SPEAKERS:

• Nancy J Kelley, Founding Member, Builds Bio+; President & CEO, Nancy J Kelley + Associates
• Mitchel Simpler, Founding Member, Builds Bio+; Partner Emeritus, JBB

Speakers:

The Honorable Rick Siger, Secretary of the Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development

Senator Steve Santarsiero, Serving PA’s 10^th Senatorial District in the Pennsylvania Senate, Democratic Chair, State Government Committee; Caucus Secretary, Senate Democratic Leadership

Innovate in PA 2.0 is a new $125 million initiative launched by Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro to strengthen the state’s life sciences ecosystem and support early-stage startups facing a challenging fundraising environment amid declining federal research funding. Funded through Pennsylvania’s 2026-27 budget, the program will provide capital to emerging companies, establish a statewide clinical trial network, enhance innovation infrastructure, and support workforce development efforts. Industry leaders have praised the initiative as one of the most significant state investments in life sciences in decades, with the goal of helping Pennsylvania’s more than 3,000 life science companies and research institutions to continue to drive innovation, job creation and commercialization across the Commonwealth.

Secretary Siger will open the event alongside Senator Santarsiero sharing key insights into Pennsylvania’s strategic roadmap for economic growth, technology innovation and statewide investment.  Immediately following the keynote, Secretary Siger and Senator Santarsiero will take the stage for a high impact panel discussion

Innovate in PA 2.0 is a new $125 million initiative launched by Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro to strengthen the state’s life sciences ecosystem and support early-stage startups facing a challenging fundraising environment amid declining federal research funding. Funded through Pennsylvania’s 2026-27 budget, the program will provide capital to emerging companies, establish a statewide clinical trial network, enhance innovation infrastructure, and support workforce development efforts. Industry leaders have praised the initiative as one of the most significant state investments in life sciences in decades, with the goal of helping Pennsylvania’s more than 3,000 life science companies and research institutions to continue to drive innovation, job creation and commercialization across the Commonwealth.

Moderator:

• Louis P. Kassa III, CEO of the Hepatitis B Foundation, Blumberg Institute and Pennsylvania Biotechnology Center (PABC)

Speakers:

• The Honorable Rick Siger, Secretary of the Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development
• Senator Steve Santarsiero, Serving PA’s 10th Senatorial District in the Pennsylvania Senate, Democratic Chair, State Government Committee; Caucus Secretary, Senate Democratic Leadership
• Eric Heil, MBA, Managing Partner, Medical Excellence Capital and Chief Executive Officer, Ladder Bio
• Maurie Smith, MA, Managing Director, Keystone LifeSci Collaborative
• Stephen Nappi, Associate Vice President, Technology Commercialization and Business Development, Temple University

Pennsylvania is a major growing hub for radiopharmaceuticals, featuring specialized treatment centers like Fox Chase Cancer Center, major research labs at the University of Pennsylvania, and massive new isotope manufacturing investments in Philadelphia by TerraPower Isotopes.

TerraPower Isotopes joins global industry leaders such as Eli Lilly, Nucleus Radiopharma, Novartis, Bristol Myers Squibb (BMS), Siemens Healthineers, GE Healthcare, SERB Pharmaceuticals, fueling a rapidly growing concentration of radiopharmaceutical research and development and manufacturing activity in Greater Philadelphia. The region offers a uniquely integrated ecosystem spanning isotope and radiochemistry research, leading radiotracer and radiopharmaceutical clinical trials, advanced manufacturing, and a deep talent pool.

Moderator:

• Colin G Miller, PhD, FIPEM, CSci, CEO, Bracken

Speakers:

• David Mankoff, MD, PhD, Professor of Research Radiology, Perelman School of Medicine, Penn Medicine, University of Pennsylvania
• Derek J. Miller, MBA, CEO, Vellum Bio
• Reid Tanaka, MS, Operations Manager Isotopes Project, Terra Power
• Sumit Verma, MA, Co-Founder, Orchestra Life Sciences; Founding Chief Executive Officer, TAG1, Inc.

Founded in 1968, Monell is the world’s only independent, nonprofit research institute dedicated to the scientific understanding of taste and smell. For decades, Monell scientists have been globally recognized leaders in advancing our understanding of taste, smell, and related senses and their impact on health and well-being.

Their recent decision to move to One uCity and remain in University City, after a three year search and with encouragement from the University City community, represents a major investment in Monell’s future in University City and in Philadelphia’s broader life sciences economy. More than 150 scientists and administrative and operations staff at Monell will occupy approximately 64,000 square feet across three floors at One uCity (25 N. 38th Street), with a planned opening in early 2027. The new space will provide Monell with world-class facilities supporting its mission to advance sensory science through interdisciplinary collaboration and discovery science. The total facility will have infrastructure and improvements valued at over $30 million.

By remaining in University City and expanding into a purpose-built environment, Monell is creating a one-of-a-kind, world-class home for sensory science, designed to support growth of its research enterprise, attract leading scientific talent, and open new opportunities for innovation and collaboration in Philadelphia.

FIRESIDE CHAT:

Moderator:

• Kevin Baumlin, MD, FACEP, Chief Medical Affairs Officer, Science Center

Speakers:

• Mike Leone, Director of Facilities Management, Monell Chemical Senses Center
• Neeraj Lal, Faculty Member, Monell Chemical Senses Center
• Ben Doranz, President & CEO, Integral Molecular
• Anthony Pell, Senior Associate, CBRE

Follow the riveting story of how a local life-sciences company persevered through six years of scientific development, regulatory review, policy challenges, and considerable adversity to bring a first-of-its-kind public-health technology to this EPA approval.

