Atul Butte, M.D., Ph.D. Closed Now

Dr. Atul Butte is one of the most prominent figures in health data science, combining backgrounds in medicine, computer science, and bioinformatics. He is the Chief Data Scientist for the University of California Health System, overseeing data-driven strategies across multiple medical centers. Additionally, he directs the Institute for Computational Health Sciences at UCSF (University of California, San Francisco), where he also serves as a professor.

Butte’s career has centered on translating big data into actionable medical insights. Early in his career, he pioneered methods to repurpose publicly available molecular and clinical datasets to identify new uses for existing drugs, an approach that has had direct implications for precision medicine and pharmaceutical innovation. His work is a key example of translational bioinformatics—bridging research data with clinical application.

At UCSF and UC Health, he leads initiatives that bring together electronic health records, genomics, imaging, and wearable data to create integrated platforms for healthcare delivery and research. He is particularly focused on how massive datasets can accelerate drug discovery, improve clinical decision-making, and optimize population health management.

Butte is also an entrepreneur, having co-founded several companies that grew out of his academic research. His contributions have earned him election to the National Academy of Medicine and recognition in TIME, Forbes, and Nature for shaping the future of data-driven healthcare.

A charismatic speaker and prolific author, Butte has published extensively in biomedical informatics, genomics, and AI applications in healthcare. His mission is clear: to transform the deluge of health data into knowledge that directly benefits patients.