Phoenix Mayor Kate Gallego and PBC Executive Director Scarlett Spring Convene Innovation Roundtable with Rising HealthTech Leaders
April 18, 2025 – Phoenix, AZ – Yesterday, Mayor Kate Gallego hosted a high-impact roundtable with leaders from ASU Health, UA COM-P and three groundbreaking health innovation leaders to discuss the impact of artificial intelligence and healthcare/life science. Phoenix Bioscience Core’s executive director Scarlett Spring and City of Phoenix, Claudia Whitehead, Bioscience Program Manager helped to facilitate an authentic dialogue between local leadership and emerging innovators.
Dr. Sherine Gabriel, EVP ASU Health, shared how technology and assets from across ASU’s many colleges will be embedded into ASU Health and Dr. Frank Rybicki, Chair, Department of Radiology COM-P explained the term ‘AI for Good’ and how the City of Phoenix is positioned to leverage it.
The conversation highlighted the city’s role as a national leader in healthcare innovation and explored collaborative strategies to strengthen Phoenix’s HealthTech ecosystem.
A Platform for Strategic Growth and Collaboration
The benefit of including three innovative early-stage companies: Binary Genomics, MiiHealth, and Mindset Medical was invaluable, as each shared their particular area of expertise, how they’re leveraging AI and other emerging technologies. The roundtable underscored the PBC unique value proposition for emerging companies in health and biosciences: proximity to world-class research, a diverse patient population, collaborative policy leadership, and an environment that fosters rapid translation from discovery to delivery.
“These companies represent exactly what the PBC was built for—pioneering ideas, world-class expertise, and a deep commitment to improving lives,” said Spring. “By connecting entrepreneurs to our city’s leadership and innovation infrastructure, we’re laying the groundwork for transformational impact not only in Phoenix but globally.”
Binary Genomics, co-founded by three researchers from Mayo Clinic and Yale, is revolutionizing cancer detection with a DNA-based blood test that reads the epigenetic “fingerprints” of each patient’s tumor. Mike Barrett, PhD, CEO, gave glimpses into its pan-cancer detection and monitoring AI AI-powered platform which enables earlier diagnosis across all cancer types—including rare and understudied forms—and offers real-time insights throughout treatment and recovery. It represents a leap forward in personalized, proactive oncology care.
MiiHealth is reshaping provider workflows with its AI assistant, Monica—a multilingual, patient-facing tool designed to streamline medical documentation and enhance communication. Jacob Lester demonstrated how ‘Monica’ is reducing administrative burdens and enabling better-informed clinical conversations, and helping providers gain back valuable time with patients. He also shared the platform’s adaptability across clinical specialties and support for diverse language needs ensures broader accessibility and better care outcomes.
Mindset Medical offers Vital-Trac, a contactless, device-less vital sign monitoring software.Chris Joslin updated the Mayor on their technology, Vital-Trac’s first FDA approval and impending second approval. Vital-Trac transforms the camera in a smartphone, tablet, or computer into a contactless vital sign measurement device using remote photoplethysmography (rPPG) technology enabling real-time health checks for patients that are automatically shared with physicians.