Xconomy’s EXOME Presents: Boston’s Life Science Disruptors

Every life sciences startup aims to shake up and challenge the status quo. But which Boston companies are taking the most radical approaches and seem poised to become the biggest disruptors? What are their goals, what is their approach to building a great biotech company, and how are the founders working with their leading venture capital investors to pursue their disruptive vision?

Join us for this unique event featuring candid stories from some of New England’s most radical biotech company leaders, founders, and VC backers out to change the game in microbiome research, diagnostics, synthetic biology and more.

HOST WELCOME

Martin Seidel is the Global Head of Strategic Alliances for the Novartis Institutes for Biomedical Research (NIBR). In this role, he leads a team that is responsible for creating collaborations with external partners that help advance NIBR’s research mission. Previously, Martin was Institute Director of NIBR’s Genomics Institute of the Novartis Research Foundation (GNF). (Connect with NIBR on Twitter @NovartisScience.)

FOUNDATION MEDICINE STORY

Michael Pellini joined Foundation Medicine as President and Chief Executive Officer in May 2011, bringing a breadth of experience in life sciences and the clinical diagnostics and laboratory industries to the company. He currently serves as a member of the Board of Directors for Mass BIO and the Personalized Medicine Coalition, on the President’s Advisory Board of the Kimmel Medical School at Thomas Jefferson University, and on the Boston College Technology Council.

Alexis Borisy is a successful biotechnology entrepreneur with more than 20 years of experience building and operating innovative science-based organizations. As a partner at Third Rock Ventures, Mr. Borisy focuses on the formation, development and strategy of new companies. He co-founded Foundation Medicine and Blueprint Medicines, and is Chairman of Warp Drive Bio.

SYNLOGIC STORY

JC Gutiérrez-Ramos joins Synlogic from Pfizer where he served as Group Senior Vice President and global head of the BioTherapeutics Research. In that role, he held responsibility for more than 25 novel programs across the full spectrum of clinical development, re-launched efforts in Rare Disease Discovery and Development and founded the Centers for Therapeutic Innovation.

James Collinsis a co-founder of Synlogic and has served in various faculty roles at MIT and Harvard. Professor Collins is an elected member of the National Academy of Sciences, the National Academy of Engineering, the Institute of Medicine, and the American Academy of Arts & Sciences, as well as a charter fellow of the National Academy of Inventors.

SERES THERAPEUTICS STORY

Roger Pomerantz is the President, Chief Executive Officer, and Chairman of the Board of Directors of Seres Therapeutics, Inc. Dr. Pomerantz is an internationally recognized expert in HIV molecular pathogenesis and latency. He has developed eight approved infectious disease drugs in important diseases including HIV, HCV, and tuberculosis.

Noubar Afeyan, PhD, is Founder, Senior Managing Partner and CEO of Flagship Ventures and leads its VentureLabs venture creation unit. A technologist, innovator, entrepreneur, and venture capitalist, Noubar has co-founded and helped build over 30 life science and technology startups during the past two decades. In addition, he is a Senior Lecturer at MIT’s Sloan School of Management where he has taught courses on technology-entrepreneurship, innovation, and leadership since 2000.