A quick reminder that we’re one week away from our annual biotech event in San Francisco. This year, it’s called Xconomy Forum: Innovation at Biotech’s Epicenter, and we’re gathering December 17 in the Mission Bay neighborhood to talk about the emerging science, unique geography, and risk-taking strategies that will spur the Bay Area’s biomedical innovation for the next 25 years.
I’m looking forward to hearing UCSF Chancellor Sam Hawgood discuss his school’s central place in Bay Area biomedical research and innovation—not to mention its ever-growing physical footprint in San Francisco.
I’m also getting ready to interview Randy Mills, who’s been president of the California Institute for Regenerative Medicine for all of five months and has a plan to keep the stem-cell agency afloat after the billions in taxpayer dollars approved in 2004 run out.
We’ll hear from key Bay Area figures in venture capital, synthetic biology, and microfluidics. We’ll talk about the convergence of biopharma and Big Data with Gilead Sciences’ bioinformatics chief and three Bay Area data-intensive companies that want the business of companies like Gilead.
And of course, no Bay Area conversation is complete without real estate. A lot of groups are trying to solve the space problem with incubators—or, as they’re often known, accelerators. We’ll convene a panel to discuss the growing choices of shared spaces in the life sciences.
We hope you can join us for this fun, fast-paced day.
Here’s the agenda:
1pm. Registration and networking.
2pm. Welcome and Introductions
Reg Kelly, Director, QB3
Alex Lash, National Biotechnology Editor, Xconomy
2:10 pm Opening Keynote: UCSF in the 21st Century
Sam Hawgood, Chancellor, University of California, San Francisco
2:30 pm One-on-One Chat: CIRM Rebooted?
Randy Mills, President, California Institute for Regenerative Medicine
Alex Lash, Xconomy
2:55 pm Discussion: Big Data for Big (And Small) Biopharma
Gini Deshpande, CEO, Numedii
Dongliang Ge, Director of Bioinformatics, Gilead Sciences
Rick Morrison, CEO, Comprehend Systems
David Shaywitz, CMO, DNANexus
3:25 pm Networking break
3:55 pm Solo Talk: Synthetic Biology, From DIY to Big Business
Jack Newman, Co-founder and CSO, Amyris Biotechnologies
4:15 pm Bay Area Bloodlines: An Investor/CEO Discussion
Mark Goldsmith, Partner, Third Rock Ventures
Ted Love, CEO, Global Blood Therapeutics
4:40 pm Solo Talk: Microchips and Single Cells
Robert C. Jones, Executive Vice President, R&D, Fluidigm
5:00 pm Discussion: Incubator/Accelerators, the Bay Area’s Latest Shared Economy
Lindy Fishburne, Executive Director, Breakout Labs and VP Investments, Thiel Foundation
Stephanie Marrus, Director, UCSF Entrepreneurship Center
Arvind Gupta, Investment Partner, SOSventures; Co-founder, IndieBio Accelerator
Chris Haskell, Head of U.S. Science Hub, Bayer HealthCare
Alex Lash, Xconomy (moderator)
5:30 pm Networking reception
6:30 pm End
Stay tuned for more additions to the lineup. In the meantime, for more information and to reserve your spot please visit our registration page. I hope to see you oin December 17 for what’s shaping up to be a great day.
