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Mark Fish is a Managing Director in Accenture, and Global Lead for Accenture Scientific Informatics Services. Mark has over 25 years of experience in leadership roles in Accenture, Azenta and Thermo Fisher Scientific delivering innovative research and development solutions to the pharmaceutical sector and other industries. Mark is passionate about drug discovery and development, with extensive experience in translation research and precision medicine, digital transformation, agile software development and robotic automation in analytical quality control, compound management and high throughput screening. Mark is an advocate for a managed scientist first approach to laboratory transformation that focusses on diagnostic and assessment to define value based outcomes and priorities to guide technology implementation and adoption.
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.
Mark Fish is a Managing Director in Accenture, and Global Lead for Accenture Scientific Informatics Services. Mark has over 25 years of experience in leadership roles in Accenture, Azenta and Thermo Fisher Scientific delivering innovative research and development solutions to the pharmaceutical sector and other industries. Mark is passionate about drug discovery and development, with extensive experience in translation research and precision medicine, digital transformation, agile software development and robotic automation in analytical quality control, compound management and high throughput screening. Mark is an advocate for a managed scientist first approach to laboratory transformation that focusses on diagnostic and assessment to define value based outcomes and priorities to guide technology implementation and adoption.
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.
As Vice President and General Manager for the Digital Science Solutions division at Thermo Fisher Scientific, Richard is responsible for driving revenue and customer engagement with our core digital science and informatics capabilities.
Richard Milne has more than 20 years of experience in the world of digital marketing, eBusiness, customer experience and developing web properties. Richard is passionate about the changing nature of business and has long believed the future will be digital—where automation, AI, data science, IoT, connected devices and eCommerce become the main ways customers interact with companies.
Prior to joining the company 15 years ago, he worked as an internet technologies consultant for the Scottish Government. And before that, he championed early digital marketing by building eCommerce websites and leading direct marketing campaigns for large CPG clients.
Richard is inspired by the changing landscape of commerce, the power of partnership and the ever-increasing value of platform thinking.
Priya Vijayakumar is the Co-Founder and CEO for WattIQ. She has over 15 years of experience creating and implementing global product strategy in Fortune 100, mid-cap and start-ups. She has successfully built and commercialized highly technical hardware and software product solutions through direct sales & channel partners.
Priya was the VP of Product & Marketing at two IoT start-ups, Cloudleaf & AeroScout Industrial (acquired by Stanley Black & Decker). Priya has also held multiple product and engineering leadership roles at GE Energy & Pratt & Whitney. She has a BS in Chemical Engineering from the University of Toronto and lives in San Francisco, CA.
Doug is Head of Lab Operations at Gingko, with a focus on Laboratory Equipment. In his current role, he leads a team of automation operation engineers, equipment service engineers, and lab support staff. With nearly five years of experience at Ginkgo, he collaborates with various business units, including the Foundry, to drive increases in overall equipment effectiveness (OEE) and overall process efficiency (OPE) by targeting and eliminating waste. His expertise lies in problem-solving and leveraging data to deliver results that align with organizational goals.
Priya Vijayakumar is the Co-Founder and CEO for WattIQ. She has over 15 years of experience creating and implementing global product strategy in Fortune 100, mid-cap and start-ups. She has successfully built and commercialized highly technical hardware and software product solutions through direct sales & channel partners.
Priya was the VP of Product & Marketing at two IoT start-ups, Cloudleaf & AeroScout Industrial (acquired by Stanley Black & Decker). Priya has also held multiple product and engineering leadership roles at GE Energy & Pratt & Whitney. She has a BS in Chemical Engineering from the University of Toronto and lives in San Francisco, CA.
Doug is Head of Lab Operations at Gingko, with a focus on Laboratory Equipment. In his current role, he leads a team of automation operation engineers, equipment service engineers, and lab support staff. With nearly five years of experience at Ginkgo, he collaborates with various business units, including the Foundry, to drive increases in overall equipment effectiveness (OEE) and overall process efficiency (OPE) by targeting and eliminating waste. His expertise lies in problem-solving and leveraging data to deliver results that align with organizational goals.
Pernilla Isberg is a pharmacist with +25 years of experience from working within AstraZeneca with marketing, clinical trials and cross functional project management. Since 2018 Pernilla is Director at AZ BioVentureHub – a novel approach to open innovation which allows smaller Biotechs and academic groups to work in close proximity to the skills and capabilities that resides within big pharma. She is also leading the AZ Exchange Nordic mentoring program
Nicolas TEISSIE is a Product Manager of software solutions for the Life Sciences industry at Siemens.
