Did you miss the 8th Annual BioHealth Capital Region Forum? Below we are sharing many of the panels, fireside chats, and keynotes from this event hosted on September 20th, 2022, from USP in Rockville, Maryland.
The year’s theme was “Imagine the Future Together,” with discussions on Healthcare Innovation, Change, Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion.
Thank you to all the Sponsors and Partners of the event and region this year.
Welcoming Remarks & Imagine the Future Together
Ron Piervincenzi, CEO of US Pharmacopeia (USP), welcomes attendees in person and online to the Forum.
Rich Bendis, President & CEO of BioHealth Innovation, Inc., speaks on the theme of “Imagine the Future Together”, and previews the upcoming discussions for the day.
Click here to view the video on YouTube.
- Ron Piervincenzi, CEO of US Pharmacopeia (USP)
- Rich Bendis, President & CEO, BioHealth Innovation, Inc.
Gen Top 10 BioCluster Update
Alex Philippidis, Senior Business Editor of Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology News returns to the Forum to give his annual update on the GEN rankings of the Top 10 Bio Clusters in the United States. The BioHealth Capital Region is currently ranked #4 with a goal to be Top 3 by 2023, and Alex will briefly discuss each of the 10 top clusters and discuss how they have performed in the past year and prospects for the future. He will also mention the Up and Coming Regions of the Country.
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- Alex Philippidis, Senior Business Editor of Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology News
BioHealth Capital Region Update
Pete Briskman, Executive Managing Director and Co-Lead for the Mid-Atlantic Life Sciences Practice, will follow Alex and do a deeper dive into the BioHealth Capital Region’s outstanding performance in 2021 and the outlook for 2022.
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- Pete Briskman, Executive Managing Director and Co-Lead for the Mid-Atlantic Life Sciences Practice, JLL
Keynote: BARDA Innovation Programs
Dr. Gary Disbrow is the Director of the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA) and Deputy Secretary for the Administration for Strategic Preparedness and Response (ASPR) in the Department of Health and Human Services. Dr. Disbrow will discuss the many programs and investments BARDA manages to address health security threats, including the most recent Covid 19 Pandemic. BARDA has established hundreds of public-private sector partnerships and has a portfolio of many products that have earned FDA regulatory approvals, licensures, or clearances.
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- Gary Disbrow, Director, Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA)
Next Generation Immunity
Innovation, investment, and response for Infectious Disease Medical Countermeasures grew significantly during COVID-19. The pandemic response initially emphasized diagnostics, vaccines, and PPE, with later emphasis on surveillance, antivirals, mAbs, and other preventive and therapeutic measures. With many learnings in hand and the worst of COVID-19 hopefully behind us, how should we now prepare for future infectious disease outbreaks? This panel will explore the need and strategy for a balanced and innovative portfolio of MCMs, alongside reimagined regulatory approval processes. The panel will also discuss the suitability of our current MCM and societal strategies for this age of innovation.
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- Stu Soloman, CEO, Connected DMV
- John Mascola, Scientific Officer, ModeX Therapeutics
- Rebecca Farkas, Head of the Office of Technology, Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovation (CEPI)
Fireside Chat: Progress on Addressing the Needs of Children in Disasters
Dr. Joelle Simpson from Children’s National will discuss the unique needs of Children in Disasters and the role of Community Hospitals and Tertiary Care Centers. What the progress has been over the last 5 years, and the development of National Coalitions to address these issues. They will also discuss Children’s National role as a Regional and National Leader and the unique partnerships it has formed to address these challenges. Lastly, what are the lessons learned from Covid, and how do we focus on Health Equity as we move forward.
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- Michael Anderson, Senior Advisor, Children’s National Hospital
- Mary Anne Hillard, EVP, General Counsel, and CNRIC Executive, Children’s National Hospital
- Joelle Simpsons, Principal Investigator, Children’s Nationals Hospital
Infectious Diseases Resources for Research and Development
Local and regional resources are available to support research and development of countermeasures to combat infectious diseases, including pathogens of priority for national and global pandemic preparedness. Learn about opportunities to access in vitro and in vivo services in BSL-3 and BSL-4 environments, how to access them, and ways in which the teams can help you to advance your novel therapeutics, vaccines, and diagnostics pipelines.
- Kristen Herring, VP, The Conafay Group
- Farhang Alem, Interim Director. George Mason University, Regional Biocontainment Lab
- Paul Duprex, Director, University of Pittsburgh, Center for Vaccine Research
- Todd Parsley, Chief Executive Officer, Noble Life Sciences
- LTC Brett Swierczewsi, Director of Research Program Office, USAMRIID
How Standards Help Bring New Medicines to Market: An Introduction to US Pharmacopeia
For more than 200 years US Pharmacopeia (USP) has been setting standards that help bring new medicines to market by supporting regulatory predictability in manufacturing and innovation. In this session you will learn more about USP, the standards they are working on to support new medicines such as mAbs and vaccines, and how they are helping address barriers to adoption of new manufacturing technologies. The discussion will also include a perspective from a new biopharma company on how standards are helping them bring new medicines to market.
