NEW YORK–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Paige, the global leader in AI-based diagnostic software in pathology, today announced that leading pathologist and Paige co-founder David Klimstra, M.D. has joined as Chief Medical Officer effective August 2021. Dr. Klimstra is an internationally recognized leader in cancer pathology whose career spans more than three decades. In this new role, Dr. Klimstra will lead the clinical implementation and evidence generation for Paige’s technology and will shape product strategy for the most compelling use cases, helping pathologists realize the benefits of the enhanced clinical workflows enabled by Paige’s technology.
“We are thrilled to welcome Dr. Klimstra into his new role as we launch digital pathology products into clinics worldwide while ramping up development programs for new tissue types,” said Leo Grady, Ph.D., Chief Executive Officer of Paige. “As a leading pioneer in pathology and digital pathology, Dr. Klimstra has a deep understanding of how AI-based technology can help pathologists overcome the challenges they face in their daily practice and has the first-hand experience to guide hospital groups and labs who are going digital.”
Dr. Klimstra is currently Chair of the Department of Pathology at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center (MSK) and holds the James Ewing Alumni Chair of Pathology. As Chair, Dr. Klimstra has led the evaluation and implementation of digital pathology workflows at MSK and built an academic computational pathology program. During his 10 years leading the Department, he doubled the number of pathology faculty and broadened the department’s scope by recruiting a range of experts, including in bioinformatics, engineering, spectrometry and mathematics. His leadership has emphasized the introduction of new technology into the practice of pathology, with digital and computational pathology as key examples.
“As a co-founder of Paige and through my clinical practice, I have seen that digital pathology is the future of our discipline, and the application of AI to digital pathology is the pathway to drive adoption,” said Dr. Klimstra. “I am extremely impressed with the progress Paige has made in a short time and am eager to formally join this endeavor and work with the team to deliver on the promise of computational pathology for widespread clinical use.”
Additionally, Dr. Klimstra has also authored more than 450 peer-reviewed publications related to his research on the pathology of pancreatic, hepatic, and gastrointestinal tumors. He has served as an editor of the World Health Organization’s standard classification series for tumors of the gastrointestinal tract and endocrine organs and he has authored four books and numerous book chapters. He is widely sought for his diagnostic expertise and has lectured extensively around the world.
“Dr. Klimstra’s arrival comes at a pivotal moment as we define the trajectory for clinical implementation of our products,” said Thomas J. Fuchs, Dr.Sc., co-founder and Chief Scientist of Paige. “He knows the value of novel diagnostic technologies in pathology, having built one of the most technologically advanced pathology departments through the implementation of digital pathology, next-generation sequencing and many other sophisticated diagnostic modalities. I am tremendously excited about working closely with David to propel Paige’s vision and scientific leadership forward to serve the pathology community and its patients.”