He holds a French engineering degree from “Arts et Métiers”
He has spent nearly two decades working around Manufacturing Operation Management (MOM) dedicated for the Pharmaceutical companies, with a rich experience through different positions within the Siemens software division, in different countries. He has participates to the success of several big projects of deployment of MES for Industries leading companies. He is now putting his expertise and knowledge to the service of developing solutions which will match with today’s and tomorrow’s partners and customers requirements, especially for Research and Development for the Life Science industries.
Sara is a dynamic Pharma & Life Sciences Consultant at Arcondis, where she specializes in Lab
Digitalization. In her current role, she leads high-impact projects aimed at optimizing laboratory
environments through digital transformation. Most notably, she is spearheading a major project
for Roche, managing the successful IT move into their new R&D Center. Sara’s leadership has
been crucial in coordinating the external workforce responsible for the physical relocation, while
also overseeing the deployment of cutting-edge Lab IT infrastructure and the digitalization of
lab operations.
Before joining Arcondis, Sara gained extensive experience as Laboratory & Facility Manager,
where she honed her skills in lab operations, resource management, and process optimization.
She also has a strong background in scientific research, having worked as a Researcher in the
cultivated meat industry for 3 years across The Netherland and Switzerland, contributing to
innovative solutions in this emerging field.
Sara holds a Master’s degree in Materials Engineering from Scuola Normale Superiore and a
Bachelor’s degree in Chemical Engineering from the Università di Pisa. Her diverse academic and
professional background allows her to bridge the gap between science and technology,
delivering tailored solutions that drive efficiency and innovation in pharmaceutical and life
sciences organizations.
Over 25 years leading R&D teams producing innovative technologies and products: Waters Corp., J&W Scientific Technologies and Canadian Food Inspection Agency. An inventor with multiple patents to his name, who has enjoyed a stellar career leading R&D team, that have consistently produced breakthrough technologies and innovations.
Thomas is Marketing Director for Digital Solutions in the Software & Informatics Division at Agilent Technologies. Originally a chemist by training, he conceptualized and managed multiple Laboratory Informatics solutions during his career covering all aspects of the laboratory operation, including workflow management, data management, sample management, instrument control, and laboratory execution systems. Thomas is a passionate ambassador for the Digital Laboratory.
Over 25 years leading R&D teams producing innovative technologies and products: Waters Corp., J&W Scientific Technologies and Canadian Food Inspection Agency. An inventor with multiple patents to his name, who has enjoyed a stellar career leading R&D team, that have consistently produced breakthrough technologies and innovations.
Thomas is Marketing Director for Digital Solutions in the Software & Informatics Division at Agilent Technologies. Originally a chemist by training, he conceptualized and managed multiple Laboratory Informatics solutions during his career covering all aspects of the laboratory operation, including workflow management, data management, sample management, instrument control, and laboratory execution systems. Thomas is a passionate ambassador for the Digital Laboratory.
Dr. Dave Berry is Director of Digital Business Systems for CPI’s Pharma facing businesses, leading our market facing digitalisation. He started his career as a pharmacist for the NHS specialising in oncology, completed his PhD and moved to AstraZeneca to develop novel cancer treatments. After his time at AZ he led a research group at Durham University and set up the Complex Powders facility in the National Formulation Centre. Dave is passionate about collaborative innovation and leveraging digital technology to drive the effective development and delivery of new medicines
With 12 years of expertise as a scientist, Teo Leahu is a leading voice in biotech process design, optimization, and validation. As VP of Strategy & Development at L7 Informatics, he plays a crucial role in shaping the company’s strategic vision and contributing to development efforts. Teo’s career includes successful initiatives at IDBS and contributions to orphan disease vaccine campaigns at Emergent BioSolutions. His holistic experience encompasses roles that span process development, tech transfer, and cGMP compliance at Merck healthcare. Teo’s educational background includes a BS in biomedical engineering from Yale University and an MS in biotechnology from EPFL.
Teo is not just a scientist but a passionate stem cell researcher and a translator between different expertise levels. He’s dedicated to leveraging technology to eliminate inefficiencies and redundancies in highly regulated environments.
Martin Winter is founder and CEO of Lab Automation Network since 2008. Martin is passionate about providing outstanding technological solutions to life science companies with his alliance of leading lab automation and digitalization partners. Driving the technological transformation in pharma, biotech and diagnostics industries will significantly improve medical research and individual healthcare.
