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This talk will cover the life science ecosystem, Flagship’s approach to collaborative innovation, and the transformative role of generative AI.
Michael is a VP Distinguished Analysts on Gartner’s Healthcare & Life Science CIO Industry team. He advises clients on digital business transformation and helps with decisions on technologies that support R&D and Manufacturing IT strategy. Michael helped coin and champion “digital lab of the future” and has extensive knowledge of laboratory informatics, business process, and IT trends. He advises executives on issues extending across the entire value chain – from early R&D all the way through QC and manufacturing.
Prior to joining Gartner, Mr. Shanler supervised an R&D engineering staff at BD Biosciences where he was focused on new product development (NPD) and technology development and scientific activities. He drove new initiatives and assessed external technologies and acquisition candidates. He also has experience in developing strategic technology and product roadmaps, leading NPD programs, managing project teams, marshalling innovation efforts, and driving collaborations. While at Pfizer (formerly Genetics Institute), he gained practical experiences in informatics, data automation, and lab instrumentation for drug discovery. Michael has a BS in Biomedical Engineering from Boston University and has had several patents issued in the scientific space. He has lived on four different continents and is married to a university professor with whom he has 3 children. Michael has a passion for travel, cooking, race cars and alpine skiing.
Don Rainville is a Principal Director with Accenture’s Scientific Informatics practice and serves as the Global Innovation Hub Lead for Accenture’s Digital Laboratories in the US, Ireland, and Singapore. As an industry thought leader, he helps organizations liberate capital through Digital Laboratory Transformation and then reinvest those savings into new innovations. Don has supported complex, global programs as a laboratory systems subject matter expert within Life Sciences, Mining, Consumer Goods, and Petrochemical.
This talk will cover enabling appropriate access to internal and external data sources throughout the pipeline, design principles to enhance collaboration, and the role of enabling technology. Case studies from Kendall Square and Vienna Labs will be highlighted.
This talk will explore how to confront the staggering reality that over 90% of drugs fail in clinical development. It will focus on laying the groundwork to reshape drug discovery and development while utilizing technology to de-risk R&D, tipping the odds in favor of patients and transformative treatments.
Ryan has led Information Technology (IT) and Digital for Thermo Fisher Scientific since 2019. Prior to becoming CIO, he served as Vice President, IT, for our customer channels and pharmaceutical services businesses. He also led IT for enterprise efforts in quality and regulatory. Within the customer channels business, Ryan helped expand digital capabilities and enhance the customer experience through scaled global IT systems. He also led the technology integration and development of the IT organization within our pharmaceutical services business following Thermo Fisher’s acquisition of Patheon. Ryan joined Thermo Fisher in 2014 through the acquisition of Life Technologies, where he served in several IT leadership roles for the previous 10 years, including leading commercial, eBusiness and digital IT teams. Before joining the company, he spent five years at GE leading business and IT teams. Ryan holds an MBA and a master’s degree in information systems from State University of New York (SUNY) at Buffalo. He earned his bachelor’s degree in political science and environmental studies from SUNY at Geneseo. Passionate about the intersection of IT, digital innovation and science, Ryan leads a global team supporting Thermo Fisher’s mission to enable our customers to make the world healthier, cleaner and safer.
The future of AI in pharma isn’t just about billion-dollar supercomputers – it’s about systematically developing hundreds of AI use cases that optimize everyday operations. This talk introduces the “factory model” for scaling scientific datasets into AI deployment: a systematic approach to discovering, engineering, and productizing scientific data and AI use cases across the enterprise. Learn how leading organizations are industrializing their AI development process to accelerate time-to-value.
Siping “Spin” Wang is the Co-Founder and CTO of TetraScience, the Scientific Data and AI Cloud. TetraScience works with the world’s largest life sciences organizations to liberate, unify, and transform their raw scientific data into more-than-FAIR, AI-native data that comes to life in a rapidly growing suite of next-generation lab data management solutions, scientific use cases, and AI-based scientific outcomes. Spin helps oversee the company’s product and corporate strategy. He graduated from Cornell with a B.S. in applied physics and electrical engineering and an M.S. in electrical engineering and computer science from MIT
The presentation will explore the future of lab research, covering both wet work and laboratory infrastructure. Novo Nordisk’s extensive analysis is informing new lab designs aimed at changing the way research is conducted and driving innovation. While labs are currently human-centric, the focus is shifting toward integrating GenAI for data generation and fostering collaboration between humans and robots. Looking further ahead, the discussion will cover the exciting possibility of fully automated lab processes that remove humans from the loop entirely. The talk will review Novo Nordisk’s experimental and digital advancements, outlining the vision for the future and identifying current blockers to progress.
