Welcome
The Big Data Institute (BDI) is an interdisciplinary research institute that focuses on the analysis of large, complex, heterogeneous data sets for research into the causes and consequences, prevention and treatment of disease. BDI researchers develop, evaluate and deploy efficient methods for acquiring and analysing information for large clinical research studies. These approaches are invaluable in identifying the associations between lifestyle exposures, genetic variants, infections and health outcomes around the globe. The BDI is part of the Li Ka Shing Centre for Health Information and Discovery at the University of Oxford's Old Road Campus.
News
First direct evidence links gene to fat storage, hinting at new obesity therapies
4 September 2025
A new study, involving researchers at the Big Data Institute, has shown for the first time that a little-known gene, SLTM, plays a direct role in how fat is stored inside human cells. While large population studies had previously linked rare variants in SLTM to higher body mass index (BMI), its function at a cellular level was unknown until now.
Using AI to reclassify multiple sclerosis progression
20 August 2025
Researchers from the Big Data Institute, together with MS experts from ten leading institutions across the world and drug developers from Novartis and Roche, have collaborated to develop an artificial intelligence (AI) model for reclassifying the progression of multiple sclerosis (MS). This model is based on the largest collection of clinical trial data (Novartis-Oxford MS dataset) from people living with MS.
BDI researchers awarded European Research Council Advanced Grants
17 June 2025
Two BDI researchers have been awarded European Research Council Advanced Grants for cutting-edge research.