Martin pursued his chemistry studies in Aachen and Constance before earning his PhD in organic chemistry from the University of Tübingen in 2001. With a professional journey beginning in 1998, he has held various co-founding and managerial positions in biotech and life science technology companies. Martin resides in Tübingen, Germany.
Dr. Singh working as Subject Matter Expert (SME) in Cognizant Consulting’s Life Sciences and Omics Practice, a crucial node in the network of life sciences/healthcare fraternity, appreciated and rewarded by clients globally across cross-functional domains. Currently she is working as functional lead and Product owner of vaccine R&D projects. She has published three publications, and two patents as a join collaboration with client.
Dr. Singh has over 19+ years of experience spanning across Life Science domain, applied science research, hands on in-vivo, in-vitro clinical sample handling, Clinical trial design and execution, Project Management, Business Analysis & Consulting. She is holding PhD in Life Science from University of Bonn, Germany. For her PhD she has received prestigious European Marie Curie Fellowship. Followed by two Post-Docs, first one was at RWTH Aachen University, Germany and second was at CARIM, Maastricht University, The Netherlands.
Her domain experience includes wet as well as dry lab experience in Life Science mainly biology and bioinformatics, animal handling (pre-clinical) and experiments design. She has managed multiple global projects and cross-functional resources across various technology/science such as Molecular biology, Bioinformatics, Biochemistry, data development, data management, writing manuscripts/ scientific publications/ reviews.
What do we need for AI to help us get reliable research findings in short, predictable timelines?
While innovations that require seismic shifts in ways of working require years to reach their full transformative potential, we’ve seen some promising progress. Together with massive multi-omic datasets and new modalities, AI is helping identify a huge number of diverse targets.
Yet with one problem solved, comes a new challenge. This potential wealth of potential therapeutic programs has brought new pressures to target validation and hit identification—stages that both rely on critical-path functions that require running experiments in the wet lab.
Removing inefficiencies in this area requires a combination of multivariate experiments, automation, and AI. Done right, it could expedite many more high-quality programs to the clinic, and then AI will be a substantial step closer to delivering on its potential.
Markus Gershater is the Chief Scientific Officer and co-founder of Synthace. Markus has been applying Design of Experiments (DOE) and championing its usage to solve biological problems for over 15 years. He has a PhD in biochemistry and experience in academia and industry that spans synthetic biology, pathway engineering and bioprocess development.
At Synthace he runs the lab and innovation group, which explores and demonstrates how science can be transformed by digital tools and automation.
Rob Brown is VP of Product and PreSales at Sapio Sciences. Prior to joining Sapio Sciences he spent eight years at Dotmatics where he held various positions including Head of Global Presales and Head of Product Marketing & Product Management. Earlier in his career he was responsible for product marketing teams for cheminformatics and bioinformatics at Accelrys, SciTegic and MSI. Rob started his career as a postdoc and later research scientist in the Computer Aided Molecular Design department at Abbott Laboratories (now Abbvie). He received his PhD in Cheminformatics from the University of Sheffield, UK.
Kristina started her career as a Cell and Molecular Biologist at Eurofins Lancaster Labs and joined GSK in 2018 as a Biopharm process development scientist, working at the interface of late-stage development and commercial manufacturing . In 2021, she joined the Digital and Data Analytics program within GSK, focused on building digital infrastructure that enables scientists to capture experiments with ease while focusing on the critical scientific steps – not the documentation. Her goal is to allow scientists to see digital and data as a superpower, reducing non-value adding activities, and driving us towards a world where we can use in-silico experimentation and data in combination with in vitro experimentation to accelerate innovative medicines to patients.
iCMC Digital Transformation program is a global top program aiming at digitizing all R&D labs within Sanofi, covering 10+ countries and 2500+ users overall. The value it is bringing to our company is huge and goes from data integrity to faster time to clinics and time-to-market. It is based on a data-centered end to end approach, covering data capture from lab equipment and workflows automation, data governance, data integration, and data consumer.
Dr. Nandini Kumar is a foremost expert on developing and executing digital transformation strategies. With over 20 years of experience spanning biopharma, academia, and the technology sector, she specializes in transitioning to connected, data-centric lab environments. In her role, Dr. Nandini works on all aspects of lab digitization – from evaluating new systems and tools to redesigning processes and scientific workflows to implementing new data infrastructure. She has enabled numerous R&D labs through technology road mapping, system deployments, integration of IoT/lab automation, and developing data governance models. One of Dr. Nandini’s key initiatives has been consolidating disparate data sources into ELN. This allows real-time capture, contextualizing data from instruments, sensors, assays, and manual entries.