Todd Lybrook has been with Siemens for 13 years. He is in the Life Sciences vertical headquarters. He is the Solution Owner for Digital Labs, focusing on digitizing product research, process development, and tech transfer.
Mads leads the global team responsible for Digital Transformation of innovation flows for the Planetary Health BioSolutions division of Novonesis. Anchored across diverse industry units, his team drives innovation processes transformation, competency up leveling, and establishment of scalable learning loops spanning Novonesis’s innovation pipeline. Based on a philosophy of creating robust and user-friendly digital infrastructure components, his team delivers a foundation for data-based decision making and augmented business guidance. Mads is a vetted technology and people leader with over 20 years of R&D experience within industrial biotech and emerging industries. He holds a PhD in Biotechnology and a MS in Chemical Engineering from the Technical University of Denmark.
Dr James Love is Vice President of Automation and Process Optimization in Novo Nordisk A/S. His team covers automation projects at all Novo Nordisk global sites where they focus on data generation for drug discovery and development across the value chain. Dr Love was educated at Oxford and Cambridge, and is trained as a protein X-ray crystallographer. After 15 years of work in the USA at various research centers and companies, he moved to Denmark to take up his current role. At present, his team is designing modern research facilities and robotic processes to conduct research in the AI augmented era.
Todd Lybrook has been with Siemens for 13 years. He is in the Life Sciences vertical headquarters. He is the Solution Owner for Digital Labs, focusing on digitizing product research, process development, and tech transfer.
Mads leads the global team responsible for Digital Transformation of innovation flows for the Planetary Health BioSolutions division of Novonesis. Anchored across diverse industry units, his team drives innovation processes transformation, competency up leveling, and establishment of scalable learning loops spanning Novonesis’s innovation pipeline. Based on a philosophy of creating robust and user-friendly digital infrastructure components, his team delivers a foundation for data-based decision making and augmented business guidance. Mads is a vetted technology and people leader with over 20 years of R&D experience within industrial biotech and emerging industries. He holds a PhD in Biotechnology and a MS in Chemical Engineering from the Technical University of Denmark.
This talk will explore how AI is transforming drug discovery, unlocking new possibilities in therapeutic development. I will highlight how creative risk-sharing partnerships are enabling cost-effective access to AI-driven innovations. Through a showcase of recent achievements and future potential, I will also demonstrate how these advancements are reshaping the future of medicine.
This talk will highlight how AI is transforming drug discovery, from target identification and rank ordering to AI-driven molecular design. We’ll explore how AI is advancing biomarker discovery and enabling precision medicine, paving the way for more personalized and effective therapies.
Alison Jones is a Senior Science Director at Charles River Laboratories, Cambridge, UK. She has almost 30 years’ experience in drug discovery working in small and medium sized biotechnology companies as well as in the CRO sector. As part of her current role, she drives the scientific strategy for small molecule discovery within Charles River, has strategic oversight of multiple integrated drug discovery projects, and is Scientific Portfolio Lead of Logica, an AI in drug discovery initiative. She is passionate about incorporating AI and automation into the drug discovery pathway as well as mentoring and training the next generation of drug discoverers. Alison is also a Fellow of the Royal Society of Chemistry and lectures to postgraduate students at University College, London.
Abhishek Pandey is the Global Lead and Principal Research Scientist II at AbbVie, specializing in Machine Learning for Drug Discovery. In his role, he leads a team of machine learning scientists focused on developing advanced Machine Learning methods for Target identification and prioritization, ADMET, De Novo design of molecule, Tox, and preclinical/clinical precision medicine. His team is responsible for developing state-of-the-art machine learning algorithms for Discovery, Developmental Sciences, and the AbbVie-Calico alliance departments of AbbVie. Prior to joining AbbVie, Abhishek was a founding member of the AI team at Tempus Labs Inc. Helping transform the company in the field of precision medicine and market value. Abhishek holds a Ph.D. in Electrical and Computer Engineering from the University of Arizona and has previous experience as an Embedded systems software engineer at Toshiba in the mobile multimedia division.
This talk will outline a Phased Transformation Automation Approach, focusing on the gradual integration of automated systems to minimize disruption and enable continuous improvement. We’ll explore the Digitize First Strategy, where digitizing processes and data lays a strong foundation for future automation. The session will also highlight the importance of Maximizing Solution Potential, ensuring that existing technologies are fully leveraged to optimize efficiency and outcomes. Finally, we’ll discuss how Scalability with Digital Twin technologies can simulate and optimize lab workflows, driving efficiency and resource savings.
