Discover six cutting-edge healthcare technologies in an interactive showcase, each designed to solve real-world challenges and improve patient’s lives. Guests will meet the inventors and portfolio companies behind the work, learn about the science driving their ideas, and see how philanthropy helps transform innovation into impact. It’s an open, engaging space to ask questions, connect, and explore the future of medicine, together.
D. Geoffrey Vince, PhD, is Executive Director of Cleveland Clinic Innovations and Chair of the Department of Biomedical Engineering at Cleveland Clinic Research, where he holds The Virginia Lois Kennedy Chair in Biomedical Engineering and Applied Therapeutics. Since earning his PhD from the University of Liverpool and joining Cleveland Clinic in 1992, Dr. Vince has co-developed major innovations such as the patented "Virtual Histology™" imaging technology, later licensed to Volcano Therapeutics (now part of Philips). He holds over 60 patents and has played a key role in translating research into impactful medical technologies.
Dr. Vince served as Vice President of Clinical and Advanced R&D at Volcano Therapeutics before returning to Cleveland Clinic in 2011 to lead Biomedical Engineering. Appointed Executive Director of Innovations in 2022, he now focuses on aligning commercialization with research, advancing data and computing sciences, and accelerating healthcare innovation. He has led initiatives such as an NIH Centers for Accelerated Innovations grant and has served on Cleveland Clinic’s Board of Governors. His contributions to healthcare and regional economic growth have earned him national recognition, including being named to Becker's Healthcare’s list of “Top 35 Hospital and Health System Chief Innovation Officers to Know” for three consecutive years.
Lara Jehi, MD, is Cleveland Clinic’s first Chief Information Officer and holds the Sondra J. and Stephen R. Hardis Endowed Chair for Research and Technology. A professor of neurology at Cleveland Clinic Lerner College of Medicine, she specializes in epilepsy and directs the Outcomes Research program for Epilepsy. Dr. Jehi leads Cleveland Clinic’s Discovery Accelerator, overseeing over 50 projects in AI, quantum computing, and data science, including collaborations with global organizations such as STFC and Novo Nordisk Foundation. She co-chairs healthcare innovation groups with IBM and Meta, and advises federal agencies such as NIH and FDA.
Dr. Jehi’s research focuses on individualized prediction of outcomes following brain surgery, characterization of EEG-defined brain networks and blood-based multi-omics biomarkers predictive of various epilepsy-related outcomes, and comparative effectiveness research using electronic health record data. With over 200 publications and NIH-funded grants, she advances data-driven clinical decision-making and multi-center trials. As principal investigator of Cleveland Clinic’s Biorepository, she integrates biobanking into clinical workflows. Dr. Jehi chairs key commissions in epilepsy societies worldwide.
Executive Vice President
Chief Research and Academic Officer
Chair, Cleveland Clinic Research
Alfred Lerner Memorial Chair in Innovative Biomedical Research
Serpil Erzurum is Executive Vice President and Cleveland Clinic’s Chief Research and Academic Officer and Chair of Cleveland Clinic Research. Dr. Erzurum focuses on strategic growth of enterprise-wide medical and scientific education programs; clinical, basic and translational research; and technology development to deliver the most innovative care to patients.
A practicing pulmonologist and active scientist, Dr. Erzurum holds the Alfred Lerner Memorial Chair in Innovative Biomedical Research. Her scientific contributions and leadership in pulmonary research have led to diagnostic and therapeutic advances in lung diseases and helped to identify human physiologic adaptive responses to high-altitude hypoxia. She has published more than 300 peer-reviewed articles and has been the principal investigator on more than 20 federal grants, including multi-investigator program project grants and network trials. She is also a Professor of Medicine at the Cleveland Clinic Lerner College of Medicine of Case Western Reserve University.
Dr. Erzurum has earned numerous awards, including the prestigious MERIT award from the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute (NHLBI). She was elected to the National Academy of Medicine (NAM), American Society for Clinical Investigation (ASCI), and Association of American Physicians (AAP), where she served as president from 2017-2018. She has also served as chair of the Pulmonary Disease Board of the American Board of Internal Medicine (ABIM). Because of her work in advancing the careers of women in medicine and science, Dr. Erzurum was honored with the Elizabeth Rich Award from the American Thoracic Society.
Dr. Erzurum earned her medical degree from Northeastern Ohio Universities College of Medicine and completed residency training in internal medicine at Baylor College of Medicine. She completed fellowship training at the University of Colorado Health Sciences Center and postdoctoral training at the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute in Bethesda, Maryland.
Kurt P. Spindler, MD, is the Associate Chief of Clinical Research at Cleveland Clinic, overseeing clinical research initiatives across all locations, including Ohio, Florida, London, and Abu Dhabi. A graduate of Rutgers University and the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, he completed an orthopaedic sports medicine fellowship at Cleveland Clinic before spending over two decades at Vanderbilt University. There, he served as Head Team Physician, Director of Sports Medicine, and Vice Chair of Orthopaedic Surgery, earning the SEC Team Physician of the Year award and the Schermerhorn Endowed Chair in Orthopaedics.
Dr. Spindler joined Cleveland Clinic in 2014 and has led transformative initiatives in orthopaedic outcomes research, including development of the OME outcomes tracking system and co-directing the Musculoskeletal Research Center. In 2021, he became Director of Clinical Research and Outcomes for Cleveland Clinic Florida, building a regional research infrastructure across five hospitals. A prolific researcher with over 325 publications and sustained NIH funding since 2006, he has received multiple Kappa Delta and O’Donoghue awards. Dr. Spindler served as the 50th President of AOSSM and remains a leader in national and international orthopaedic organizations. His clinical expertise focuses on sports medicine injuries and arthroscopic knee surgery, particularly ACL reconstruction.
