Reflections on Pi Day and infinity

Pi Day means a lot to us here at MIT: it’s the day we release undergraduate admissions decisions, when thousands of young people imagine the futures they could build here. But Pi Day also reminds us of something deeper: the number π stretches on infinitely, without end. And here at MIT, we like to think that spirit reflects something we believe in just as strongly: the power of infinite hope.

But what does that really mean?

Every day at the MIT Jameel Clinic, our researchers come to campus driven by that hope. They bring their talent, passion, determination, and vision to accomplish a shared mission: using AI to transform health and help end needless suffering.

With the support of grants and donations, that work has already made a difference. Our researchers have developed cutting-edge machine learning models that can design personalized cancer treatments with fewer side effects, assess cancer risk, and identify promising new antibiotics.



But our mission goes beyond creation and discovery. We believe breakthroughs at the intersection of AI and health shouldn’t stay confined to research labs or paywalled academic journals. They should reach hospitals, and more importantly, they should reach patients.

Right now, we’re working to safely deploy our breast and lung cancer risk assessment models in hospitals across the U.S. and around the world. But scaling this work — clinically validating these tools, integrating them into hospital systems, changing the standards of care — takes far more resources than we’re able to provide. 

Few institutions are as uniquely positioned as the MIT Jameel Clinic to take on this challenge, bringing together leading experts in AI, medicine, and real-world clinical deployment.

Support from grants and donors has already helped us move these models from research prototypes towards real clinical deployment. If you believe that the future of healthcare should be smarter and more accessible, if you believe that scientific progress should translate into real help for real people, we hope you’ll consider supporting our work.

Because the promise of innovation isn’t just in what we create and discover — it’s in what we share with others. And if we get it right, what Pi Day represents won’t just be infinite in theory. It will be felt in hospitals, in communities, and in lives saved across the globe.

Thank you,

Ignacio Fuentes

Executive Director, MIT Jameel Clinic

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