This presentation will showcase a “no click” solution developed for scientists in upstream process development, automating the flow of data from sample analysis to dashboard visualization. This approach eliminates manual data collection and management, enabling significant time savings. We will also explore how we are building connections from in-house data models to advanced analytical platforms, including hybrid modelling tools, to enhance data integration and support more sophisticated analysis.
This talk will cover the effects of a decentralized laboratory testing ecosystem, the implications for laboratory accreditation, and the measurable gains across the laboratory ecosystem.
Mrs. Weber has 20+ years of experience in enterprise laboratory systems, complemented by project management, design, and deployment expertise. She has been instrumental in strengthening compliance, ensuring quality, and reducing costs within large-scale Quality Control and R&D Testing Laboratories. Peggy is a solution-system-driven professional with a vision and passion for driving innovative strategic software solutions. Areas include Manufacturing, Quality Control, and R&D laboratories. Led teams in implementing multi-million-dollar ELP solutions to advanced data management. An experienced leader in scientific software development and senior-level computational teamwork.
I have worked in upstream process development in the biopharmaceutical industry for the past seven years. During that time, I have had a particular focus on delivering value to scientists by saving them time capturing, cleaning, and visualizing their data. This started with small steps including templating our data structure and building applications to streamline creating routine visualizations. However, in the past few years, this has transformed into working on a transversal team building a complete end-to-end data pipeline enabling a “no click” workflow sending data from bioreactor to dashboard with ease. It has been such a pleasure to see this project come to fruition and I continue to look forward to the next ways we can simplify ways of working for scientists.
Tamara graduated with a BSc (Hons) in Chemistry, from the University of Witwatersrand. After graduating, she spent some time working as a process metallurgist for a Mining Research and Technology business before moving into the LIMS industry. She has behind her more than 22+ years’ experience in the laboratory information technology and services industry, where she held positions in Services, Sales & Strategic Accounts Management. Tamara joined Clinisys in May 2023 and is now the Director, Global LIMS Sales.
Next-generation high throughput (HT) ELISA system will increase business productivity and flexibility by increasing efficiency, quality, and throughput via automation of traditional ELISA workflows. The HT ELISA platform is a customized automation solution designed to integrate digital information with enhanced liquid handling technology to perform complex, repetitive, and labour-intensive ELISA workflows. This dynamic approach for ELISA workflows will streamline the acquisition of product impurity data and enable HT experiments for early-to-late phase pipeline programs
Industry scientist with 7 years of experience in analytical chemistry. Extensive experience in developing analytical methods to characterize biological drug products. Roberto also specializes in automating analytical methods and developing workflows to improve business efficiencies.
Industry veteran with 27 years of experience in biotech and pharma. Extensive background in biology, clinical diagnostics, preclinical pharmacology, instrumentation, assay, and process development, data science, data management, bioinformatics, and laboratory automation. MS in Clinical Research from Drexel University College of Medicine, MSc in Clinical Pathology from University of Massachusetts Lowell, BS in Biology from University of Massachusetts Dartmouth, BA in Technical Writing from Concordia College.
Mohit Goel is a dynamic force in the field of Lab automation, with a keen focus on the integration of emerging technologies to streamline and enhance laboratory operations. He holds a Bachelor of Science in Biotechnology from the Indian Institute of Technology Guwahati and a Master of Science in Chemical Engineering from the University of Wisconsin-Madison, equipping him with a robust scientific background.
In the realm of laboratory automation and system integration, Mohit has made significant contributions, particularly in the development and implementation of robotic systems that synergize with lab information systems. His efforts have consistently aimed at improving the efficiency and reliability of scientific research.
A dedicated member of the scientific community, Mohit lends his expertise to the SLAS (Lab of the Future) Committee and serves on the Program Committee for the SLAS Data Science and AI Symposium. Mohit’s commitment to technological advancement and his collaborative spirit are integral to his role in shaping the laboratories of tomorrow.
Industry scientist with 7 years of experience in analytical chemistry. Extensive experience in developing analytical methods to characterize biological drug products. Roberto also specializes in automating analytical methods and developing workflows to improve business efficiencies.
Industry veteran with 27 years of experience in biotech and pharma. Extensive background in biology, clinical diagnostics, preclinical pharmacology, instrumentation, assay, and process development, data science, data management, bioinformatics, and laboratory automation. MS in Clinical Research from Drexel University College of Medicine, MSc in Clinical Pathology from University of Massachusetts Lowell, BS in Biology from University of Massachusetts Dartmouth, BA in Technical Writing from Concordia College.
