The research that helps drive health improvement and strong policy advancements in Arkansas doesn’t take place in a vacuum. It needs people committed to that work, the resources to fuel it, and the infrastructure to pull it all together and keep it moving forward. Just over 20 years ago, the Arkansas Biosciences Institute (ABI) was established as an agricultural and medical research consortium dedicated to improving the health of Arkansans. It is also one of the most prolific users of data in the Arkansas Healthcare Transparency Initiative, which ACHI administers on behalf of the Arkansas Insurance Department. To learn more about ABI and the roles data and research play in Arkansas, we’re joined on this episode of the Wonks at Work podcast by Dr. Robert “Bobby” McGehee, who recently retired after two decades at the institute’s helm.