On September 26, 2024, Dartmouth Health and the Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth, in partnership with the Magnuson Center for Entrepreneurship, Thayer School of Engineering, and Tuck School of Business, hosted the inaugural Innovation in Medicine & Healthcare Summit at the Hanover Inn in Hanover, N.H. The summit convened leaders from healthcare, technology, and academia to explore cutting-edge advancements in cancer therapeutics, digital health, and healthcare delivery—and their potential impacts on patient care and education.
Investing for Impact
The event’s first panel, titled “Investing for Impact: How Philanthropic Partnerships are Driving Innovation in Medicine and Healthcare,” was moderated by Errik Anderson (D ’00 TH ’06 TU ’07), CEO and Founder of Alloy Therapeutics, Inc. Panelists included Neil Smiley (D ’82), Founder and CEO of Loopback Analytics; Reed Jobs, Founder of Yosemite Venture Fund; and John Connolly, PhD (GR ’01 MED ’01), Chief Scientific Officer at the Parker Institute for Cancer Immunotherapy.
Keynote Conversation: Philanthropy Meets Venture Capital
The summit commenced with a compelling keynote conversation between Reed Jobs and Errik Anderson. Introduced by Steve Leach, MD, director of Dartmouth Cancer Center, Jobs emphasized his organization’s goal “to ultimately make cancer non-lethal in our lifetimes” through a combination of philanthropic and venture capital approaches.
“Being an investor made me a much better philanthropist,” Jobs said, explaining how both are key to seeding innovation, catalyzing commercialization, and generating revenue.
Jobs and Anderson were joined onstage by Neil Smiley, founder and CEO of Loopback Analytics and president of the Charles H. Hood Foundation, and John Connolly, PhD, chief scientific officer of the Parker Institute for Cancer Immunotherapy. Together, the panel discussed de-risking strategies, data-driven improvements in treatment access, and the value philanthropy can bring to accelerating innovation, setting the stage for the day’s exploration of healthcare’s future.
Emerging Themes in Healthcare Innovation
Throughout the summit, several critical themes emerged, including the importance of multidisciplinary collaboration in driving innovation and the challenge of translating scientific research from academic labs to clinical settings.
Dartmouth President Sian Leah Beilock, PhD, highlighted what makes the university environment conducive to collaboration. Jamie Coughlin, executive director of The Magnuson Center for Entrepreneurship at Dartmouth, discussed the significance of Dartmouth’s “ecosystem” in driving innovation accelerators and business development initiatives to bring medical innovations to market.
“A major goal of this ecosystem is to improve outcomes,” Coughlin stated. “Our community is deeply connected, from academic science through entrepreneurship. And we’re excited to have you lean into what we’re building here at Dartmouth, which can inform industry and our healthcare systems.”
Storytelling as a Catalyst for Change
The event also emphasized the power of storytelling in successful entrepreneurship as a crucial element in turning discoveries into tangible benefits.
Plenary speaker Richard Levy (D ’60), PhD, shared how caring for his late wife, Susan, inspired him to seek improvements in healthcare quality and delivery. This led to his continued support of the Susan & Richard Levy Health Care Delivery Incubator, a joint venture between The Dartmouth Institute and Dartmouth Health. The experience also highlighted for him the crucial role of social services and the need for innovative solutions to lower costs and navigate complex healthcare systems.
Liya Shuster-Bier (D ’10), founder and CEO of Maia Oncology, shared her personal battle with cancer and how undergoing treatment led her to create a “virtual comprehensive primary care clinic for cancer patients and survivors.” This demonstrated the transformative potential of personal experiences in advancing healthcare.
A Shift in Medical Consciousness
Many speakers argued a shift in medical consciousness is underway, with physicians increasingly relying on AI and other technologies. They are beginning to view health not just as the absence of disease but as complete physical, mental, and social well-being.
During a panel on healthcare delivery for young patients, Matt Hand, DO, a pediatric nephrologist and integrative medicine specialist at Dartmouth Health Children’s, highlighted the need for a shift in viewing wellness. Hand emphasized the integration of “integrative techniques like nutrition, movement, and stress-reduction.” Lynn Fiellin, MD, professor of biomedical data science at Geisel, also discussed the importance of preventative care and early interventions for adolescents.
Dartmouth’s Position in Shaping Healthcare’s Future
The summit also covered the future of AI in healthcare, with experts exploring potential applications and ethical considerations of AI in medical diagnosis and treatment. Lisa Marsch, PhD, director of The Center for Technology and Behavioral Health at Dartmouth, shared her excitement about the future of digital behavioral health therapeutics and AI-driven technologies to boost access to mental health resources and psychiatric treatment.
The summit concluded with calls to action, including discussions on aligning research, entrepreneurship, and venture capital to support the best ideas. Geisel Dean Duane Compton, PhD, echoed the opening remarks about Dartmouth’s unique ability to drive innovation, stating: “This summit brings together some of the brightest minds in healthcare and technology, fostering collaborations that will undoubtedly lead to shaping the future of medicine, improving patient care, and advances in medical research.”