Dennis is an informatician with 10+ years of experience within the pharmaceutical industry. With a strong background in software development and business analysis, Dennis started his journey in the global Digital Transformation program of CMC labs for Sanofi in 2021 and is now building and supporting to shape the future of digital laboratory work with a sustainable strategy.
Guillaume is a bio-informatician with +20 years of experience working with Research and Development data within Sanofi Digital R&D organization. Since 2021, Guillaume joined the global Digital Transformation program of CMC labs at Sanofi, across R&D and Manufacturing organizations, and take the responsibility of the global data capture platform delivered to more than 2500 scientists (covering all modalities). The scope of the platform is based on a data-centered end-to-end approach, covering data capture from lab equipment and workflows automation (ELN templates, digital recipe design, and automation platform) until data integration with Sanofi data foundation systems.
Dr. Nandini Kumar is a foremost expert on developing and executing digital transformation strategies. With over 20 years of experience spanning biopharma, academia, and the technology sector, she specializes in transitioning to connected, data-centric lab environments. In her role, Dr. Nandini works on all aspects of lab digitization – from evaluating new systems and tools to redesigning processes and scientific workflows to implementing new data infrastructure. She has enabled numerous R&D labs through technology road mapping, system deployments, integration of IoT/lab automation, and developing data governance models. One of Dr. Nandini’s key initiatives has been consolidating disparate data sources into ELN. This allows real-time capture, contextualizing data from instruments, sensors, assays, and manual entries.
Guillaume is a bio-informatician with +20 years of experience working with Research and Development data within Sanofi Digital R&D organization. Since 2021, Guillaume joined the global Digital Transformation program of CMC labs at Sanofi, across R&D and Manufacturing organizations, and take the responsibility of the global data capture platform delivered to more than 2500 scientists (covering all modalities). The scope of the platform is based on a data-centered end-to-end approach, covering data capture from lab equipment and workflows automation (ELN templates, digital recipe design, and automation platform) until data integration with Sanofi data foundation systems.
Dennis is an informatician with 10+ years of experience within the pharmaceutical industry. With a strong background in software development and business analysis, Dennis started his journey in the global Digital Transformation program of CMC labs for Sanofi in 2021 and is now building and supporting to shape the future of digital laboratory work with a sustainable strategy.
Nick has over 25 years experience in Informatics, lab workflows & data, previously at Biotechs & AstraZeneca leading teams in R&D Informatics. Working especially within pre-clinical & early clinical research, externalisation & data exchange for the AZ research activities. Also involved in various pre-competitive activities and a co-founder of Pistoia Alliance.
I am a seasoned IT architect with a Master’s degree in IT Management. In 2012, I began my career at Bayer, where I have been involved in the digitalization of research and development processes. For the past seven years, I have served as a Cloud Architect in R&D, and for the last four years, I have been dedicated to the development of the Clinical Data Intelligence Platform. I am deeply committed to leveraging technology to drive innovation and efficiency in the healthcare industry.
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.
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.
Becky was appointed as the Pistoia Alliance’s first female President in June 2022. She is a long-time supporter of pre-competitive collaboration in life sciences and healthcare R&D and the critical role it plays in advancing science and is passionate about diversity in STEM. Becky is responsible for leading the Pistoia Alliance’s strategy and defining its future within areas of increasing importance to the industry, such as data standards, emerging technologies, diversity and inclusion, sustainability, and precision medicine.
Becky first engaged with the Pistoia Alliance on its Lab of the Future project whilst at VWR (now part Avantor) where she worked for over a decade in sales, business development, and scientific services. From here, she joined the scientific instrumentation and analytical services company, Pion, as Managing Director, before moving to the Alliance as a project manager. She later became Chief Portfolio Officer and within this role established the Alliance’s first and thriving Diversity and Inclusion in STEM Leadership program. Becky re-joined the Alliance as President after a return to the commercial world as a Director at Impellam Group where she led the company’s STEM services strategy.
Becky has a PhD in Biochemistry from Imperial College and an MBA from Cranfield University.
Interdisciplinary research collaborations carry big potential for delivering breakthrough innovations urgently needed to tackle the world’s complex challenges impacting humanity: from overcoming a global health crisis to combating climate change.