Francis Papay, MD, is Chief Business Development Officer and Chairman of the Cleveland Clinic's Department of Plastic Surgery, overseeing 25 surgeons. He holds the Violet Magyar Chair for Craniofacial Plastic Surgery and leads the Craniofacial Surgery section. Dr. Papay currently serves as President of the American Society of Maxillofacial Surgeons and is a traveling visiting professor for the American Association of Plastic Surgeons, which honored him with the AAPS Research Achievement Award for Innovation. With over 260 publications, he has co-authored books on reconstructive allotransplantation and AI in healthcare and is co-editing volumes on innovation and surgical planning. He was the lead surgeon on America’s first face transplant and led two more at the Cleveland Clinic. His accolades include honorary Doctor of Science degrees from Ohio University and Northeast Ohio Medical University, Cleveland Clinic's Sones Innovation Award, and election as a Fellow of the National Academy of Inventors.
Dr. Papay holds a master’s degree in biomedical engineering from Case Western Reserve University, where he worked on NASA Earth medical applications, and earned his MD from Northeast Ohio Medical University. He is double board-certified in Otolaryngology and Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, with further training through fellowships in Switzerland and at the University of Utah. He holds over 45 patents and co-founded three Cleveland Clinic spin-off companies focused on neuromodulation and drug delivery devices. His current work centers on integrating AI into healthcare, including using AI and cognitive behavioral therapy to manage chronic conditions and advancing surgical navigation through wearable tech and augmented reality. Dr. Papay also co-founded the BrainX community, a global network of over 4,000 physicians and computer scientists dedicated to open-source data sharing and free AI education in healthcare.
This innovative heart valve is designed to grow with a child’s heart, addressing one of the biggest challenges in pediatric cardiac care. Its expandable frame reduces the need for repeated open-heart surgeries, while its self-healing design eliminates the need for blood thinners, offering a safer, longer-lasting solution for babies born with congenital heart disease.
Director, cardiovascular innovation research center and mri research at the sydell and arnold miller family heart, vascualr & thoracic institute
AutoCMR transforms heart imaging with a push-button system that delivers a full chest scan in just 30 minutes. It automates the entire MRI process, reduces scan time variability by 67%, and provides more complete imaging of the heart, capturing anatomy, function, and viability. AutoCMR makes cardiac MRIs faster, easier, and more accessible to patients who previously couldn’t undergo advanced cardiac imaging.
MediView XR, Inc.'s empowering technology provides surgeons with revolutionary 3D “X-ray vision,” allowing them to visualize a patient’s anatomy during minimally invasive procedures such as tumor ablations. MediView’s proprietary technology combines spatial computing, mixed reality, and medical imaging to project 3D images based on CT imaging and fuses them with live ultrasound.
Theator's Surgical Intelligence empowers surgical teams to deliver more consistent, high-quality care by using next-generation Artificial Intelligence (AI) and computer vision to automatically capture and analyze procedures. This technology enables clinicians to improve quality and safety, reduce variability, improve outcomes, and elevate teaching and training through meaningful, unbiased insights.
Steelhead Therapeutics, Inc., is a preclinical-stage drug discovery company founded on pioneering complement research from Dr. Feng Lin’s lab. The company develops highly potent nanobody (“Nanofly”) therapies targeting the key components of the body's immune responses. Their lead drug candidate is currently being developed in preparation for upcoming preclinical studies, with an Investigational New Drug Application (IND) submission planned for late 2026.
Strolll® is transforming neurorehabilitation with Reality DTx®, an immersive digital therapeutic delivered through augmented reality glasses. Designed for individuals with neurological conditions like Parkinson’s disease, the platform enables safe, engaging rehab both in clinics and at home, empowering therapists to personalize care, scale services, and track progress with real-time data.
Method AI is a medical technology company pioneering image-guided surgical navigation to improve patient outcomes. Its platform leverages continuous, 3D ultrasound and Artificial Intelligence-generated surgical plans to guide robotic-assisted procedures. Method AI’s technology visualizes anatomy that lies deep below the visible surface of an organ, anatomy that is beyond the view of today’s surgical camera systems.
Dr. Melenhorst’s portfolio of innovations is transforming CAR T-cell therapy by improving how cells are isolated and manufactured, leading to stronger, longer-lasting responses in hard-to-treat cancers like chronic lymphocytic leukemia. From precision manufacturing and engineering, immune reset protocols to metabolic reprogramming, and combination therapies, these technologies aim to overcome resistance and expand access to curative cell therapies.
Floreo uses virtual reality to deliver immersive lessons that help individuals with diverse neurological profiles build essential life skills, from communication and emotional regulation to safety and social interaction. Its digital platform enhances in-clinic and home care with personalized interventions and now includes proprietary diagnostics and patient monitoring technology following its acquisition of Autism Eyes.
Theator's Surgical Intelligence empowers surgical teams to deliver more consistent, high-quality care by using next-generation Artificial Intelligence (AI) and computer vision to automatically capture and analyze procedures. This technology enables clinicians to improve quality and safety, reduce variability, improve outcomes, and elevate teaching and training through meaningful, unbiased insights.