In this episode of the PennHealthX Podcast, Habib sits down with Dr. Akl Fahed to discuss his career as an interventional cardiologist, physician–scientist, and digital health entrepreneur working at the frontiers of genomic medicine and chronic disease care. Dr. Fahed serves at Massachusetts General Hospital and the Broad Institute, where he leads an NIH-funded research program focused on using large-scale genomics and data science to better understand cardiometabolic disease and identify risk long before symptoms appear. He is also the clinical co-founder of GoodPath, a virtual-first care platform that delivers integrated, whole-person management for chronic conditions through a multidisciplinary, value-based model.

This episode explores how advances in genetics, data-driven prevention, and technologies like AI can transform the way we identify, manage, and ultimately prevent chronic illness. We discuss the emergence of obesity “endotypes,” the promise of polygenic risk scores, and the rapidly expanding role of GLP-1 medications. Dr. Fahed also shares how digital health tools can reduce fragmentation, enhance patient engagement, and address rising healthcare costs by meeting patients where they are. His career offers a compelling look at how clinicians can shape the future of medicine by bridging scientific discovery, clinical practice, and technology to build systems that meaningfully improve patient health.