To unlock the vast potential of innovation, it is essential to embrace scientific exchange and provide collaborative engagement projects, platforms, and communities.
Join this session to explore how Bayer leverages science collaborations and the collective innovation potential of its 16 000 R&D employees through various formats, e.g., via its Life Science Collaboration Program (LSC) and discuss how we can collectively enhance the efficacy of partnerships to shape a better future.
We will discuss approaches and learnings on these topics through the lenses of business leaders, scientific users, IT delivery and data management stewards across different scientifically driven market verticals such as Pharma, C>, Food and fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG
Paul Denny-Gouldson is a dynamic and accomplished professional in the field of digital science & scientific informatics. With a strong background in science, software and data management, he excels in leveraging cutting-edge technologies to solve complex scientific problems. Throughout his career, Paul has demonstrated expertise in developing innovative scientific informatics solutions that streamline scientific workflows, enhance data management, and drive data-driven decision-making. His exceptional proficiency in simple communication of complex topics, coupled with his extensive knowledge of science, applications, data integration and analysis, has enabled him to successfully lead interdisciplinary teams and deliver impactful results. Paul’s passion for scientific discovery, coupled with his keen problem-solving abilities, make him a valuable asset in any scientific informatics endeavour.
Doing more with what you have requires a new level of “coopetition” to unlock the full capabilities of your lab operations. Get a fresh perspective on optimizing your operational digital ecosystem – encompassing people, assets, consumables and samples. Gain valuable insights into running a lab that meets the needs of both scientists and lab managers alike.
As Vice President of Digital Transformation of Novo Nordisk, Daniel oversees the implementation of a Digital Transformation strategy, specifically within drug development. This work includes harnessing AI, automation and data, more efficiently and effectively, as well as re-organization and centralization of processes.
Prior to his role at Novo Nordisk, Daniel worked on managing digital programs in AP at Moeller Maersk, before spending 7 years at LEO Pharma, where he held various leadership positions, ending as Head of Digital Strategy, Partnering and Analytics.
Daniels education has included studies in Computer Science at Aalborg University and Business Administration at Queensland University of Technology as well as Digital Transformation in Healthcare at Harvard Medical School.
AstraZeneca’s High Throughput Screening facility recently made a significant move from Alderley Park, Cheshire to The Discovery Centre in Cambridge. This relocation involved the installation of four new automation platforms directly into The Discovery Centre, as well as the transfer of five automation platforms from Cheshire to Cambridge.
Here we will delve into the challenges encountered during the initial installation phase and explore how the insights gained were leveraged for the subsequent relocation and installation. These efforts were crucial in ensuring the seamless continuation of scientific activities, minimizing any impact on project delivery and ensuring the platforms were ready for planned scientific activities.
Bethan Howells is a Senior Automation Scientist within AstraZeneca’s High Throughput Screening (HTS) Department. Her primary responsibility entails the design and optimization of automated screening protocols for biochemical, biophysical, and cell-based high-throughput screens. Bethan is also involved in the identification and implementation of innovative automation workflows to drive operational efficiency and advancement.
Notably, over the past year, Bethan has played a pivotal role in the successful relocation and installation of AstraZeneca’s HTS automation platforms from Alderley Park, Cheshire to The Discovery Centre, Cambridge.
Prior to this role, Bethan has 6.5 years’ experience within AstraZeneca, in HTS Screening and DNA-Encoded Library Screening.
A highly experienced professional with over 10 years of expertise in robotics-based automation, demonstrating a deep understanding of advanced automation technologies and their applications across diverse industries.
Possesses approximately 5 years of specialized experience in human-robot collaboration, showcasing technical proficiency in integrating robotics with human-operated processes.
Demonstrated leadership in spearheading automation and robotic software development initiatives, overseeing high-impact projects with significant budgets, as well as driving the development and optimization of gluing/special systems software for automotive OEM manufacturing.
Regulatory Compliance and Project Management: Adept at ensuring regulatory compliance, including GMP and CFR 21 Part 11 standards, CE and technical documentation, and project planning and resource management, underscoring a comprehensive skill set that encompasses technical innovation, regulatory adherence, and strategic project execution.
Born and raised in Madrid, Spain. I studied Computer Science in the university and joined Roche as a trainee in 2016. After moving from different positions such as IT Engineer, Service Coordinator, etc, I got my current position as Product Manager in the S&R space in 2022. My team works side by side with the business in the design, development and maintenace of lab environments from a global IT perspective.
