A Night of Discovery: Dartmouth Innovation in Medicine & Healthcare @ NYC
On May 14, 2025, Dartmouth Health and the Geisel School of Medicine hosted an inspiring evening at The Times Center in New York City, bringing together alumni, healthcare leaders, and innovators to explore the forefront of medical and technological advancements.
The event commenced with opening remarks by John MacPhee, CEO of The JED Foundation, who emphasized the critical importance of mental health support for young adults. His insights set the tone for the panel discussion that followed.
Moderated by Steven Leach, MD, director of the Dartmouth Cancer Center, the panel featured distinguished experts Lynn Fiellin, MD, and Parth Shah, MD.
Fiellin, a professor with faculty appointments within the Departments of Biomedical Data Science, Medicine, and the Dartmouth Institute for Health Policy and Clinical Practice at the Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth, is founder of the play2PREVENT Lab. During the panel, she shared how video game interventions she developed may reduce risky behaviors among adolescents—an innovative approach at the crosshairs of technology and behavioral health.
Shah, assistant professor at Geisel and director of Genomic Informatics at Dartmouth Health, discussed a groundbreaking genomic data science platform. Now adopted by the National Cancer Institute, the platform streamlines molecular diagnostics, reducing the time required for leukemia diagnosis from weeks to a single day. His presentation underscored the transformative potential of precision medicine in clinical settings.
Other Key Innovations Highlighted:
- First Prescribable iPhone App for Opioid Use Disorder: Dartmouth showcased the development of the first prescribable iPhone app designed for opioid use disorder, exemplifying the powerful intersection of digital health and behavioral treatment.
- Precision Prevention: The event also spotlighted Dartmouth’s commitment to precision prevention, a collaborative effort across Dartmouth College, the Geisel School of Medicine, and Dartmouth Health, aimed at advancing cancer prevention and treatment.
The evening also featured a networking reception, allowing attendees to engage directly with the speakers and fellow participants. The atmosphere was one of collaboration and shared commitment to advancing healthcare innovation.
Featured Speakers:
Introductory remarks
John MacPhee, CEO, Jed Foundation
John brings 25 years of leadership and management experience from the business and not-for-profit settings to his role at JED. Passionate about supporting young adults in their transition to adulthood, John advises several organizations including the S. Jay Levy Fellowship for Future Leaders at City College, Trek Medics, Crisis Text Line, the Health Policy and Management Department at the Mailman School of Public Health, and HIV Hero.
Earlier in his career, he served in executive positions for Par Pharmaceutical, Inc. and Forest Laboratories, where he oversaw functions such as business development, alliance management, clinical development, regulatory affairs, sales and marketing.
In 2016, John received The Allan Rosenfield Alumni Award for Excellence in the field of public health from the Joseph L. Mailman School of Public Health at Columbia University. He earned a BA from Columbia College, an MBA from New York University and an MPH from Columbia University.
Moderator
Steven Leach, MD, Director, Dartmouth Cancer Center
Steven D. Leach, MD, a surgical oncologist and pancreatic cancer researcher, is the Director of Dartmouth Cancer Center. He is also a professor within the Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth and Dartmouth’s Guarini School of Graduate and Advanced Studies, where he directs a highly productive research lab focused on pancreatic cancer biology.
Prior to joining Dartmouth in 2017, he held the David M. Rubenstein Chair and was the inaugural director of the Rubenstein Center for Pancreatic Research at Memorial Sloan Kettering. In that role, he and his research team focused on the biology, genetics, and treatment of pancreatic cancer.
In 2018, Leach was named a Fellow of the American Academy for the Advancement of Science. In 2023 he was elected to the National Academy of Medicine. He has served as chair of the Pancreatic Cancer Action Network’s Scientific and Medical Advisory Board and was a member of the Princeton University Board of Trustees
Panelists
Lynn Fiellin, MD, Professor, Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth; Faculty Affiliate, Center for Technology and Behavioral Health
Lynn Fiellin, MD, is a professor of Biomedical Data Science, Medicine, and at The Dartmouth Institute for Health Policy & Clinical Practice at the Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth. She is the founding director of the play2PREVENT Lab, which develops video game interventions to promote health and reduce risk in adoldescents. She and her team of researchers, game developers, youth, and community partners have created and evaluated evidence-based digital games addressing mental health, opioid misuse, smoking/vaping, and sexual health and HIV/STI prevention.
Fiellin is also the founder of Playbl, Inc., a startup company focusing on marketing and distributing her lab’s portfolio of games. Playbl’s goal is to make these games accessible to adolescents in an effective and sustainable way.
Prior to joining Dartmouth in 2023, Fiellin completed a 21-year career at Yale University and Yale New Haven Health, where she held leadership positions and also completed her medical training and residency.
Parth Shah, MD, Assistant Professor, Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth; Director of Genomic Informatics, Dartmouth Health
Parth Shah, MD is a physician-scientist and the Director of Genome Informatics at Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center. He spearheaded the creation of the Dartmouth Cloud, a HIPAA-compliant platform designed to support both clinical workloads and research development. He also co-led the design and implementation of a clinical genomics informatics suite for somatic exome and transcriptome sequencing, covering all solid and hematological cancers. Additionally, he serves as an Assistant Professor at the Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth and holds board certifications in Hematology, Medical Oncology, and Internal Medicine.