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- Anthony Lakavage, Senior VP, Global External Affairs, USP
- Carrie Harney, VP, US Government and Regulatory Affairs
- Fouad Alem, VP, Biologics, USP
- Dennis Hall, VP Manufacturing Services, USP
The FDA Centers for Regulatory Science and Innovation
Headquartered in White Oak, Maryland, the FDA is the world’s leading regulator of drugs and devices and is committed to helping deliver innovation, safe and effective treatments and cures to patients who need them as quickly as possible. Learn how the FDA -- through the Center for Devices and Radiological Health (CDRH) and the extramural Centers for Regulatory Science and Innovation (CERSI) works with the research hospitals, academic medical centers, and the industry to life sciences innovations.
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- Kolaleh Eskandanian, VP & Chief Innovation Officer, Children’s National
- Vasum Peiris, Chief Medical Officer and Director for Pediatrics and Special Populations, Center for Devices and Radiological Health U.S. Food and Drug Administration
- William Bentley, Professor and Director, University of Maryland
Cultivating Talent in the BioHealth Capital Region
Defining Career Paths in the BHCR: Throughout the Region, large life sciences corporations and smaller growth-stage companies continue to expand their teams. Sometimes, their talent needs are similar, but the companies' stage and size require a different set of skills. Hear from a variety of regional leaders about their current hiring needs and expectations for the future. A valuable panel for both employers and job seekers as we navigate the existing ecosystem.
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- Chris Frew, Founder & CEO Workforce Genetics/BioBuzz
- Thomas Watkins, Director of Talent Acquisition , USP
- Stacy Rollinger, SPHR – Vice President of Human Resources, NextCure
- Karen Haslbeck, Head of Human Resources, NexImmune
- Sadiye Rieder, Associate Director, Research Scientist, Horizon
Regional Support for BioHealth Entrepreneurs
The BioHealth Capital Region is a nurturing space for innovators, researchers, and problem solvers. Within the region’s three jurisdictions (D.C., Maryland and Virginia) local startups can find technical assistance, lab infrastructure, mentoring and funding from private and public sector partners. Learn more about the resources available in BHCR’s entrepreneurial ecosystem as you commercialize your technology and grow your company.
- John Newby, CEO, Virginia Biotechnology Association
- Grant Warner, Director of Innovation, College of Engineering at Howard University
- Troy LeMaile-Stovall, CEO, TEDCO
- Chandra Briggman, President & CEO, Activation Capital
NIH Helps Innovators Turn Discovery Into Health
In addition to supporting cutting edge basic science, NIH educates and assists NIH-funded innovators as they transition from discovery science to product development. NIH entrepreneurship programs and professional advisory services support academic innovators and small businesses to validate the potential health impacts of their discoveries. These programs, together with NIH’s $1.2 billion/year investment in U.S. small businesses strengthen the life science product development ecosystem.
- Matthew McMahon, Director, SEED, National Institutes of Health
Innovation through Collaboration: Opportunities in the BHCR
Successful BioHealth companies understand that collaboration is the key to solving our most pressing healthcare challenges. From incubation to Open Innovation to investing in start-ups, the BioHealth Capital Region’s private sector is replete with partnerships, knowledge transfer, and opportunities to accelerate research in order to save more lives more quickly. Hear from the region’s biggest life sciences companies and labs about the ways they foster collaboration with external researchers and innovators–your company could be next!
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- Sally Allain, Head, JLABS @ Washington, DC and Interim Head of JLABS North East, Johnson & Johnson Innovation
- Pam Hill, Global Head of Innovation, AstraZeneca
- Ray Blanchard, Associate Director | IP & Licensing, QIAGEN
Fireside Chat: BioHealth Investment Climate
(2022 - Venture Capital Update) Joel S. Marcus is the Executive Chairman and Founder of Alexandria Real Estate Equities, Inc. Mr. Marcus will discuss the vibrant BioHealth investment market and the tremendous growth it has experienced over the last few years in spite of the Pandemic. He will also discuss some of the hottest technologies and market segments for investment and Alexandria’s proven venture investment philosophy. Alexandria has been a key leader and trusted partner to hundreds of industry innovators in the BioHealth Capital Region for nearly three decades. The pioneering, mission-driven company continues to grow its presence in the Region, where it has amassed nearly 4 Million square feet of high-quality laboratory and office space primarily located in Rockville and Gaithersburg and is one of the most active early-stage life science investors.
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- Rich Bendis, President & CEO, BioHealth Innovation, Inc.
- Joel Marcus, Executive Chairman and Founder, Alexandria
Keynote: Opening the Aperture: Strengthening our Ecosystem Through Diverse Talent
The pandemic has made clear the imperatives of health equity and greater investment in minority-owned biotechs and suppliers. Fundamental to improvements in these areas, however, is the need to source diverse talent into the industry. Hear from Maurice Jones, CEO of OneTen and a dynamic national leader on the importance of corporate diversity, equity and inclusion (DE&I) and the need to "start at the beginning" by priming the life science workforce pipeline starting with high school talent through degreed candidates
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- Maurice Jones, President & CEO, OneTen, INC.
- John Newby, Chief Executive Officer, Virginia Biotechnology Association
Closing Remarks
County Executive Marc Elrich of Montgomery County, Maryland, closes the 8th Annual BioHealth Capital Region with highlights of the past few years in MoCo. Rich Bendis also returns to review the day and preview the BioHealth Capital Region Investment Conference and Crab Trap taking place on September 21st, 2022.
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