John is a recognised industry leader, speaker and trusted advisor, with nearly 20 years of experience in laboratory informatics across a diverse set of industries. John has successfully helped some of the world’s largest organisations to streamline their laboratory workflows, accelerate outcomes and ensure compliance. He has previously held leadership positions at STARLIMS, Abbott, Core Informatics, Thermo Fisher and Brooks Life Sciences and comes to Astrix having served for 5 years as CCO of LabTwin, helping explore the lab of the future. Based in the UK, John serves Astrix as an Executive Director and Client Partner for our EMEA business, providing our global clients with regional advocacy, collaboration and presence.
Sebastian Kube is an expert in digital transformation within pharmaceutical development at Boehringer Ingelheim. With his team, he covers topics such as implementation of LIMS and ML-based image analytics, lab data management and data integrity and recently he is leading an interdisciplinary initiative on data standardization and FAIR.
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.
Nicole Moberg is a Chief Executive Officer in Life Sciences with Genesis Reference Laboratories (GRL). GRL is a laboratory dedicated to providing superior lab testing with an excellent customer experience, to support better patient outcomes.
A native of Prince Edward Island, Canada, Nicole graduated from the University of Central Florida (UCF) with a Master in Change Management and joined the UCF faculty team where she taught business for over 10 years. Nicole was a consultant for the Disney Entrepreneur Center where she advised businesses on their leadership and strategy practices; was part of a team that launched UCF’s first academic Professional Selling Program; and partnered with companies to launch the university’s first Professional MBA Program. Moberg also consulted companies on building sales teams and enhancing client relationships through training and process improvement.
Nicole has a demonstrated history in various leadership roles in healthcare, most recently as CEO at Genesis, as Chief Operating Officer with Thrive Senior Living, and prior to that, Chief Sales Officer in biotech where she led a team through a restructure, several expansions, and was instrumental in new product launches. Nicole has completed an executive program in leadership from Harvard Business School Executive Education and received formal board training through University of Washington.
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.
Nicole Moberg is a Chief Executive Officer in Life Sciences with Genesis Reference Laboratories (GRL). GRL is a laboratory dedicated to providing superior lab testing with an excellent customer experience, to support better patient outcomes.
A native of Prince Edward Island, Canada, Nicole graduated from the University of Central Florida (UCF) with a Master in Change Management and joined the UCF faculty team where she taught business for over 10 years. Nicole was a consultant for the Disney Entrepreneur Center where she advised businesses on their leadership and strategy practices; was part of a team that launched UCF’s first academic Professional Selling Program; and partnered with companies to launch the university’s first Professional MBA Program. Moberg also consulted companies on building sales teams and enhancing client relationships through training and process improvement.
Nicole has a demonstrated history in various leadership roles in healthcare, most recently as CEO at Genesis, as Chief Operating Officer with Thrive Senior Living, and prior to that, Chief Sales Officer in biotech where she led a team through a restructure, several expansions, and was instrumental in new product launches. Nicole has completed an executive program in leadership from Harvard Business School Executive Education and received formal board training through University of Washington.
27 years’ experience in Pharma, working across multiple disciplines with majority as bench Scientist within Genetic Toxicology (AstraZeneca).
Last 12 years developed strategy and managed the operations for Avantor Lab and Production Services across the EU as part of a global team.
I am passionate around science and sustainability.
With my experience as a scientist and developing/managing lab operations, I have conducted my team of Avantor Services Associates at customers sites across the EU, this has allowed me to understand how people (behaviour), process (how we work) and products (supplies and technology) can impact research across the scientific industry.
With over 12 years at Avantor and over 20 years in the industry, Phil has built experience in various leadership roles within IT, including End User Services, IT Operations, and Datacenter Operations. As Vice President of Digital Collaboration, Data & Emerging Technologies, he is dedicated to driving innovation by utilizing cutting-edge technologies to transform both internal operations and external collaborations.
At the forefront of Avantor’s digital transformation efforts, Phil is leading initiatives to integrate generative AI to enhance productivity, foster creativity, and save time for associates, customers, suppliers, and partners alike. By applying generative AI, Avantor is able to extract valuable insights from complex data and literature, accelerating decision-making processes and advancing scientific discovery.
True to trend, he is also shaping the future of Avantor’s technological capabilities through the development of virtual assistants. These AI-driven solutions are designed to be personal, 24×7 accessible resources that empower smarter science by providing timely and intelligent support to both internal teams and external stakeholders. Through these advancements, Avantor aims to position itself as a leader in enabling more efficient, innovative, and intelligent collaboration across the scientific and business communities.
