9:20 AM: ADVANCING SCIENCE: Government Funding: Role in Building the Scientific Ecosystem

Government has played a key role in advancing research and innovation for the American scientific ecosystem but cuts in federal funding are threatening to slow the pace of progress. As the research funding climate changes, it is important explore government’s evolving role and how it can further advance innovation through partnerships and other channels. This panel will engage leading experts to discuss government’s current role and how changes can be made to maintain the country’s position as a leader in innovation.

MODERATOR: Beth Meagher, Principal and Leader, Federal Strategy and Translational Medicine Practices, Deloitte Consulting LLC

PANELISTS:
Col. Wanda Salzer, Director, Congressionally Directed Medical Research Programs
Justin C. Sanchez, PhD, Director, Biological Technologies Office, DARPA
Jesus Soriano, MD, PhD, Program Director, SBIR/STTR, National Science Foundation

9:20 AM: ACCELERATING INNOVATION: Raising Venture Capital Financing:  How to Succeed Bigly (Big League)

Many start-up companies particularly in the BioHealth Capital Region are very good at securing non-dilutive financing.  Our experienced group of panelists will talk about how to crack the code to break in to the Venture Capital and secure the first institutional round. 

MODERATOR: Samuel Wu, MD, PhD, Managing Director, Acuris Partners

PANELISTS:

Sara Nayeem, MD, Partner, New Enterprise Associates
Rick Kohr, CEO, Evergreen Advisors LLC
Hooks Johnston, Managing Director, Inova Strategic Investments
Kristen Kosofsky, Senior Managing Director, Hercules Capital

10:50 AM: ADVANCING SCIENCE: Convergence: Blurring the Boundaries of Scientific Disciplines

The future of developing new cures for patients is headed towards personalized treatment.  To achieve the personalization of medicine, it is important that the convergence of multiple fields of science come together and strategize to develop new treatments.  The panelists will discuss their experiences and how each of their approaches to working at the nexus of multiple disciplines helps move the needle forward in developing cures. 

MODERATOR: Martin Rosendale, CEO, Selnova, LLC

PANELISTS:

William E. Bentley, Robert E. Fischell Distinguished Chair in Engineering, University of Maryland
Praduman Jain, Founder & CEO, Vibrent Health
Kevin McRaith, CEO, WellDoc, Inc.
Jared Josleyn, Partnerships & Business Development Lead, Verily Life Sciences

10:50 AM: ACCELERATING INNOVATION: A Call to Action: Developing the Talent Pipeline

As we grow the region there is an acute need to build the talent pipeline.  Hear from government, industry and academia representatives as to how they each address this issue.  They will speak to new models and discuss best practices for collaboratively achieving the goal of educating, training and hiring our talent pool.

MODERATOR: Wendy Penry, SHRM-SCP, Chief Human Resource Officer, Aeras

PANELISTS:

Kelly M. Schulz, Secretary Of Labor, Licensing & Regulation, State of Maryland
Dr. Sanjay Rai, Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs, Montgomery College
Scott Ralls, PhD, President, Northern Virginia Community College
Chris Frew, Vice President, Breezio and Executive Director, BioBuzz Workforce Foundation

1:40 PM: ADVANCING SCIENCE: The Journey of Immunotherapy: From Idea to Patient

Our diverse group of panelists will each describe their role in getting an idea transformed into a drug that can potentially treat human disease.  They will speak to the challenges at each stage as well as paradigms they had to develop to keep moving to the next juncture. 

MODERATOR: Ashok Gupta, MD, PhD, Vice President, Immuno-Oncology Clinical Development, MedImmune

PANELISTS:

James L. Gulley, MD, PhD, Chief, Genitourinary Malignancies Branch & Director, Medical Oncology Service, CCR National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health
Matthew Mulvey, CEO, BeneVir
Thomas P. Loughran, Jr., MD, Director, University of Virginia Cancer Center
Bill Hearl, PhD, CEO, Immunomic Therapeutics, Inc.
Frank Weichold, MD, PhD, Director, Critical Path and Regulatory Science Initiatives, U.S. Food and Drug Administration

1:40 PM: ACCELERATING INNOVATION: Fostering Innovation Led Economic Development

Economic Development in the BioHealth Capital Region is inextricably tied to the support of its universities. Our panelists will speak to the role of universities, best practices and public private partnerships that are helping drive innovation and regional growth. 

MODERATOR: Tom Sadowski, Vice Chancellor for Economic Development, University System of Maryland

PANELISTS:

John M. Wasilisin, President & COO, TEDCO
Ed Albrigo, President & CEO, Center for Innovative Technology
Dr. Gerald L. Gordon, President & CEO, Fairfax County Economic Development Authority
Christy Wyskiel, Senior Advisor to the President & Head of Technology Ventures, Johns Hopkins University