Distributed data and federated analytics models open up new avenues for health sciences researchers and health care businesses, creating options for improvement in data privacy, security, and governance as well as new opportunities for data sharing across organizations without the need for data integration. Learn from real-world examples of distributed approaches, including recent applications related to COVID-19 testing and vaccination data, and hear expert opinions on what the most promising new areas will be for development in the field, as well as the challenges that lie ahead.

Session Host

Prerna Anand, Product Manager, Center for Digital Health Innovation, University of California, San Francisco

Prerna Anand is a Product Manager at CDHI focusing on patients’ experience in the referral process. She brings to the team a deep understanding of care quality and management, risk adjustment, utilization, data interoperability, Agile product development, HIPAA compliance, and elegant solution design.

Prior to CDHI, Prerna was a Product Manager at Apixio, a data analytics company. She owned the risk adjustment product suite (built on machine learning and cognitive computing). She is also the Director of Market Intelligence at Health 2.0. She built their online database that tracks innovation in health tech.

She has an MBA in Finance and a Masters in Applied Economics. Outside of work, she spends her time sailing, skiing, or singing.

Session Participants

Charles Darling V, CEO, Arcis Health

Charles is an early-stage tech and healthcare executive and investor with global experience. Currently, he is the CEO of Arcis Health, a Covid-19 response consultancy that has designed and built solutions for companies and governments in the US. Formerly, he has founded, led, advised, and exited businesses in the US and China in categories including online, mobile, blockchain, medical device, and digital health. Additionally, he is a Venture Partner at Elite Capital Advisors, a US-China healthcare venture capital firm, as well as having been a family office investor.


Chris Moose, Blockchain Partner and Healthpass Ecosystem Development, IBM

Chris forms blockchain-based business networks and ecosystems with a focus on IBM’s Healthpass platform.

His responsibilities include strategic planning, marketplace assessment, business plan development, negotiating sales contracts / memorandums of understanding and addressing the media. He also represents IBM’s blockchain and ecosystem point of view to congressional, federal agencies and states.

His previous experience involved helping life sciences and healthcare companies across marketing, social media and technology domains. Blockchain, Quantum, Cognitive / AI, data lakes, etc. are particular areas of interest.

His views on technology, privacy and industry trends are available through Twitter https://twitter.com/moosechris


Tanvi Rao, Emory Health Care Innovation Hub (11 Ten Innovation Partners) and Cambridge University PhDc Radiology

Tanvi Rao is a prospective PhD candidate at the University of Cambridge in Radiogenomics and will be working to improve prognosis, diagnostics, and precision therapeutics by developing predictive models relating clinical imaging to outcomes and genomics data for Hepatocellular Carcinoma (HCC). Prior to her PhD, Tanvi worked in strategy consulting for life sciences and healthcare clients supporting digital and data transformation initiatives. She is passionate about the potential that innovation and healthcare tech has to bridge gaps in care and access, particularly through the breakdown of silos and creation of data ecosystems.