Conference theme: Driving Innovation and Entrepreneurship in a New Era: Opportunities and Challenges

The BioInnovations Conference has established itself as a key forum for discussion of the challenges of managing today's healthcare industries. Previous year's conferences were attended by over 250 life sciences and related services professionals, academic thought leaders, and students across MIT, Cambridge, Boston and surrounding institutions and firms. This year's conference aims to take us through some of the most current topics affecting healthcare innovation and entrepreneurship. From an innovation perspective, we believe the challenges faced by the industry as a whole requires innovative thinking in value creation. Therefore, we will focus on looking at two paradigm-shifting trends: personalized medicine and new business models. From an entrepreneurship perspective, we believe opportunities for financing and entering new markets are both vital, so we wish to debate on trends in project life cycle financing and entrepreneurial opportunities in the emerging markets.

Advances in technology are creating new opportunities to customize healthcare decisions and practices to individual patients. In this panel we aim to advance the understanding of personalized medicine by exploring what it means, how it is used today, and what the future holds.

Moderator
Domenick Bertelli , Partner, Putnam Associates

Panelists
Donald A. Bergstrom , MD, PhD, Associate VP and Global Head of Translational and Experimental Medicine, Sanofi Oncology
Scott Allocco , President, Biomarker Strategies
Kevin Krenitsky , COO, Foundation Medicine

Healthcare and Life Sciences Investing has been met by a myriad of challenges over the last half decade resulting in decreased exits and failing venture funds. In this panel we will discuss current trends in investing as well as novel approaches to enabling innovation and bring value to limited partners and corporate investors.

Moderator
Jonathan Fleming , Managing General Partner, Oxford Bioscience Partners, Senior Lecturer at MIT

Panelists
Amir Nashat , General Partner, Polaris Ventures
Michelle Browner , CEO, Enlight Biosciences
Jean George , General Partner, Advanced Technology Ventures
Jeff Moore , VP, MP Healthcare Venture Management

As a response to cost and productivity pressures, pharmaceutical companies are exploring new ways of creating value. We will discuss emerging strategies and operating models supporting value creation in the networks of pharmaceutical companies, academia, biotechs, CROs, health care providers, and patients.

Moderator
Matthias Evers , Partner, McKinsey & Company

Panelists
Jens Oliver Funk , Senior Vice President R&D; and Global Head of Oncology TA, EMD Serono
Richard Gregory , Senior Vice President and Head of Research, Genzyme
Adrian Gottschalk , Vice President of Business Development/Commercial, Biogen Idec
Frank Deane , PhD, founder Lumleian, LLC

Emerging markets have become a new focus for opportunity and profitability in healthcare. Because healthcare systems and regulations vary significantly in developing countries, we will be discussing how global companies navigate those systems, the challenges they face, and the successes they have enjoyed.

Moderator
Mohan Bala , Head of Oncology Market Access, Sanofi

Panelists
Monika Vnuk , Senior Director of Worldwide Business Development and Innovation, Pfizer
Albert Bourla , President for Establish Product Business Unit, Pfizer
Michael Chang , Chairman, Optimer
Dr. Douglas Hansell , Chief Medical Officer, GE Healthcare
Rogério Vivaldi , MD, MBA Head of Rare Disease Business Unit, Genzyme