diagnostic tools, evidence-based therapeutic interventions, and innovative solutions to empower healthcare providers with cutting-edge technology.

One-Year Staudacher Fellowship in Digital Health Research and Commercialization

The Digital Health Co/Lab offers a one-year fellowship to foster the development of trainees interested in digital health research and commercialization. The fellowship is open to KU predoctoral students enrolled in a full-time PhD or MD program, or recent graduates of a doctoral-level degree program within one year of degree conferral. Applicants from the fields of medicine, nursing, health professions, public health, psychology, computer science, bioengineering, or another digital health-related field are eligible to apply.

Eligibility Criteria

• Applicants must be either a KU predoctoral student or a recent graduate of a doctoral-level degree program.
• Applicants must be from a digital health-related field.
• Predoctoral students must seek permission to apply from their training program's Department Chair or the School of Medicine's Office of Student Affairs.

Fellowship Details

• The position provides salary support, fringe benefits, and protected time for digital health-related research.
• The applicant must identify a faculty member with a primary full-time appointment at KU Lawrence or KU Medical Center to serve as their primary mentor.
• The primary mentor must have an active laboratory/research program and a demonstrated history of successful past/current research funding and trainee mentorship.
• Dr. Frank T. Materia, Dr. Anthony Sung, or Mr. Chris Rehkamp will serve as a secondary mentor, with matching based on project topic and proposed goals.

Research Areas

• Health app development
• Artificial intelligence
• Big data
• Biosensors
• Medical devices
• Robotics
• Internet interventions
• Text messaging
• Virtual reality
• Wearable devices

Application Process

• A cover letter indicating interest in the fellowship, qualifications, specific digital health research interests, preferred primary mentor, and goals for the fellowship year.
• A current curriculum vitae.
• Names and titles for 3 references.
• Evidence of predoctoral program Department Chair's or School of Medicine Office of Student Affairs' permission to participate in the Fellowship (for current full-time KU graduate or medical students).

Application Deadline

The final application deadline is 5:00 pm CDT on March 27, 2026. Co/Lab leadership will review applications, and interviews will be scheduled with a final decision announced in May 2026.

Past Staudacher Fellow

Angela Kaczorowski-Worthley was a previous Staudacher Fellow. Her work focused on digital health research and commercialization.

Current Staudacher Fellow

Joo Hyun Lee is the current Staudacher Fellow. He is a student in the Rehabilitation Science PhD program and is working on using mobile health applications to enhance rehabilitation outcomes under the mentorship of Dr. Linda D'Silva. During his fellowship year, Joo Hyun aims to explore how digital technology can improve mobility in both controlled lab settings and real-world environments. He will also deepen his knowledge in machine learning and AI analytics to better understand the potential of mobile health technology in enhancing recovery.