The opening Keynote will highlight the strong foundation for life sciences in New Jersey that has been built over many years, and especially over the last decade, to support the creation of a fully integrated innovation ecosystem which brings together all stakeholders, fosters meaningful opportunities for discovery, collaboration and mentorship, and ultimately accelerates the development of new therapies and cures for patients.

SPEAKER:

• Debbie Hart, President and CEO, BioNJ

2025 – 2026 has been a year of great change for healthcare and the life sciences industry at both the federal and state levels. Join industry leaders from policy, pharma and healthcare institutions as they discuss the changes, the current environment, how their organizations are responding and what that means for therapeutic commercialization and patient care.

moderator:

• Chrissy Buteas, President and CEO, HealthCare Institute of New Jersey (HINJ)

SPEAKER:

• Andrew Evens, Chief Physician Officer, Rutgers Cancer Institute, AV Chancellor Rutgers Health, Oncology Lead. Medical Group & System Director of Medical Oncology, RWJ Barnabas Health
• Richard Bagger, Partner and Executive Director, Christie 55 Solutions

New Jersey has recently transformed many of the legacy pharmaceutical campuses to repurposed Innovation Centers.  These Innovation life science clusters are vital to the State’s future, fostering an ecosystem of research, development, and manufacturing. These regions leverage a concentration of scientists, top-tier universities, and leading companies to facilitate collaboration and accelerate the path from idea to marketed product.

MODERATOR:

• John F. Coelho, Senior Advisor Life Sciences and Healthcare, New Jersey Economic Development Authority

SPEAKERS

• Alex Richter, Executive Director and Head of the SciTech Innovation Hub (SciTech Scity)
• Matthew Flath, Senior Vice President Asset Management, The Northeast Science & Technology Center (NEST)
• Christopher Paladino, President, New Brunswick Development Corporation and Chief Executive Officer, HELIX NJ
• Jean-Pierre Issa, President and CEO, Coriell Institute for Medical Research
• Neal Lemon, Associate Vice President - Innovation, Rowan University & Cooper University Health
• Dr. Sandra Elliott, Chief Innovation and Commercialization Officer, Hackensack Meridian Health

New Jersey is one of the major life sciences innovation engines in the United States, and its strength comes from a combination of scientific, economic and policy drivers that together create a highly productive environment for research, development and commercialization.  University research power produces cutting-edge science and spin-offs.  Innovation infrastructure supports translation from idea to commercialization.  Talent and workforce programs provide skilled scientists and specialized technical roles.

MODERATOR:

• Michael Zwick, PhD, Senior Vice President for Research, Rutgers University, The State University of New Jersey

speakers:

• Anne-Marie Maman, MBA, Entrepreneurship & Strategic Initiatives, Princeton University
• Vince Beachley, PhD, Associate Dean for Research and Innovation, Rowan–Virtua School of Translational Biomedical Engineering & Sciences 
• Thomas Villani,​​​​ PhD, VP AI and Machine Learning, New Jersey Innovation Institute, New Jersey Institute of Technology
• Nahid Turan, PhD, VP Operations, Chief Biobanking Officer, Coriell Institute

New Jersey State policies and funding are important catalysts to reducing barriers and attracting life science investment.  This keynote will highlight the programs and policies that have played a central role in growing New Jersey’s life sciences sector, as well as new directions that could shape the economic, research, and innovation environment under the next gubernatorial administration.

speakers:

• Kathleen W. Coviello, Chief Economic Transformation Officer, New Jersey Economic Development Authority (NJEDA)

Regional collaboration is central to the growth of the life sciences industry in New Jersey, helping the State to leverage local strengths, build competitive advantages and integrate into broader innovation networks, thereby increasing market opportunities.

MODERATOR:

• Thomas Richardson, President, The Institute for Life Science Entrepreneurship

speakers:

• Valentina Fossati, PhD, Senior Research Investigator, JAX-NYSCF Collaborative
• Arthur Kapoor, Serial Entrepreneur and Public Member, New Jersey Health Care Facilities Financing Authority
• John T.G. Pena, PhD, MD, Chief Executive Officer and Chief Scientific Officer, Sonder Research
• Roelof Rongen, Co-Founder, Board Director, AeirBio, Inc., Spinout from Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center

New Jersey sits at a unique crossroads where food and medicine increasingly overlap, shaped by the state’s deep roots in pharmaceutical innovation, agricultural diversity, and public health research. Home to a strong life sciences sector and a long-standing farming tradition – from cranberries to blueberries to specialty crops – New Jersey provides fertile ground for exploring how nutrition, functional foods and medical science work together to prevent disease and improve health. Universities, research hospitals, food producers, and biotech companies across the state are collaborating to study the role of diet in managing chronic conditions, develop food-based therapeutics, and advance personalized nutrition, positioning New Jersey as an important hub at the intersection of what we eat and how we heal.

MODERATOR:

• Kalindi Bakshi, PhD, Division Head – Life Science & Food Innovation, Middlesex County

speakers:

• Jeffrey Zhao, Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer, Notitia Biotechnologies Company
• Ishani Ved, Director, Transformational Population Health and Outcomes, Saint Peter’s Healthcare System
• Yekaterina Tarasova, Founder, Mycsology Foods, Inc.
• Junrui Cheng, PhD., Senior Nutrition Scientist, Ingredion

New Jersey’s vibrant startup ecosystem is rapidly gaining recognition as a breeding ground for innovative ideas and entrepreneurial talent. At the heart of this growth are startup companies and incubators that showcase the state’s most promising early-stage ventures and the support networks fueling their success. By celebrating local innovators and the dynamic community behind them, New Jersey’s startup companies help foster collaboration, attract investment and inspire the next generation of entrepreneurs.

MODERATOR:

• Lenzie Harcum, Director, New Jersey Bioscience Center and Step-Out Labs at North Brunswick

SPEAKERS:

• Christopher C. Whitfield, MBA, Chief Executive Office, Antigenix, Startup from Princeton Innovation Center BioLabs
• Mike Flanagan, Chief Technolgy Officer, Delve Therapeutics, startup from New Jersey BioScience Center
• Sangeetha Ramsagar, Executive Director, New Jersey Innovation Hub, Powered by Portal. Science Incubator
• Dr. Ariane Vasilatis, Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer, Zena Therapeutics (Rutgers Spinout)

Pharmaceutical companies are increasingly focused on strengthening innovation pipelines to sustain long-term growth and deliver meaningful patient impact in a highly competitive and regulated environment. Key priorities include accelerating the translation of breakthrough science into viable therapies, improving R&D productivity through data, AI, and platform technologies, and strategically balancing risk across early- and late-stage assets. At the same time, companies are emphasizing external innovation—through partnerships, licensing, and acquisitions—while embedding patient-centricity, speed, and scientific differentiation into portfolio decision-making. Together, these priorities are reshaping innovation pipelines to be more agile, evidence-driven, and aligned with areas of highest unmet medical need.

MODERATOR

• Jayne Gershkowitz, Chief Patient Advocate Emerita, Amicus Therapeutics

SPEAKERS

• Suhas Krishna, VP and Global Head of Product Development, Sanofi
• Nancy Ondovik, MBA/ PhD, Principal, JJDC New Company Creation, Johnson & Johnson
• Bill Noonan, Chief Business Officer, Choose NJ