The research focus "Medical Information Sciences" - based on the paradigm "from big data to smart data" - aims to develop an intelligent approach to the large and heterogeneous data sets of medical research. There is a lot of data, for example from large cohort studies, health care, biomedical databases, but also from fitness apps. The challenge that is being explored is how to gain new insights from all this information. Other topics include the development of methods and technologies, and the building of new, internet-based infrastructures for a learning healthcare system. The healthcare sector, patient care, clinical research and biotechnology can benefit from this. In addition, the more efficient use of IT systems, research on telemedicine and mobile health (apps & wearables), as well as the computer-based modelling and simulation of disease outcomes, also from the aspect of environmental influences and therapeutic interventions, are further aspects of the "Medical Information Sciences focus area ".

The research field "Environmental Health Sciences" aims to identify both positive and negative environmental impacts on health - including social impacts - and develop preventive approaches. Likewise, research is being carried out on the further development of diagnosis and therapy. Topics include air pollutants, environmental microbiology or climate change as well as societal influences on the development, course and treatment of diseases. It is not only skin diseases or respiratory diseases that are the focus of interest - rather, environmental factors also promote the development of diseases of the cardiovascular system such as heart attack or heart failure.
For the Science Council, this is a field of research that has not been adequately addressed in Germany, the subject matter of which is highly topical. "In the United States, the research field of Environment and Health has long been established as an essential area of ​​medical research, in which very substantial funds are invested annually. In Germany, we want to strengthen this focus in Augsburg," reports Prof. Dr. Sabine Doering-Manteuffel from her trip to the United States, where she visited designated "Environmental Health Sciences" research centres. In addition to the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, these include the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, the Environmental Protection Agency and the prestigious Harvard University.