Leadership Spotlight
A Conversation with Sharmil Modi, MBA, and Nezam Afdhal, MD
Sharmil Modi, MBA, is passionate about supporting early-stage investigators who bring new energy and ideas. For eleven years, Modi has been a part of the Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center board community, today serving as Chair of the Digestive Diseases Advisory Council, and a member of the Trustee Advisory Board and the Research Committee. In the former role, he has worked closely with Nezam Afdhal, MD, Chief of the Division of Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition for the past two years to bring together a group of individuals to support the medical center’s work in the realm of digestive diseases.
Here, Modi and Afdhal discuss new developments at BIDMC, what’s most inspiring to them, and the importance of philanthropy and board engagement. Get to know these two leaders and learn more about BIDMC’s leading-edge gastroenterology work in this issue’s Leadership Spotlight!
You have both been involved with BIDMC for a long time, through much evolution. What strikes you the most?
Afdhal: The specialty of gastroenterology has changed dramatically over the past several decades, and in forty years, I have seen remarkable growth. BIDMC is the largest clinical gastroenterology provider in New England, and our areas of expertise include inflammatory bowel disease, advanced endoscopy, cancer genetics, motility disorders, and celiac and liver disease. We have also expanded access to our services, with new centers in Lexington, Milton, Needham, and Plymouth with BIDMC as our hub for the most complex care. During all this growth, our primary focus remains the patient.
Modi: I can attest to the patient always being first, and Dr. Afdhal exemplifies this. He is always running to and from our meeting to patient appointments, and taking calls from patients and colleagues.
Dr. Afdhal, you have led pioneering gastroenterology work to benefit patients with liver disease, including curative therapies for hepatitis C and novel technologies to replace liver biopsy. This innovative spirit continues in the division. What are you most excited about?
Afdhal: GI has led the way in screening and diagnosis for pancreatic cancer, where we have a very large program. We have also developed new targets for therapeutics for certain diseases such as the common liver disease MASLD, previously known as fatty liver disease. And by discovering these genes that affect liver injury, we’ll be able to develop novel therapeutics. BIDMC is also leading in the utilization of artificial intelligence (AI) for the screening and diagnosis of colon cancer. We are the only center in Boston that employs this technology and teaches it to our fellows. Similarly, we’re utilizing AI to screen patients with Barrett’s esophagus and identify those at risk. Those are only a few examples.
Modi: The caliber of the physicians and the researchers at BIDMC is bar none, and what stands out to me is the impact of all this work in patients’ lives. As Dr. Afdhal mentions, BIDMC patients receive colonoscopies aided by an AI technology that is FDA approved and improves the likelihood of detecting cancerous polyps by 30 percent. The development and implementation of AI capabilities—which has taken place at BIDMC—is significantly advancing the efficacy of GI screenings and having tremendous patient impact.
Again, the patient is always the focus and I am excited to play a part.
Our board members play important roles as supporters and advocates. Sharmil, what motivated your generous gift?
Modi: I’m a grateful patient of the GI division. I’ve come to know that the doctors that I’ve worked with at BIDMC are some of the most accomplished and respected in the field, and I have experienced that care first hand. In addition, my partner, Eileen, and I had our daughter at BIDMC in June 2020, at the beginning of COVID when there was so much uncertainty. Once she delivered, our inpatient room was sealed and we couldn’t leave for five days. We were treated with dignity and respect, and we had a beautiful, healthy baby. It was different than any other patient experience I’ve had in my life.
But I first became involved with BIDMC long before that, when I had the pleasure of hearing Dr. Kevin Tabb give a talk at my former workplace about all the innovative work underway at the medical center. When he invited us to get involved, I jumped at the opportunity.
On this note, Dr. Afdhal, can you speak more to the importance of philanthropy?
Afdhal: We are so thankful to Sharmil and Eileen for their gift. Philanthropy is critical to our mission because it gives us the ability to think outside of the box. Traditional support, whether it’s federal or industry funding, has strings attached that may not align with our investigators’ priorities. Philanthropy gives you the resources to go outside of what is traditional and to pursue risky, novel ideas.
What is most rewarding to you about your work at BIDMC?
Modi: What is most rewarding is getting to know the investigators and their stories first-hand. Taking a genuine interest in BIDMC’s up-and-coming faculty and investigators and showing them that we care about their work— that society cares about their work—makes a difference. There are many ways we can each give back, whether it’s contributing resources, time, hosting and event, lending your expertise, or simply taking an interest in the incredible work being done at BIDMC each and every day.
Afdhal: Aside from my patients, what is most important to me is the people that I’ve trained and am training. It’s vital to spend time with our young faculty, our fellows, and take part in their career development. My mentees are remarkable—it’s one of my favorite parts of my job. Since 1986 to this day, my mentor is Thomas Lamont, MD, the former BIDMC Chief of Gastroenterology. I am so grateful for our faculty mentors and mentees—and of course for our generous and talented board members who work alongside us in our mission to provide extraordinary care, supported by groundbreaking research and education.
To learn more about digestive diseases or to make a gift, contact Myriah Kulin, Director of Development, BIDMC at mkulin@bilh.org.