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Northwestern’s Querrey InQbation Lab Shines Spotlight on AI-Powered Healthcare at Inaugural AI4Health Pitch Challenge

February 1, 2026

 

 

Northwestern’s Querrey InQbation Lab Shines Spotlight on AI-Powered Healthcare at Inaugural AI4Health Pitch Challenge

Evanston, IL — August 22, 2025 — The future of medicine took center stage Friday as Northwestern University’s Querrey InQbation Lab (The Q) hosted its first-ever AI4Health Pitch Challenge. The event brought together innovators from across the university to showcase how artificial intelligence could reimagine patient care—and to compete for $50,000 in funding that could turn cutting-edge research into real-world solutions.

For five weeks leading up to the event, teams of Northwestern faculty worked side by side with The Q and Kellogg School of Management students, alumni, and mentors. They honed their pitches, sharpened their market strategies, and learned to tell the story of their science in ways that could inspire not just investors, but patients and clinicians. That hard work paid off in a fast-paced, high-energy finale where innovators presented their ideas to a panel of industry leaders and healthcare investors.

And the Winners Are...

🥇 First Place — Dr. Mohamed Abazeed: Revolutionizing Lung Cancer Care with AI-Powered Lung Cancer Treatment
Lung cancer remains one of the deadliest diseases worldwide, in part because radiation therapy planning is so complex and time-consuming. Dr. Abazeed unveiled an AI platform that automates tumor delineation with unprecedented speed and accuracy. Trained on the largest proprietary dataset in the field, his solution could dramatically cut planning time, while bringing new levels of precision to personalized oncology care.

🥈 Second Place — Dr. Andrew Naidech: Stopping Strokes in Their Tracks with AI-Driven Stroke Triage
When stroke strikes, every minute counts. Dr. Naidech’s algorithm analyzes CT scans in real time to detect high-risk brain hemorrhages, empowering clinicians to intervene faster. By catching dangerous bleeds before they worsen, his AI could help save lives and prevent disability for thousands of patients each year.

🥉 Third Place — Dr. Markus Rottmann: Guiding the Heart: Next-Generation AI for Atrial Fibrillation Treatment

Treating atrial fibrillation often feels like navigating without a map. Dr. Rottmann’s AI-driven guidance system provides real-time, molecular-level insights to steer cardiac ablation with greater accuracy. His work could reduce recurrence rates and improve long-term outcomes for millions living with heart rhythm disorders.

 

Finalists on the Cutting Edge

  • Dr. Donald Robbie Cantrell — Reimagining the Operating Room
    In critical stroke and cardiac procedures, every second counts—and so does every image. Cantrell’s real-time imaging enhancement framework turns blurry, radiation-heavy scans into crystal-clear guidance. The result? Doctors can see more, treat faster, use less radiation and contrast dye, and ultimately spare patients unnecessary risk while shortening time on the table.
  • Dr. Fabian J. David — Detecting Parkinson’s Before It Shows Itself
    Parkinson’s disease often hides in plain sight, with symptoms surfacing only after years of progression. Dr. David’s breakthrough is an iPad-based tool that tracks subtle eye movements invisible to the human eye. With record-setting accuracy, it could flag the disease years before conventional diagnosis is possible—unlocking a future where Parkinson’s is detected early enough to truly change the course of the illness.

Judges, Mentors, and the Power of Community

The competition drew a distinguished panel of judges whose expertise spanned medicine, technology, and investment:

  • James Jang, MD, Chair of Cardiovascular Technology, Kaiser Permanente
  • Michael Fang, MD, former CEO of Base10 Genetics; Founder of CETA Inc.; Chief Strategy Officer, Institute of AI in Medicine, Feinberg School of Medicine
  • Rekha Ranganathan, Senior VP and GM, Imaging Digital Solutions, GE Healthcare
  • Evan Norton, Founder & Managing Partner, SPRIG Equity
  • Eric S. Heinz, Founder & Managing Partner, Heinz Ventures
  • Lauren Risenhoover, Digital Health Investor, 7wire Ventures

Behind the scenes, a dedicated group of Kellogg mentors—including Karin O’Connor, Michael Foley, Laura Beken, Leland Brewster, Ignacio Gajer, Nikhil Misra, Nick Deraney, Abhinav Balu, and Min Seok Jang—coached the teams, helping them bridge the gap between scientific discovery and commercial impact.

More Than a Competition

“The AI4Health Pitch Challenge reflects the collaborative spirit and bold vision of the Northwestern community,” said Sonia Kim, Executive Director of The Q. “These innovators are harnessing AI not just to advance science, but to transform patient care.”

For Dr. Abazeed, the event was more than recognition. “Northwestern’s AI4Health Pitch Challenge is a powerful bridge from lab to clinic to commercialization,” he said. “The Coaching + Investor + Community mix sharpened our value proposition and accelerated our path to patients. The Q is building exactly the kind of ecosystem that helps transform great science into real-world impact.”

As the evening closed, the message was clear: Northwestern’s AI4Health innovators aren’t just imagining the future of healthcare, they’re building it.