I will present how patient timelines constructed using healthcare-specific Large Language Models (LLMs) significantly enhance drug discovery efforts. Our case study demonstrates how applying LLMs to Electronic Health Records (EHRs) enables the creation of detailed oncology patient timelines. This involves extracting and synthesizing chemotherapy treatment data from diverse clinical documentation—ranging from primary care and oncology notes to discharge summaries, emergency department records, and pathology and radiology reports. These timelines offer a comprehensive, longitudinal view of patient treatments, providing critical insights into treatment patterns, response rates, and progression timelines that can inform drug discovery and development efforts.
Unleash the potential of AI and synthetic biology with a modern lab framework designed for agility and innovation. This presentation examines the integration of advanced data processing, automation, and emerging technologies to redefine scientific discovery and clinical applications. It will also present a framework and reference architecture that will help you understand how composable architecture and future innovations will fit into the evolving and adaptive lab.
Vishakha Sharma is a senior principal data scientist in Roche diagnostics information solutions. She leads advanced analytics initiatives such as natural language processing (NLP) and machine learning (ML) to discover key insights improving the Navify product portfolio, leading to better and more efficient patient care.
Christopher Lundy is a transformative leader and strategist with over 20 years of expertise in enterprise architecture, cloud modernization, and AI-driven solutions across biotechnology, pharmaceutical, and retail sectors. Known for aligning IT strategies with business goals and modernization transformation, he has a proven track record of driving innovation, building high-performance teams, and executing complex, high-impact programs within budget and timelines. He led initiatives like the development of the digital architecture for a $500M ADC manufacturing plant, implemented an automated GxP process that dramatically reduced production timelines, and introduced, a virtual environment accelerating R&D processes. His work has modernized millions of square feet of research labs and pioneered a Large Language Model (LLM) that revolutionizes drug discovery.
Previously in retail and health sciences, he spearheaded cloud transformations and architected a real-time analytics platform processing millions of transactions daily. As the founder of FindInfinite Labs, he advances quantum theories, AI-driven simulations, and groundbreaking biomedical innovations. A certified MIT xPRO in AI, Chris is also a published author and frequent speaker at industry conferences, known for his expertise in quantum applications, enterprise architecture, and AI ethics. His impactful work continues to shape the future of technology and science.
The CMC Process Development is facing multiple challenges from the increasing number of projects, need for agility, cost reductions, data integrity & accelerated development timelines. Data generated during drug development is only partially leveraged to further improve our processes or use it for predictive modelling. Building on a multi-year CMC Digital Transformation program, we embarked on digitizing End-to-End workflows across multiple modalities, platforms & lab families. We focused on three key areas: Operating Model, Value delivery & Scaling. Mohan will share the progress and challenges in each of these areas.
Mohan Boggara has a PhD in Chemical Engineering with his doctoral work focused on the design and characterization of drug delivery systems based on lipid nanoparticles. His postdoctoral work includes computational design and characterization of polyvalent protein/peptide drugs and thermodynamic modelling of petroleum mixtures under reservoir conditions. He spent several years in Amgen process development through advanced data science and analytics in support of biologics drug product development, supply chain risk analyses, clinical & commercial manufacturing support. In addition, he served as digital lead for Product Lifecycle Management to enable digital thread and digital tech transfer for spanning Drug Substance, Drug Product and Final Drug Product. Since 2023, Mohan has been part of Sanofi CMC and lead the full transformation end-to-end data flows as part of Global CMC Digital Transformation
After earning a bachelor’s degree in computer science and statistics, I spent 10 years working as a Statistical Program Leader for various CROs, collaborating with different pharmaceutical companies. In 2006, I joined Sanofi as a Statistical Program Leader, contributing to multiple therapeutic areas and preparing dossiers for submission to health authorities.
In 2013, I transitioned to Sanofi’s Digital R&D organization, initially serving as the Product Owner of the Clinical Analytical platform. Later, I became the Product Line Leader for Clinical Analytics.
In 2021, I took on the role of iCMC Digital Transformation Leader, focusing on the End To End digital transformation of Sanofi CMC Labs to enhance lab productivity and accelerate development processes through data-driven products, leveraging AI, machine learning, and modeling agents.
Digital transformation is not just a technological shift but a fundamental change in how organizations operate and innovate. At GSK, we embarked on an ambitious journey to raise digital fluency within our CMC operations, recognizing that a successful transformation hinges on effective change management strategies and a people-centric approach.
