Day 1 Agenda
Day 1 Agenda:
8:00am - 9:00am Breakfast
8:45am - 9:45am Welcome Remarks & State of the Industry
This opening session will dive into the latest trends, challenges and opportunities shaping the future of the life sciences industry. Expert panelists will explore investment and deal trends, the current state of the life sciences industry and guidance for companies searching for funding. Whether you’re with a startup, global life sciences company, or a service provider supporting innovation, join the conversation on what’s next for the life sciences industry.
Speakers:
Subin Baral, Partner, Global Deals Leader – Life Sciences Transactions, EY
Ketan Patel, MBA, MD, Managing Partner, F-Prime Capital
Teresa Whalen, CEO, CytoAgents
Moderator: Stephen Simpson, Partner, EY
Location: Grand Ballroom
Reverse Pitch Presentations
10:00am - 10:20am Merck
John Sanders, Director, Enabling Technologies Search and Evaluation, Business Development & Licensing
10:20am - 10:40am Johnson & Johnson
Jesse Hwang, PhD, Associate Director, Search & Evaluation (East North America)
10:40am - 11:00am Children's Hospital of Philadelphia
Tom Wilton, SVP, Innovation and Ventures
11:00am - 11:20am Harmony Biosciences
Alyssa Johnson, Director Business Development & Analytics
11:20am - 11:40am dsm-firmenich
Tim Ringeisen, Global Application Director
11:40am - 12:00pm Pfizer
Ketan Mehta, Senior Director, Search & Evaluation (Internal Medicine), Worldwide Business Development
Startup Stadium
10:00am - 10:30am Aneurisk
All Stars:
Jay Batchu, Associate/EIR, Xontogeny
Steve Tullman, Executive Chairman & CEO, NexEos Bio
10:30am - 11:00am Heartio
All Stars:
Jay Batchu, Associate/EIR, Xontogeny
Steve Tullman, Executive Chairman & CEO, NexEos Bio
11:00am - 11:30am Push2Spin Technologies
All Stars:
David Rappaport, Senior Vice President, Corporate Development, Strategy and Integration, OraSure Technologies
Caroll Neubauer, Executive Advisor, Water Street Healthcare Partners
11:30am - 12:00pm Resilient Lifescience
All Stars:
David Rappaport, Senior Vice President, Corporate Development, Strategy and Integration, OraSure Technologies
Caroll Neubauer, Executive Advisor, Water Street Healthcare Partners
Entrepreneur Arena
10:00am - 10:20am DermaBio
Maura Rosenfeld, CBO
10:20am - 10:40am Glycotest
Charles Swindell, CEO
10:40am - 11:00am BlueSphere Bio
Keir Loiacono, CEO
11:00am - 11:20am ChyloMetis
John Welsh, Co-Founder & CSO
11:20am - 11:40am Vasowatch
Christine Rohan, CEO
11:40am - 12:00pm RheumaGen
Brian Hart, COO & Co-Founder
12:15pm - 12:55pm Fireside Chat with Dr. Michelle Tarver
Speaker:
Michelle Tarver, MD, PhD, Director – Center for Devices and Radiological Health, U.S. Food and Drug Administration
Moderators:
Frank Leonard, President, Novocure
Chris Molineaux, President & CEO, Life Sciences Pennsylvania
Location: Grand Ballroom
Reverse Pitch Presentations
1:00pm - 1:20pm UPMC Enterprises
Rob Hartman, PhD, Vice President, Translational Sciences
1:20pm - 1:40pm GSK
Jeannie Rojas, Senior Director, Business Development & Licensing
2:00pm - 2:20pm University of Pittsburgh
Mike Flock, PhD, Director, Industry Partnerships
2:20pm - 2:40pm Teleflex
Michael Gunderson
2:40pm - 3:00pm Drexel University
Sue Rhoades, Assistant Vice Provost, Applied Innovation
2:40pm - 3:00pm B Braun
Jonathan Andrews, Director, Business Development
Startup Stadium
2:00pm - 2:30pm Inspired Material Strategies
All Stars:
Chris Burns, Principal, BBC Pharma Advisory
Gerri Henwood, President & CEO, Malvern Consulting Group
2:30pm - 3:00pm Frantz Viral Therapeutics
All Stars:
Chris Burns, Principal, BBC Pharma Advisory
Gerri Henwood, President & CEO, Malvern Consulting Group
Entrepreneur Arena
1:45pm - 2:05pm TicTwo Therapeutics
Benjamin R. Cowen, President & CEO
2:05pm - 2:25pm Geneos Therapeutics
Niranjan Sardesai, Founder, President and CEO
2:25pm - 2:45pm CorriXR Therapeutics
Eric B. Kmiec, Founder & CEO
2:45pm - 3:05pm MetasTx
Harvey D. Homan, CEO
3:05pm - 3:25pm Swan Neurotech
Heather Callahan, CEO
3:45pm - 4:30pm RNA Over the Horizon
Hear from top industry leaders as they explore the potential of RNA-based therapies. Learn how RNA is transforming the future of medicine, the challenges of delivery and scaling and what’s on the forefront of RNA innovation.
Speakers:
Gilles Besin, PhD, Chief Scientific Officer, Orbital Therapeutics
Reyad Elbarbary, PhD, Vice Chair for Research, Department of Orthopedics, Penn State University College of Medicine
Duccio Medini, PhD, Chief Science & Technology Officer, BioForge
Moderator: Rebecca Guzman, Partner, Duane Morris
Location: Grand Ballroom
4:30pm - 6:00pm Cocktail Reception
Thank you to our 2025 event sponsors
Interested in sponsoring Life Sciences Future? Please contact Gabi Forgione (gforgione@lifesciencespa.org) for sponsorship inquiries.
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Life Sciences Pennsylvania was founded in 1989 by a biotech scientist at Penn State University. Today it has grown to represent the entire life sciences industry – biotechnology and diagnostic companies, medical device companies, pharmaceutical companies, investment organizations, research institutions, and myriad service industries that support the life sciences in Pennsylvania.