Harvard Business School launches Precision Trials Challenge

HARVARD BUSINESS SCHOOL’s Health Care Initiative launched the Precision Trials Challenge, a competition to bring precision diagnostics and therapies to market more quickly.

“How can we develop business models that support the advancement of precision medicine? How can we get new therapies to market faster and at a lower cost? Our Precision Trials Challenge will help answer these questions by encouraging conversation and helping to put leading-edge ideas into practice,” said professor Richard Hamermesh.

The challenge is accepting applications through March 13. A panel of judges will select one winner and two runners-up to share a $100,000 prize. The winner will be announced in April and have the opportunity to present at the 2016 Personalized Medicine Conference.

The Precision Trials Challenge is funded by the Kraft Endowment for Advancing Precision Medicine, established last fall by a $20 million gift from the Kraft Family Foundation under the leadership of Foundation president Robert K. Kraft.

DOWNLOAD THE PDF

Table of Contents

YOU MAY BE INTERESTED IN

Guest Editorial

I grew up unhoused. Now, with support from ACS, I am an MD-PhD student focused on oncology
My mother instilled in me: “Never become a product of your circumstances.”

My high school experience revolved around constantly worrying about my four younger siblings and mom amidst our normal condition—instability.

August 14, 2026

Vol.52 No.32

By Lavonté Saunders

Guest Editorial

From “default dead” to living the future of cancer care
As founding CEO of GitLab, I went “founder mode” on my osteosarcoma

In November 2022, I was 43 years old, healthy, active, and the founding CEO of the publicly traded tech company GitLab.

What are The CheckPoints movin’ and groovin’ to this summer?
Join the journal club with the best bops: We asked SITC’s 13-piece band of medical musicians for the top papers and songs of the summer

Physician-scientists by day, a funk-loving musical troupe by night. You may have seen The CheckPoints—a 13 member cover band with a three-piece brass section and Jim Allison on harmonica—movin’, groovin’, and gettin’ down as a mainstay closing act at ASCO, AACR, or the Society for Immunotherapy of Cancer annual meetings.

August 14, 2026

Vol.52 No.32

By Sara Willa Ernst

Book Review Guest Editorial

From the desk of Kimryn Rathmell: What to read before these beautiful days slip away
My summer reading challenged me to see people, purpose, and complexity in a new way

One of the great pleasures of summer is having more time to read.

August 14, 2026

Vol.52 No.32

By W. Kimryn Rathmell

Guest Editorial

The defining question of the next decade is not how many drug candidates can be generated, but who decides which ones move forward, and why
Drug development must convene a forum for candid, cross-sector discussion

At the 2026 Annual Meeting of the American Society of Clinical Oncology in Chicago, results from the phase III HARMONi-6 trial were presented at the plenary session and published simultaneously in The Lancet. The HARMONi-6 trial tested a novel bispecific antibody that engages PD-1 and VEGF (ivonescimab), given with platinum-doublet chemotherapy to patients with previously untreated advanced squamous non-small cell lung cancer.

August 14, 2026

Vol.52 No.32

By Richard L. Schilsky, H. Kim Lyerly, Thomas R. Fleming and Renzo Canetta

Clinical Guest Editorial

Like it or not, AI psycho-oncology care is already happening. Urgently needed: An ethical framework
Developers and mental health providers must share the same goal: Safe, equitable, trustworthy, and patient-centered care

In 2026, more than 900 million people are estimated to be regularly using generative artificial intelligence—computer systems capable of creating human-like text, images, audio, video, and other original content. AI is becoming integrated into nearly every aspect of daily life. Health care is no exception.

August 14, 2026

Vol.52 No.32

By Viktor Clark, Sean M. Dozier, AnnaLynn M. Williams, Cynthia M. Rand and Lee A. Kehoe

Harvard Business School launches Precision Trials Challenge

YOU MAY BE INTERESTED IN

I grew up unhoused. Now, with support from ACS, I am an MD-PhD student focused on oncology
My mother instilled in me: “Never become a product of your circumstances.”

From “default dead” to living the future of cancer care
As founding CEO of GitLab, I went “founder mode” on my osteosarcoma

What are The CheckPoints movin’ and groovin’ to this summer?
Join the journal club with the best bops: We asked SITC’s 13-piece band of medical musicians for the top papers and songs of the summer

From the desk of Kimryn Rathmell: What to read before these beautiful days slip away
My summer reading challenged me to see people, purpose, and complexity in a new way

The defining question of the next decade is not how many drug candidates can be generated, but who decides which ones move forward, and why
Drug development must convene a forum for candid, cross-sector discussion

Like it or not, AI psycho-oncology care is already happening. Urgently needed: An ethical framework
Developers and mental health providers must share the same goal: Safe, equitable, trustworthy, and patient-centered care

Renew today!

Subscriber content

Never miss an issue!

Login

Harvard Business School launches Precision Trials Challenge

YOU MAY BE INTERESTED IN

I grew up unhoused. Now, with support from ACS, I am an MD-PhD student focused on oncologyMy mother instilled in me: “Never become a product of your circumstances.”

From “default dead” to living the future of cancer careAs founding CEO of GitLab, I went “founder mode” on my osteosarcoma

What are The CheckPoints movin’ and groovin’ to this summer?Join the journal club with the best bops: We asked SITC’s 13-piece band of medical musicians for the top papers and songs of the summer

From the desk of Kimryn Rathmell: What to read before these beautiful days slip awayMy summer reading challenged me to see people, purpose, and complexity in a new way

The defining question of the next decade is not how many drug candidates can be generated, but who decides which ones move forward, and whyDrug development must convene a forum for candid, cross-sector discussion

Like it or not, AI psycho-oncology care is already happening. Urgently needed: An ethical frameworkDevelopers and mental health providers must share the same goal: Safe, equitable, trustworthy, and patient-centered care

Never miss an issue!

Login

I grew up unhoused. Now, with support from ACS, I am an MD-PhD student focused on oncology
My mother instilled in me: “Never become a product of your circumstances.”

From “default dead” to living the future of cancer care
As founding CEO of GitLab, I went “founder mode” on my osteosarcoma

What are The CheckPoints movin’ and groovin’ to this summer?
Join the journal club with the best bops: We asked SITC’s 13-piece band of medical musicians for the top papers and songs of the summer

From the desk of Kimryn Rathmell: What to read before these beautiful days slip away
My summer reading challenged me to see people, purpose, and complexity in a new way

The defining question of the next decade is not how many drug candidates can be generated, but who decides which ones move forward, and why
Drug development must convene a forum for candid, cross-sector discussion

Like it or not, AI psycho-oncology care is already happening. Urgently needed: An ethical framework
Developers and mental health providers must share the same goal: Safe, equitable, trustworthy, and patient-centered care