Mohan Boggara has a PhD in Chemical Engineering with his doctoral work focused on the design and characterization of drug delivery systems based on lipid nanoparticles. His postdoctoral work includes computational design and characterization of polyvalent protein/peptide drugs and thermodynamic modelling of petroleum mixtures under reservoir conditions. He spent several years in Amgen process development through advanced data science and analytics in support of biologics drug product development, supply chain risk analyses, clinical & commercial manufacturing support. In addition, he served as digital lead for Product Lifecycle Management to enable digital thread and digital tech transfer for spanning Drug Substance, Drug Product and Final Drug Product. Since 2023, Mohan has been part of Sanofi CMC and lead the full transformation end-to-end data flows as part of Global CMC Digital Transformation
Hi, my name is Sandy Chang, and I am a Digital Transformation Associate Director at GSK. I lead Digital, Data, and Analytics change management programs across CMC for both Rx and Vx, with a strong focus on user-centered change journey. My primary motivation is to align people and purpose to amplify innovation and enhance delivery. With over 15 years of experience in the pharmaceutical industry, I specialize in continuous improvement projects, lab automation integration, and digital system change management. I am also an APMG International certified Change Management Foundation and Practitioner.
After earning a bachelor’s degree in computer science and statistics, I spent 10 years working as a Statistical Program Leader for various CROs, collaborating with different pharmaceutical companies. In 2006, I joined Sanofi as a Statistical Program Leader, contributing to multiple therapeutic areas and preparing dossiers for submission to health authorities.
In 2013, I transitioned to Sanofi’s Digital R&D organization, initially serving as the Product Owner of the Clinical Analytical platform. Later, I became the Product Line Leader for Clinical Analytics.
In 2021, I took on the role of iCMC Digital Transformation Leader, focusing on the End To End digital transformation of Sanofi CMC Labs to enhance lab productivity and accelerate development processes through data-driven products, leveraging AI, machine learning, and modeling agents.
This presentation will address the challenges of laboratory automation and the need for scalable digital workflows. Often, workflows are viewed in isolation, leading to numerous point-to-point solutions that create complex processes and increase maintenance overhead. Taking a holistic view of the data workflow allows for the simplification of processes, reducing redundant systems and avoiding one-off workflows. This approach not only streamlines current operations but also fosters agility for future advancements in laboratory automation.
This presentation will explore the challenges and strategies for managing diverse laboratory equipment and systems in modern research environments. Even small companies can quickly accumulate thousands of instruments from hundreds of vendors, with minor differences in configurations making direct method transfers difficult. The focus will be on how capital hardware is inherently challenging to standardize, and why the emphasis should be on maximizing the impact of these investments. Attention will also be given to harmonizing essential, yet often overlooked consumables—such as sample tubes—across lab groups. Additionally, strategies for reducing the number of digital systems in the lab while enabling seamless data flow between these systems to improve efficiency and collaboration will be discussed.
As the Acquisition System Business Lead for Biotherapeutics Pharmaceutical Sciences (BTxPS), I am responsible for leading the development, deployment, and compliance of digital acquisition systems throughout our laboratory and manufacturing spaces. Our goal is end-to-end digital integration of acquisition systems, so scientists can focus on science. I have 14+ years of industry experience, 13 years of which have been with Pfizer, and I have focused on digital systems for the last 6+ years.
Dr. Smithson is an accomplished leader, scientist, and program manager with extensive expertise in laboratory automation and high-throughput processes in the biomedical field. He currently serves as the Director of Laboratory Automation and Instrumentation in the Biological Therapeutics Pharmaceutical Science group at Pfizer, where he leads strategic initiatives to enhance laboratory efficiency and automation capabilities. Dr. Smithson’s career spans several prestigious organizations, including Seagen and Genentech, where he held key roles in laboratory automation and digital transformation. His work has significantly contributed to the development and implementation of innovative automation solutions, optimizing data flows, and enhancing laboratory productivity.
He earned his Ph.D. in Chemical Biology from the University of California, San Francisco, and completed a post-doctoral fellowship at St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. Dr. Smithson’s research has been widely published in top-tier journals, and he has presented his findings at numerous international conferences.
Donny has held several positions at MannKind Corporation, most recently serving as Associate Director of IT Lab Applications. Donny has expertise in enterprise laboratory systems and is instrumental in ensuring compliance and providing reliable support for all software applications for the QC and R&D laboratories. Donny manages the computer system validation (CSV) program and leads the IT-PMO. He has extensive experience in overseeing complex projects and driving organizational success.