Phil’s passion for leveraging technology to drive innovation is at the core of his mission, pushing boundaries and delivering transformative solutions for a rapidly evolving digital landscape.
With a multidisciplinary background in industries including the pharmaceutical, Swiss luxury watchmaking, drone, and creative sectors, Maria Sedykh is a knowledgeable AI expert currently serving as AI Strategy Lead and Principal Data Scientist at Lonza AG.
Since March 2021, Maria has been identifying opportunities and leading AI initiatives, shaping Lonza’s technology landscape of tomorrow with an AI portfolio leveraging in-house custom-developed software. Her commitment to AI adoption and Good AI Practices extends beyond organizational boundaries by actively engaging with regulatory authorities on these topics on behalf of Lonza. Maria’s technical expertise includes machine learning, deep learning, (3D) computer vision, and natural language processing, among others. She holds a Master’s degree from the University of Basel, specializing in drug discovery and toxicology.
27 years’ experience in Pharma, working across multiple disciplines with majority as bench Scientist within Genetic Toxicology (AstraZeneca).
Last 12 years developed strategy and managed the operations for Avantor Lab and Production Services across the EU as part of a global team.
I am passionate around science and sustainability.
With my experience as a scientist and developing/managing lab operations, I have conducted my team of Avantor Services Associates at customers sites across the EU, this has allowed me to understand how people (behaviour), process (how we work) and products (supplies and technology) can impact research across the scientific industry.
With over 12 years at Avantor and over 20 years in the industry, Phil has built experience in various leadership roles within IT, including End User Services, IT Operations, and Datacenter Operations. As Vice President of Digital Collaboration, Data & Emerging Technologies, he is dedicated to driving innovation by utilizing cutting-edge technologies to transform both internal operations and external collaborations.
At the forefront of Avantor’s digital transformation efforts, Phil is leading initiatives to integrate generative AI to enhance productivity, foster creativity, and save time for associates, customers, suppliers, and partners alike. By applying generative AI, Avantor is able to extract valuable insights from complex data and literature, accelerating decision-making processes and advancing scientific discovery.
True to trend, he is also shaping the future of Avantor’s technological capabilities through the development of virtual assistants. These AI-driven solutions are designed to be personal, 24×7 accessible resources that empower smarter science by providing timely and intelligent support to both internal teams and external stakeholders. Through these advancements, Avantor aims to position itself as a leader in enabling more efficient, innovative, and intelligent collaboration across the scientific and business communities.
Phil’s passion for leveraging technology to drive innovation is at the core of his mission, pushing boundaries and delivering transformative solutions for a rapidly evolving digital landscape.
Darren Barrington-Light’s background includes over 25 years of experience in the field of analytical chemistry, chromatography hardware and computer software. Having worked in chromatography throughout his career, Darren has a unique understanding of the requirements of organizations that rely on chromatography data to manage their day-to-day operations. As capabilities have advanced, he has worked with clients across multiple industries to show them how software solutions can help them to improve their day-to-day operations and drive fast, informed decisions.
AI-based real-time analysis of cell fates – CellVoyant has developed AI-technology using live cell imaging to accurately monitor and analyse cell behavior in real time, improving insights into stem cell development to aid cell therapy development.
Enhancing differentiation protocols with AI – We are combining AI with advanced experimental design to fine-tune the experimental protocols for differentiation stem cells, aiming for better quality and reproducibility.
Toward an automated, AI-driven stem cell lab – Our roadmap includes developing a fully automated lab that uses AI to continuously improve and optimise differentation protocols, aiming to streamline operations and enhance research outcomes.
The novel AI toolkit presented in this work is a pioneering endeavor to connect the dots from drug development to treatment selection within the realm of cancer care.
At the foundation of our approach lies the utilization of causal models in the target discovery phase, which are validated using CRISPR screening on various cancer models to confirm the relevance of identified targets for therapeutic intervention.
I’m a bioinformatics scientist and the head of Bioinformatics and Omics Data Science Platform at the Berlin Institute of Medical Systems Biology, Max Delbrück Center in Berlin. I have been developing computational methods for analyzing and integrating large-scale genomics data sets since 2002. I mainly use machine learning and statistics to uncover patterns related to important biological variables such as disease state and type. I spent some time in the USA, Norway, Turkey, Japan, and Switzerland in order to pursue research work and education related to statistics, machine learning and bioinformatics.
