Apply to our 2025 Cohort Program, focused on AI Drug Discovery, here.
The MSK Innovation Hub Challenge (MSK iHub Challenge) was launched in 2024 as an expansion of MSK’s successful Innovation Hub program—a digital health accelerator which unites clinicians, researchers, and healthcare technology developers to create solutions that advance the prevention and treatment of cancer, positively impacting patients’ lives.
Each year, the MSK iHub Challenge welcomes a cohort of digital healthcare companies focusing on strategic themes identified by MSK’s clinical and digital health experts as areas of need and opportunity within the global healthcare sector. Our goal is to help jumpstart digital health innovation aimed at achieving transformative results.
Program Overview
Duration: Each cohort session will last for 3 months. Challenge participants who are invited to join the MSK Innovation Hub may potentially go on to collaborate with MSK based on project proposals developed during the Challenge.
Format: Hybrid Program
- 2 main in-person events in NYC
- Virtual programming: Structured curriculum with cohort companies and 1:1 expert meetings
2025 Theme: AI Drug Discovery
We’re seeking digitally focused innovative companies who are leveraging AI to address critical challenges in the drug discovery process. Through iHub Challenge, companies receive access to deidentified clinical data, cloud resources, and expert mentorship to accelerate the drug discovery process.
We welcome submissions across all AI-driven drug discovery applications, including but not limited to target discovery and validation, lead identification and design, predictive modeling and optimization, drug safety and translational efficacy, and early-stage clinical trials. Bring your algorithms, your creativity, and your vision. We’ll provide the expertise, data, and stage to amplify your impact.
Resources and Benefits
- Exclusive Data Access from a top academic medical center: Receive access to high-quality, curated, deidentified clinical and genomic data hosted in MSK’s data sandbox.
- Strategic Alignment: Directly align your innovations with the needs of a leading global cancer center.
- Expert Collaboration and Support: Receive direct mentoring from top MSK experts, while accessing a wealth of institutional knowledge and resources.
- Powerful Network: Build meaningful relationships with MSK stakeholders who can champion your solution within our institution. Showcase your technology at the iHub Challenge Demo Day to decision makers, industry executive, and funders.
- Dedicated Support from iHub Core team and liaisons helps with outreach, communications, and more throughout the program.
- Additional resources include Office Hours, 1:1 Mentoring with external mentors, and Cloud and Compute Credits
Questions?
If you have any questions, please contact Jae Zhong, Senior Program Manager (zhongs1@mskcc.org)
Fall 2024 Cohort Session
Thematic Focus: Decentralized Clinical Trials (DCT).
This represents a ripe opportunity to significantly improve healthcare delivery due to a number of intersecting factors. These include the increasing traction and capabilities of digital health technologies; patient’s and caregiver’s level of comfort with technology and both synchronous (telemedicine) and asynchronous interactions as components of their care; increasing demand for convenient healthcare solutions that fit into patients’ lives; and the opportunity for DCTs to support more diverse and representative participation of individuals in clinical research.
Cohort Participants (10): Addinex; Biogenesis; Cancer Insights; Clinibiz; Jeeva Clinical Trials; Medeloop; Medzoomer; Oncoshot; Synchronyx; Triomics
Cohort Executive Sponsors:
- Paul Sabbatini, MD, Senior Vice President, Clinical Research, MSK
- Joe Lengfellner, Senior Director, Clinical Research Information Technology, MSK
MSK iHub Executive Sponsor: Anaeze Offodile II, MD, MPH, Chief Strategy Officer, MSK
MSK Core Team:
- Rick Peng, MSK Innovation Hub Manager
- Jae Zhong, Senior Program Manager
- Abigail Baldwin-Medsker, Senior Director, Emerging Digital Programs
- Heather Coffin, Director, Strategic Design
- Kim Burgas, Design Strategist III
- Eliza Mclellan, Design Strategist III
- Lana Voskoboynik, Associate Director, Strategic Initiatives
MSK Mentors & Subject Matter Experts
- Avijit Chatterjee, Senior Director, Artificial Intelligence & Machine Learning
- Dr. Alexander Drilon, Thoracic Medical Oncologist
- Dr. Lorenzo Falchi, Lymphoma Medical Oncology
- Cheryl Fischer, Nurse Leader
- RuthAnn Gordon, Director, Clinical Trials Nursing
- Laura Guttentag, Manager, Clinical Research
- Joanna Halperin, Privacy Officer, Chief Privacy Counsel
- Selena Hamid, Clinical Research Associate
- Dr. Justin Haseltine, Radiation Oncologist
- Irfan Hoque, Manager, Pharmacy
- Collette Houston, VP, Clinical Research Compliance
- Meredith Hyland, Clinical Research Supervisor
- Dr. Alexia Iasonos, Biostatistician
- Dr. Thomas Kaley, Neuro-oncologist
- Andrij Kuzyszyn, Director, Cybersecurity Operations
- Elena Lascu, Associate Director, Clinical Research Budget & Billing Compliance
- Melissa Lee-Teh, Director, Pharmacy Chemotherapy Practice & Investigational Drugs
- Rachel Lehrman, Associate Director, Clinical Research Operations
- Natasha Martin, Clinical Research Manager
- Jocelyn Migliacci, Program Manager, Study Start Up
- Gerry O’Neill, Assistant Director, Pharmacy
- Michael-Owen Panzarella, Manager II, Application Services
- Anna Patruno, Product Manager II, IT & Digital Initiatives
- John Philip, Senior Director, Clinical & Translational Research Informatics
- Michelle Pilloff, Associate Director, Clinical Research Operations
- Dr. Dana Rathkopf, Genitourinary Medical Oncologist
- Dr. Gregory Riely, Thoracic Medical Oncologist
- Stephanie Terzulli, VP, Clinical Research Operations
- Mary Warren, Senior Director, Clinical Research Multi-Site Compliance
- Barry Zakrzewski, Senior Director, Clinical Research Finance