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A Nigerian-born health data scientist, David Ajayi, is making waves in the United States through nationally recognized work applying artificial intelligence (AI) to urgent public health equity challenges such as chronic disease, delayed diagnosis, and unmet social needs.
His research has been featured at the AcademyHealth National Research Meeting, and he currently serves in dual leadership roles at Indiana University’s Center for Health Policy and as Associate Director – Clinical Trial Foundations at Eli Lilly and Company, one of the world’s top pharmaceutical companies.
He said: “I believe public health transformation starts with the ability to see clearly, both through data and systems. That’s what my work is about, translating complex clinical and social data into targeted action.”
At Indiana University, Ajayi serves as Health Policy Analyst and Data Engineer, where he architects large-scale electronic health record (EHR) pipelines and analytics systems for research into social determinants of health, chronic disease, and Medicaid reform.
His study on U.S. patients, found that renters, low-income families, and people with metastatic cancer or depression were significantly more likely to seek ER care for oral health needs. “The Guardian Nigeria” previously highlighted Ajayi’s contributions to this growing conversation on health disparities.
These issues are not limited to the United States. Delayed diagnosis, chronic disease burden, and disparities in access to care are global crises, particularly acute in low- and middle-income countries. Ajayi’s models offer a replicable framework for addressing these structural gaps, whether in Indiana or Lagos.
In 2025, Ajayi was also appointed Associate Director at Eli Lilly and Company, where he led digital transformation of global clinical trials, specifically in deploying electronic clinical outcome assessments (eCOA), automation, and AI-powered integration across studies in oncology, immunology, and neuroscience. “At Lilly, I help modernize clinical systems to get new medicines to patients faster, more safely, and more equitably,” he noted.
Ajayi’s impact spans engineering, analytics, and policy. He previously earned degrees from the University of East London and Cranfield University, and held technical roles at ExxonMobil and Saint Louis University before joining Indiana University and Eli Lilly.
By embedding health equity into systems design, from clinical trials to Medicaid policy, Ajayi’s work tackles one of the most urgent global health challenges: how to deliver precision care in an unequal world.
With experience in both public institutions and Fortune 500 firms, Ajayi’s work illustrates the rising global relevance of Nigerian talent in shaping the future of medicine, data, and equitable care.
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