MIT-Hood Pediatric Innovation 2025

October 23, 2025

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Ready to see the future of pediatric healthcare?

Join us at the Museum of Science, Boston

October 23rd, 9:00am - 4:00pm

Defining the future of pediatric healthcare, technology, and innovation

Explore the ideas and technologies changing the world and meet the innovators making it happen at MIT-Hood Pediatric Innovation 2025

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Hub Innovation Resources

Discover the infrastructure and resources powering the Hub’s mission to shape the future of pediatric healthcare innovation.

Emerging Technologies

Step into the future of pediatric innovation with MIT and Hood Foundation experts as we explore the technologies currently making an impact and envision what’s next.

Economics and Policy

Learn how economics and policy will shape the future of pediatric innovation and healthcare.

Expert Insights

Hear from successful innovators on the challenges they've navigated and the resources they accessed along the way.

Collaboration Opportunities

Explore the variety of ways to collaborate with the Hub to drive ideas and innovations forward and increase chances for success.

Network

Take advantage of the chance to connect with the innovators, clinicians, and investors advancing pediatric healthcare!

Keynote Address

“US Health Care Reform: Impacts on, and Prospects for, our Children”

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Jonathan Gruber, PhD

Chair, Department of Economics, Massachusetts Institute of Technology
       Dr. Jonathan Gruber is the Ford Professor of Economics and the Chairman of the Economics Department at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, where he has taught since 1992. He is also the former Director of the Health Care Program at the National Bureau of Economic Research, and the former President of the American Society of Health Economists and the Eastern Economics Association. He is a member of the Institute of Medicine, the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, the National Academy of Social Insurance, and the Econometric Society. He has published more than 200 research articles, has edited six research volumes, and is the author of Public Finance and Public Policy, a leading undergraduate text in its 7th edition, Health Care Reform, a graphic novel, and Jump-Starting America: How Breakthrough Science Can Revive Economic Growth and the American Dream (with Simon Johnson). In 2006 he received the American Society of Health Economists Inaugural Medal for the best health economist in the nation aged 40 and under.

       During the 1997-1998 academic year, Dr. Gruber was on leave as Deputy Assistant Secretary for Economic Policy at the Treasury Department. From 2003-2006 he was a key architect of Massachusetts’ ambitious health reform effort, and in 2006 became an inaugural member of the Health Connector Board, the main implementing body for that effort. During 2009-2010 he served as a technical consultant to the Obama Administration and worked with both the Administration and Congress to help craft the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act. In 2011 he was named “One of the Top 25 Most Innovative and Practical Thinkers of Our Time” by Slate Magazine. In both 2006 and 2012 he was rated as one of the top 100 most powerful people in health care in the United States by Modern Healthcare Magazine. In 2020 he received a Guggenheim Fellowship.

Program Faculty

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Brian Anthony, PhD

Principal Research Scientist, MIT Mechanical Engineering | Director, Master of Engineering in Manufacturing Program | Co-Director, Medical Electronic Device Realization Center | Institute of Medical Engineering & Science

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Thomas F. Burke, MD

CEO and Co-Founder, Vayu Global Health Innovations | Director of the Global Health Innovations Lab, Massachusetts General Hospital | Associate Professor, Harvard Medical School and the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health

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Pedro J. del Nido, MD

Chairman, Department of Cardiac Surgery, Boston Children's Hospital | William E. Ladd Professor of Child Surgery, Harvard Medical School

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Elazer R. Edelman, MD, PhD

Faculty Lead, MIT Hood Hub | Professor of Medical Engineering and Science, Institute of Medical Engineering and Science, MIT | Professor of Medicine, Harvard Medical School | Senior Attending Physician, Brigham and Women's Hospital

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Joseph J. Frassica, MD

Executive Director, MIT Hood Hub | Professor of the Practice, Institute for Medical Engineering and Science, MIT | Staff, Massachusetts General Hospital

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Sophie-Charlotte Hofferberth, MD

Co-Founder, President, Chief Medical Officer, Autus Valve Technologies

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John Konsin

CEO, Prapela

John O. Parker, Jr.

Vice President and Clerk, Charles H. Hood Foundation | Founder and Managing Director, Springhood Ventures

Robert Sege, MD, PhD

Principal, MIT Hood Hub | Director, Center for Community-Engaged Medicine, Tufts CTSI | Director, HOPE-Healthy Outcomes from Positive Experiences Framework

Neil Smiley

President, Charles H. Hood Foundation | Founder and CEO, Loopback Analytics

Alex Tan

Design Director, Philips Research | Co-founder, Little Lantern Studios

Learn more

MIT-Hood 2025 v3(2)

 

Getting Here:  Museum of Science, Boston | 1 Science Park Boston, MA 02114

The Museum of Science can be reached by car, public transportation, or foot. Please refer to their website for the most up-to-date information on directions and parking. Our event will be held in the Washburn Pavilion; please ask museum staff to direct you to the entrance.

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October can be an extremely busy month in Cambridge and Boston, so we have reserved a limited number of rooms at The Royal Sonesta Boston, which is steps from the Museum of Science.

To book your room, please place reservations online through this link:

The Royal Sonesta Boston

RESERVATIONS MUST BE MADE BEFORE 5:00P ET ON OCT 10 TO RECEIVE THE GROUP DISCOUNT.

 

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The Hood Pediatric Innovation Hub aims to break down barriers to pediatric innovation and foster transformative research to improve children’s health outcomes.

Although children make up a large part of the global population, they have been largely underserved in medical innovation, leading to significant gaps in care. We also recognize that while pediatric diseases impact families and communities, their needs have long been neglected in pediatric medicine.

The Hub, established by MIT in collaboration with the Charles H. Hood Foundation, aims to fill critical gaps in pediatric medicine through three innovation pillars focused on developing practical technologies and treatments. We will also incorporate feedback from children, parents, siblings, and caregivers, recognizing their essential role as stakeholders.

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The Charles H. Hood Foundation is focused on turning a single vision into reality: improving the health and quality of life for all children. By identifying innovative pediatric advancements and providing funding in the key stages of development, the Foundation allows high-impact projects to both begin and succeed earlier. The Foundation has proven many times over that supporting brilliant minds early in their careers helps position promising researchers to leverage long-term funding from other private and government sources. We have a three-pronged approach consisting of Child Health Research Awards, Program Related Investments, and the Hood Pediatric Innovation Hub. This kind of support at critical phases of research and development helps propel the pediatric research community ahead to uncover transformative breakthroughs that impact the health and well-being of children and families in New England and around the world.

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The MIT Health and Life Sciences Collaborative (HEALS) is expanding the Institute’s role as a central hub for innovation, connectivity, and translation in life sciences and health in the Boston area. Seeking to accelerate positive health and environmental outcomes, the collaborative will:

  • harness the potential of AI to revolutionize health care solutions
  • make MIT’s life sciences community a magnet for top talent
  • enhance core life sciences and health research and education
  • support exceptional scientists dedicated to transforming our understanding of health
  • incorporate input from economists and policymakers
  • catalyze links with the region’s world-class biotech and pharma companies as well as research hospitals to speed innovation and translation in life sciences and health.

Countdown to Innovation

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Jessica Sanders
Marketing Director @ Reviluxify

"Invaluable for networking. We made meaningful connections with peers and potential partners. The networking alone was worth it!"

Michael Rivera
CEO @ Zyntellx

"ElevateExpo delivered cutting-edge insights and practical skills. The hands-on workshops and tech demos were directly relevant."

Samantha Lee
Social Media Manager @ Crypturon

Ready to join us?