Speaker:

• Etienne Grignard, Founder and CEO, Bleu Garde

The University of Pennsylvania officially celebrated the grand opening of the National Science Foundation Artificial Intelligence-Driven RNA BioFoundry (AIRFoundry) on March 31 at One uCity Square. Funded by the National Science Foundation with $18 million, the AIRFoundry is designed as a state-of-the-art user facility that harnesses AI-driven discovery, high-throughput bioengineering, and advanced manufacturing to accelerate innovation in RNA-based technologies across human health, agriculture, environmental sustainability, and biological manufacturing.

Speakers:

• Benjamin Davis, PhD, Facility Director, NSF-AIRFoundry, University of Pennsylvania
• Zachary Ives, PhD, Professor and Chair, Computer and Information Department, University of Pennsylvania
• Daeyon Lee, PhD, Professor of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, University of Pennsylvania, Director, NSF AIRFoundry
• Sagar Yadavali, PhD, Co-Founder & CEO, Infini Fluidics

Speaker:

• Randall N. Hyer, MD, PhD, MPH, CEO Merlin Biotech

Scientific breakthroughs have little meaning if they do not reach the patients whose lives depend on them.

In this keynote, Dr. Randall Hyer will explore the urgent imperative to keep patients at the center of scientific innovation and drug development. Drawing on his experience as a physician, scientist, and biotechnology leader, Dr. Hyer will address the critical gap between promising discoveries in the laboratory, and the treatments patients desperately need.

His perspective is especially relevant to the search for cures and better treatments for children with cancer. For pediatric patients and their families, time is not an abstract concept. Every delay in translating promising science into effective therapies carries profound consequences.

Dr. Hyer will challenge the life sciences community to think differently about how we accelerate innovation, mobilize investment, and move breakthrough discoveries from the laboratory to the patients who cannot afford to wait.

There has been a steady stream of new investment by large companies and foreign companies choosing to locate in Philadelphia. This is great news for the growth of the industry and the creation of new jobs!

• Eli Lilly and Company announced a new Lilly Gateway Labs location at 2300 Market Street offering lab space and resources for early-stage biotech companies.
• TerraPower plans a $450 million cancer treatment plant at the Bellwether District in South Philadelphia. PA is investing $10 million to support the project which is expected to create 225 full-time jobs over the next three years.
• CTIBIOTECH, a global leader in 3D printing of human tissues announced the launch of its North American subsidiary in association with BioLabs for Advanced Therapeutics.
• Minaris is enhancing its GMP Cell Banking Suites in Philadelphia, expanding capabilities to better support cell and gene therapy programs from development through commercialization.
• Clario Medical Imaging is expanding its presence in partnership with Thermo Fisher Scientific after its recent acquisition.

Moderator:

• Nelson Way, Vice President, Leasing and Development, Ensemble

Speakers:

• Scott Claunch, RPh, President, TerraPower Isotopes ®
• Professor Colin McGuckin, Co-Founder and Chief Scientific Officer, CTIBIOTECH and Adjunct Professor, Fox Chase Cancer Center
• MORE TO COME!

Good news on the workforce development front!

The Wistar Institute, an international biomedical research leader in cancer, immunology, and infectious disease, and Apprenti announced the successful launch of their first joint Registered Apprenticeship cohort in Central New Jersey, marking a milestone in the organizations’ efforts to expand life sciences workforce development opportunities across the Mid-Atlantic region.

The Wistar Institute’s Hubert J.P. Schoemaker Education and Training Center has been a leader in life sciences workforce development, including pioneering the Biomedical Technician Training (BTT) Program, Pennsylvania’s first registered nontraditional pre-apprenticeship for biomedical research. Through its partnership with Apprenti, Wistar’s training programs can be integrated with federally registered apprenticeship standards to support employer talent needs and create new career pathways in the life science industry.

Apprenti, a leading apprenticeship intermediary, won U.S. Department of Labor (USDOL) approval for National Biomanufacturing Technician Registered Apprenticeship standards, creating a consistent workforce development model for life-sciences employers.

Speakers:

• Kristy Shuda McGuire, MS, PhD, Dean of Biomedical Studies and Professor, The Wistar Institute, Leader of the Hubert J.P. Schoemaker Education and Training Center
• Jeff Sullivan, Associate Director of Operations, Merck & Co. Inc.
• Daniel Weagle, Director of Life Science Business Development at Apprenti

Speaker:

• Dr. Amy J. Goldberg, The Marjorie Joy Katz Dean of the Lewis Katz School of Medicine, Temple University

Dr. Amy J. Goldberg is Dean of the Lewis Katz School of Medicine at Temple University, where she is leading efforts to expand access to medical education, healthcare, and opportunity. A nationally recognized trauma surgeon, educator, advocate and healthcare leader, Dr. Goldberg has spent more than three decades at Temple, helping advance innovation in patient care, medical education, and community health.

Under her leadership, the Lewis Katz School of Medicine is advancing regional partnerships, workforce development initiatives, and new educational models designed to strengthen the healthcare workforce and improve health outcomes across Pennsylvania and New Jersey. In her closing keynote, Dr. Goldberg will discuss the role of academic medicine in expanding opportunity, advancing innovation, and addressing the evolving healthcare needs of the communities it serves.