Donny began his career as a dissolution chemist working for Watson Pharmaceuticals (currently known as Actavis) and, prior to joining MannKind Corporation, he has held increasingly responsible roles in R&D and project management, including managing implementations of chromatography data systems (CDS) and laboratory information management systems (LIMS) for global pharmaceutical customers.
Donny holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Biochemistry and a minor in Mathematics from Quinnipiac University.
This presentation will explore key business value drivers that enable and accelerate the scientific data journey. It will focus on strategies for maximizing the quality and usage of data, ensuring it drives impactful decisions and innovation.
Bioprocess Development groups face challenges with complex modalities, faster development cycles, and more experimental data from HT and PAT technologies. Historically, lab experimental data is dispersed in many different instrument software and unstructured files formats requiring substantial manual data manipulation efforts for experimental insights, decision making, process modeling and tech transfer. Here we will share our journey to build and deploy a fit-for-science digital ecosystem within our bioprocess development labs.
Dr. Bowley is the Associate Director, CMC Data & Digital Strategy in PDS&T-Biologics Development and Launch leading the organization’s Digital Transformation since October 2021. Diana joined AbbVie in 2012 in the R&D-Discovery Biologics group focused on antibody and multi-specific protein screening and engineering, leading multiple programs to the cell line development stage. In 2017 she joined Information Research and led a team of IT professionals who supported AbbVie’s Discovery Scientists in Biotherapeutics, Chemistry, Immunology and Neuroscience. She has a PhD in Molecular Biology from The Scripps Research Institute and Bachelor of Science in Chemistry from The University of Northern Iowa.
Yuan is the Global Lead for Pfizer Biologics R&D informatics platforms. In this role, he oversees a team of skilled scientific software engineers who are dedicated to the development of end-to-end Biologics Discovery, Pharmacology, and Bioprocess Informatics Platform. He has over 20 years of experience in designing, architecting, building digital solutions in biopharma and life sciences.
Live Lab sessions are interactive group discussions which tackle the bigger questions of the day in an open forum to brainstorm ideas and discuss the roadblocks to break-through innovation. They take the format of moderated standing discussions. The objective is to share views and experiences to stimulate new ways of thinking about common objectives.
Traditional lab environments often present challenges, from managing complex workflows to ensuring the availability of critical resources. Embark on a day in the Life of a Scientist and explore how cutting-edge technology can revolutionize laboratory operations, empowering scientists to focus on what they do best: discovery
In her capacity as GM, Tola’s business unit collaborates closely with scientists and researchers, offering comprehensive services and digital solutions throughout the scientific process. Her leadership involves building the Lab of the Future with a focus on enhancing scientific discovery and operational efficiency to drive groundbreaking discoveries in drug development. With two decades of experience in the medical device and life science industry, her expertise spans innovation development, strategic and operational execution, enterprise solutions implementation, and business development.
Marc is a Lead Product Manager for Process Development at IDBS. Prior to that role, he was a Director of Strategic Solutions, developing the enterprise-level IDBS Polar BioPharma Lifecycle Management solutions.
With over 15 years of experience working in the pharmaceutical sector implementing and leading digital solutions and strategies, Marc is an expert in laboratory and operational technology, laboratory informatics and system integration and leads a team of technological and domain experts committed to the development of Polar Solutions.
Before joining IDBS in 2021, he worked at Lonza Biologics and Angel Biotechnology, and holds a BSc (Hons) in Pharmacology from the University of Sunderland.
This presentation will outline our transition from manual to automated data capture for biologics. It will highlight the deployment of AI-augmented hit selection, advanced analytics, and insights, demonstrating how these technologies are transforming biologics discovery. Additionally, I will discuss the foundation we’ve built—incorporating data governance, a collaborative network, and continuous improvement strategies—to ensure long-term success and adaptability in our AI-driven research process.
This presentation will provide an overview of the development process for a high-throughput SARS-CoV-2 assay, highlighting the use of automation technologies, including liquid handling robots and plate readers, to streamline workflow and enhance reproducibility. We will discuss how these systems are integrated into our Laboratory Information Management System (LIMS) for seamless data tracking and management, as well as the methods used for efficient data analysis and interpretation.
Sharanya Iyer is a biomedical engineer with over a decade of experience in cell culture, assay development, and laboratory automation. Her journey into the research field began at IAVI in New York as an intern, where she learned cell culture and microscope-based imaging techniques while working with dendritic cells. Following this, she spent six years at Merck Research Laboratories as part of their centralized cell culture team, supporting cell line development and cell-based screening assays for early-stage drug discovery.