The underlying aim of my current work is utilizing complex molecular signatures to provide decision support systems for disease diagnostics and biomarker discovery. In addition to the research efforts and managing a scientific lab, since 2015, I have been organizing and teaching at computational genomics courses in Berlin with participants from across the world.
I’m a bioinformatics scientist and the head of Bioinformatics and Omics Data Science Platform at the Berlin Institute of Medical Systems Biology, Max Delbrück Center in Berlin. I have been developing computational methods for analyzing and integrating large-scale genomics data sets since 2002. I mainly use machine learning and statistics to uncover patterns related to important biological variables such as disease state and type. I spent some time in the USA, Norway, Turkey, Japan, and Switzerland in order to pursue research work and education related to statistics, machine learning and bioinformatics.
The underlying aim of my current work is utilizing complex molecular signatures to provide decision support systems for disease diagnostics and biomarker discovery. In addition to the research efforts and managing a scientific lab, since 2015, I have been organizing and teaching at computational genomics courses in Berlin with participants from across the world.
Rickard Sjögren is currently working as AI project lead with CellVoyant, a Bristol based startup on the mission to enable tomorrow’s cell therapies. With 10 years of professional experience of developing machine learning and AI systems in the biotechnology industry, Rickard has broad experience on how to solve challenging biological problems using AI.
Everyone’s heard the buzz about Connected Labs – streamlining systems and data flow – but there is much more beneath the surface. Join us as we explore the untapped potential of Connected Labs, revealing what they really are and why they’re crucial for scientists and technologists. Discover the unique scientific drivers and unexpected outcomes that go far beyond simple connectivity.
Adam Paton is a principal consultant at Zifo helping scientists transform the way they work through technology but with a lens firmly on the science. As a life sciences informatics veteran, Adam has seen the shift towards digitally driven initiatives that have rapidly accelerated during the last 3 years. Starting out as a biologist, the link between science and computing was an area of initial interest and for the last 24 years he has been on a journey seeing hundreds of organisations start and continue their journey towards the next generation of digital science.
With experience in road mapping, strategy, implementation, customer success with organisations from start-ups to Top 10 Pharma, Adam has seen the vast variety of solutions emerge in the industry and in some cases succeed, in others fail to realise their promise but throughout looking to change the way science is done for the better.
Jini Chavda is the IT Business Partner accountable for delivering all projects and services for Oncology research and discovery groups at AstraZeneca. As the strategic interface between Oncology leadership and the IT organization she surfaces and shapes business cases for investment both for emerging technology and scaling existing tools & Systems. Her mission is to maximise the value of technology by delivering better business outcomes for scientists to accelerate the Early research pipeline.
Jini has a career spanning 28 years including Oncology research and various roles in information technology services.
Historically data generated during pharmaceutical development has been stored in data siloes separated by business processes, batches and disconnected systems. In order to accelerate pharmaceutical development and to meet future regulatory requirements, there is a need to structure and connect relevant data on drug substance and product. The presentation will outline our future vision and first steps to connect lab data in knowledge graphs.
Wolfgang is a director at AstraZeneca in a Pharmaceutical Science Digitisation group in Gothenburg/Sweden. He is leading the development of a data strategy for early pharmaceutical development as well as the introduction of digital tools enabling this strategy. Prior to that Wolfgang held roles as a chemoinformatician in R&D IT and as a medicinal chemist.
Matt Hall is a Senior Scientific Officer in the Industry Partnerships team at EMBL’s European Bioinformatics Institute (EMBL-EBI). The team is responsible for overall strategy development, planning and partnership activities within EMBL-EBI. This includes development of research-related activities with industry, as well as delivery of EMBL-EBI’s Industry Programme. Matt has primary responsibility for the day-to-day management of the Industry Programme. Prior to joining EMBL-EBI, Matt had a 25 year career in the pharmaceutical industry as a bioinformatician, clinical scientist, and molecular biologist. Matt held various scientific management and leadership roles, primarily in the Bioinformatics and Computational Biology departments at GSK. He gained experience as a Clinical Director in GSK’s Africa NCD Open Lab. Matt started his career in industry with Parke-Davis/Pfizer in 1993. Matt has skills in bioinformatics, clinical research, molecular biology, project management, relationship building and working with external partners. He is a member of the Industrial Advisory Board, Faculty of Biological Sciences, University of Leeds. He gained his PhD in Molecular Biology from the University of Leeds in 1991.
