Prof. Elad Yom-Tov
I use tools of Information Retrieval and Data Science to improve medicine, especially using data from the internet.
I also develop tools to nudge people to better health through personalized interventions
CV
Prof. Yom-Tov has over two decades of research experience at Rafael, IBM Research, Yahoo Research, and Microsoft Research. He previously taught at the Technion and has been a faculty member at Bar-Ilan University since 2023.
He is the author of Crowdsourced Health, which has also been translated into Chinese and Japanese, an ACM Distinguished Lecturer, a board member of the Roybal Center at Harvard, and formerly an advisor to the World Health Organization (WHO) and the UK National Health Service (NHS).
Research
AI and Digital Health
Healthcare systems typically identify disease outbreaks only after they have already spread. Yet long before that, people leave early signals, through search queries and social media activity.
Prof. Elad Yom-Tov develops algorithms to analyze these digital traces to identify unusual patterns, detect outbreaks at an early stage, and transform data into insights that advance public health.
His research combines artificial intelligence tools for identifying patterns of disease from web-based data at levels of populations and individuals. Another research focus is Reinforcement Learning methods, which he uses to develop systems that learn how to motivate personalized behavioral change, from improving medication adherence to increasing physical activity. In this way, data is not only monitored but translated into practical tools for improving health in real time, integrating early disease detection with personalized interventions based on real-world data.
Key Research Areas:
Information Retrieval and Machine Learning for Early Disease Detection
Reinforcement Learning for Behavior Change via Personalized Health Interventions
Research Nature:
Empirical and applied research, including algorithm development and large-scale data analysis, in collaboration with health organizations in Israel, the UK, the US, Germany, and Hong Kong.
Career Paths:
Graduates of the lab pursue roles across sectors:
Industry: Data Scientists and AI Researchers in technology companies
Academia: Researchers and lecturers
Public Sector: Data analysis experts in health organizations
Publications
Last Updated Date : 30/07/2026