In 2018, Sharanya joined Moderna’s research platform, where she oversaw the Moderna Cell Bank ‘s operation and digitization. She later transitioned to the automation team, which was established to assist the research and early development departments in automating assays to meet the company’s growing demands. Currently, she serves as the assay lead, focusing on automating cell-based assays such as neutralization assays and intracellular staining for flow cytometry, supporting the advancement of the infectious disease and immunology pipeline.
Hi, I’m Cindy Nguyen, an Automation Engineer at Moderna. I specialize in configuring and scripting automation protocols for our fleet of HAMILTON instruments. Before joining Moderna, I worked at HAMILTON for two years as an application specialist, so I’ve been working closely with these machines for over five years now—they’ve practically become my best friends! Outside of work, I enjoy transforming my small apartment into a lush, dog-friendly jungle where my many dogs can frolic and explore.
Drew Lynch trained as a structural biologist/enzymologist with a focus on membrane protein crystallization and structural modeling of protein-protein interface binding hotspots. After receiving his Ph.D. he moved into the world of large molecule data management as a consultant and professional services team lead. He currently leads an engineering team for execution of application and tool development projects to realize the goals of the digital biologics team at Sanofi.
Sharanya Iyer is a biomedical engineer with over a decade of experience in cell culture, assay development, and laboratory automation. Her journey into the research field began at IAVI in New York as an intern, where she learned cell culture and microscope-based imaging techniques while working with dendritic cells. Following this, she spent six years at Merck Research Laboratories as part of their centralized cell culture team, supporting cell line development and cell-based screening assays for early-stage drug discovery.
In 2018, Sharanya joined Moderna’s research platform, where she oversaw the Moderna Cell Bank ‘s operation and digitization. She later transitioned to the automation team, which was established to assist the research and early development departments in automating assays to meet the company’s growing demands. Currently, she serves as the assay lead, focusing on automating cell-based assays such as neutralization assays and intracellular staining for flow cytometry, supporting the advancement of the infectious disease and immunology pipeline.
Hi, I’m Cindy Nguyen, an Automation Engineer at Moderna. I specialize in configuring and scripting automation protocols for our fleet of HAMILTON instruments. Before joining Moderna, I worked at HAMILTON for two years as an application specialist, so I’ve been working closely with these machines for over five years now—they’ve practically become my best friends! Outside of work, I enjoy transforming my small apartment into a lush, dog-friendly jungle where my many dogs can frolic and explore.
Richard obtained his Ph.D. from McMaster University, Canada, where he focused on strategies for metabolite identification and metabolomics studies. From McMaster, he moved on as a Scientist, as part of the Drug Development group, at the Centre of Probe Development and Commercialization, focusing on radio-pharmaceutical imaging agents and radio-therapeutics for oncology. He has been with ACD/Labs for the past 9 years and during this time, has been responsible for inception and development of MetaSense—software to support metabolite identification. For the last 5 years he has been ushering new technology development, laying the foundations for the next generation of ACD/Labs software, as a member of the Innovation and Informatics Strategy team.
This presentation will introduce the Specialized Research in Chaotic Systems (SPaRCS) team, outlining its mission to develop groundbreaking technologies that drive the discovery and advancement of life-changing therapies.
This presentation will focus on GSK’s Lab Listening Channel, a structured approach for collecting, triaging, and acting on feedback from scientists. I will outline how feedback is prioritized and integrated into decision-making processes to drive continuous improvement in lab operations. I will also cover how we monitor these changes and asses improvement.
The talk will highlight the role Digital Transformation plays in achieving an Automated Lab of the Future vision , with the journey at Biotherapeutics, Boehringer Ingelheim
Douglas Scheesley is the business owner for a drug development-wide ELN and influencer in the overall data strategy at GlaxoSmithKline. Starting as an analytical chemist, he has been involved in numerous tech and scientific projects across small and large-molecule. Combining his experience in science, coding, multivariate analysis, automation, and project management, Doug is passionate about improving the process of generating scientific knowledge to help the patient do more, feel better, and live longer.
Kausheek is a global leader with 15+ years experience in Healthcare & Technology space– steering and leading teams, products & programs. He has diverse leadership experience across multiple domains in healthcare – data science, marketing & sales, legal & compliance, Head of IT and now his current role in R&D as Digital Transformation Director- Research at Boehringer Ingelheim. His passion and focus are to seamlessly adopt the latest advancements in technology and integrate digital solutions into the scientific R&D process, propelling Life Forward and transforming the future of science. His mantra is learn, unlearn and relearn with a positive attitude.
