Flatiron Health Appoints Cancer Researcher and Pharmaceutical Executive Dr. Michael Vasconcelles as Chief Medical Officer

Flatiron Health today announced that Dr. Michael Vasconcelles, a practicing oncologist and senior biotechnology and pharmaceutical executive, has joined as Chief Medical Officer, effective August 2019. Dr. Vasconcelles will be responsible for defining and executing the company’s strategic vision for real-world evidence, providing thought leadership and guidance around novel clinical research methods, and partnering with clients and stakeholders, including government agencies, to further the use of real-world data derived from electronic health records.

Flatiron Health Appoints Cancer Researcher and Pharmaceutical Executive Dr. Michael Vasconcelles as Chief Medical Officer

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“As an industry, we are seeing rigorous discussions, development of standards and concrete applications of real-world data for cancer research,” said Zach Weinberg, COO and co-founder, Flatiron Health. “Dr. Vasconcelles’s deep clinical, development and regulatory experience will help drive these efforts industry-wide, and we are excited to bring that experience to bear so we can continue to serve our partners and patients across the oncology landscape.”

As Chief Medical Officer, Dr. Vasconcelles will work cross-functionally to drive the overall strategy and execution of Flatiron’s research business. Dr. Vasconcelles will focus on Flatiron’s research, quality and regulatory offerings, and Dr. Bobby Green will continue to serve as Chief Medical Officer focusing on the clinical development of Flatiron’s suite of technology and services for community oncology.

“We are at a defining moment in oncology, where cancer research and clinical treatment are informing one another, driving a holistic learning healthcare system,” said Dr. Michael Vasconcelles. “Flatiron has been at the forefront of developing real-world data for cancer research, and I am excited at the opportunity to be able to contribute to their mission of improving lives by learning from the experience of every cancer patient.”

Dr. Vasconcelles most recently served as chief medical officer at Unum Therapeutics, a Cambridge-based oncology biotech focused on developing engineered autologous T cells for the treatment of cancer. Previously, as a member of their respective oncology business unit and R&D management teams, Dr. Vasconcelles was directly accountable for the research and development strategy and execution at Takeda/Millennium and Genzyme for their oncology portfolios, from discovery through product licensure and post approval. Following Sanofi’s acquisition of Genzyme, Dr. Vasconcelles joined Sanofi Oncology as head of the personalized medicine and companion diagnostics division.

Dr. Vasconcelles currently serves as a clinical instructor in medicine at Harvard Medical School, where he has taught since 1996, and is a practicing oncologist and associate physician at the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and Brigham & Women’s Hospital in Boston.

Flatiron’s former chief medical officer, Dr. Amy Abernethy, joined the U.S. Food & Drug Administration as principal deputy commissioner in early 2019.

To learn more about Flatiron, visit www.flatiron.com or follow us @FlatironHealth.