In business transitions such as Mergers and Acquisitions (M&A), startup launches, or periods of expansion and contraction, establishing a unified vision is essential. This talk will explore the four key pillars of infrastructure—People, Space, Digital/IP, and Content—with a focus on why People are the most critical element. It will offer strategies to help individuals step back from immediate tasks, recognize their broader impact, and align their efforts with the company’s long-term goals.
Many sustainability initiatives fall flat due to lack of stakeholder engagement, conflicting priorities of scientists, and lack of organizational resources. This talk will explore the successful launch of two My Green Labs programs, it will cover the challenges faced and lessons learned for future roll-outs.
Anna Greenswag, Director of Continuous Improvement, joined Ginkgo Bioworks in 2018. She was responsible for leading and expanding the Laboratory Operations team for five years until her transition to her current role in the Continuous Improvement team. A major component of her role at Ginkgo Bioworks focused on designing and streamlining laboratory layout and organization, including the integration of numerous lab acquisitions over the years, to optimize scientific process flows across all sites. Prior to joining Ginkgo Bioworks she worked in science education for high school students. Anna obtained her Ph.D. in Chemistry from Cornell University with a focus on the structure and enzymology of chemotaxis histidine kinase, CheA.
Partha Krishnan is the Sustainability and Biosafety Lead for Sanofi R&D North America Workplace Experience. As part of this role, his remit includes building a sustainability roadmap and strategy for R&D sites. Prior to this role, Partha has held positions of increasing responsibilities at UCLA, Yale and Harvard. He holds a PhD in Neurobiology from Texas A&M and spent almost a decade in labs trying to understand how the brain makes sense of the world. He believes that the Lab of the Future will be a safe and green space.
This talk will cover the importance of multimodal data integration, such as foundation models and knowledge graphs, in target discovery and disease progression modelling.
This talk will introduce an internal AI-powered chatbot designed to enhance data retrieval and laboratory analysis.
John Chan is a technology executive, trained as a scientist and engineer, with over 25 years of industry experience in computational sciences and informatics. He has led computational teams, built informatics capabilities, and translated ideas into products for global biopharma and biotech start-ups. He is currently the head of the Shinrai Center for AI and Machine Learning at Takeda R&D. Prior to joining Takeda, John built a neuroscience AI company, Syllable Life Sciences, and as its CEO, led its acquisition by Neumora. Before Syllable, John held several contributor and management roles in computational biology, bioinformatics, and enterprise IT. This includes tenure as a visiting scientist at the Broad Institute, an Executive Director and Head of Informatics and Technology at Novartis, and the Head of computational biology at Millennium Pharmaceuticals, where he led the innovative team that fueled Millennium’s drug discovery partnerships. John earned a B.Sc. in population genetics from Marlboro College and a Ph.D. in genetics and molecular biology from the University of Pennsylvania.
Dr. Vlysidis obtained his PhD in Chemical Engineering at the University of Minnesota, Twin Cities, studying and modeling the stochasticity of biochemical reaction networks. With over 6 years of experience in the industry, he has made significant contributions to the fields of scientific software development and engineering. Currently serving as a team leader at AbbVie, Dr. Vlysidis’ primary focus is on supporting the biologics organization in capturing and analyzing experimental data. He possesses a deep understanding of protein properties and leverages innovative protein language models to further enhance research in this area. Prior to joining AbbVie, he worked at Intel, where his expertise was instrumental in supporting R&D research on semiconductors and cutting-edge technology. With a strong academic background and industry experience, Dr. Vlysidis is dedicated to driving advancements at the intersection of chemical engineering, software development, and AI/ML models.
This talk will cover how Novartis managed to incorporate security best practices into their research environment while balancing user needs and minimizing disruptions to research.
As GenAI passes its peak of inflated expectations, how can life science companies make strategic investments in AI that show near-term ROI? This talk explores making AI approachable within specific scientific use cases and achieving measurable ROI in areas like regulatory writing, discovery, and biosimulation.
Nick Brown is Director, Global Portfolio Leader for Certara.AI; the life sciences-specialized GPT platform. Nick has over 10 years of experience driving AI adoption and customer success across life sciences, federal government and other industries. Prior to Certara, Nick lead marketing at Vyasa (now Certara.AI) assisting in the launch and go-to-market strategy for the Layar data platform.
