Philly Builds Bio+: 2nd Annual Symposium for Life Science Innovation and Development
A Special Full-Day Conference for Life Science, Design, and Real Estate Professionals

Tuesday, September 12, 2023
8 AM - 3 PM
The Union League of Philadelphia
140 S Broad St, Philadelphia
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Philadelphia has a remarkable history of scientific research and pharmaceutical development that spans centuries.
From its early days as a center of medical education and innovation to the present, the city has played a crucial role in advancing scientific knowledge. Renowned institutions such as the University of Pennsylvania and the Wistar Institute have been pioneers in groundbreaking research across various disciplines, including medicine, biology, and chemistry. Philadelphia's scientific legacy is further exemplified by breakthroughs like Dr. Jonas Salk's development of the polio vaccine at the University of Pittsburgh. This rich history positions Philadelphia as a prominent hub for scientific innovation.
One of the key strengths of Philadelphia's life science ecosystem lies in its diversity. The region boasts a vibrant and varied community of academic institutions, research organizations, and pharmaceutical companies. Esteemed universities such as the University of Pennsylvania, Drexel University, and Temple University, along with renowned research institutions like The Wistar Institute and The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, form the backbone of this dynamic ecosystem. The diverse range of expertise and resources available in Philadelphia attracts top-tier talent from around the world, fostering collaboration and pushing the boundaries of scientific exploration.
"The information gained at the symposium is inspirational. I will draw from this experience to continue to design and build the facilities that allow the talented researchers to achieve the next breakthroughs."
– 2023 PHILLY BUILDS BIO+ Symposium Attendee
Philly Builds Bio+ is an initiative that recognizes the immense opportunity and potential within the life science industry and aims to foster collaboration, knowledge sharing, and partnerships.
This collaboration ensures that the real estate infrastructure in Philadelphia aligns with the requirements of the life science industry, providing state-of-the-art facilities that support the growth of companies in the region. By facilitating dialogue between life science professionals and real estate developers, Philly Builds Bio+ addresses the specific needs and challenges of the sector.




"I've learned more about the key players in the Life Science ecosystem in the Philly Area and hope to connect with them for future business connections."
– 2023 PHILLY BUILDS BIO+ Symposium Attendee



Philly Builds Bio+: 2nd Annual Symposium for Life Science Innovation and Development
September 12, 2023 • Philadelphia, PA
The Philly Builds Bio+ Annual Symposium for Life Science Innovation and Development brought the entire life science ecosystem together, curating an agenda around the critical drivers of the life science industry in Philadelphia, its opportunity and potential.

The Symposium holds significant importance and impact in light of recent developments in Philadelphia's life science industry. With Philly's rise in national rankings among major life science hubs and its increasing attraction of venture capital and developer interest, the Philly Builds Bio+ Symposium serves as a timely platform to foster growth and collaboration.
The Symposium features keynote speakers and panel discussions, each moderated by prominent scientists, business leaders, or Philly real estate developers. This diverse range of perspectives ensures comprehensive discussions and insights into the latest trends and advancements in the life science sector. Attendees can expect engaging sessions that delve into critical topics shaping the industry's future.
Overall, the Philly Builds Bio+ Annual Symposium plays a crucial role in strengthening the city's position as a thriving life science hub. By bringing together key stakeholders, facilitating knowledge exchange, and supporting the creation of initiatives like Philly Builds Bio+, the Symposium contributes to the continued growth and success of the life science industry in Philadelphia.
"In Philadelphia, the convergence of top-tier academic institutions, renowned research centers, and pioneering companies fuels a dynamic ecosystem that drives the frontiers of life science discovery."
Dr. Michael Johnson
Attendees enjoyed a diverse lineup of esteemed speakers at the Symposium. These influential leaders hailed from the realms of academia, the life sciences sector, and the life science real estate development community. What set this gathering apart is our commitment to showcase fresh voices that have yet to be heard in Philly's life science conversations.

Vanessa Atkins, MS
Cheyney University
Executive Director of Strategic Partnerships & Career Pathways
Division of Social Equity

John Balchunas
National Institute for Innovation in Manufacturing Biopharmaceuticals
Workforce Director

Jennifer Bell
Peter Powerhouse Foundation
President

Melina Blees, PhD
BioLabs Philadelphia
Site Head

Tracy Brala
University City Science Center
SVP, Strategy and Partnerships

Phil Brooks
University City Science Center
Director of STEM Workforce Partnerships

Kathleen Brunner
Acumen Analytics
President

Matthew Burkhardt
B+labs
Director

Doug Carr
Century Therapeutics
Senior Vice President and Head of Finance

David Chang
WuXi App Tech (Advanced Therapies Group)
President and Chief Technology Officer

Sangeeta Bardhan Cook, PhD, MBA
Fox Chase Cancer Center, Chief Innovation Officer
Temple University Health System, SVP of Strategy and Business Development

Jeffrey DeVuono
Brandywine RealtyTrust
Executive Vice President and Senior Managing Director

Benjamin Dibling, PhD
Penn Center for Innovation
Deputy Managing Director

Susan Dillon, PhD
Aro Biotherapeutics Company
President and CEO

Jonathan Epstein, MD
Penn Medicine
Executive Vice Dean and Chief Scientific Officer

Michael Flaschen
Daiichi Sankyo
SVP, Global External Innovation

Andrei Georgescu
Vivodyne, Penn Spinout
Co-Founder

Jennifer Griffin, PhD
Mission BioCapital
Partner, Strategy & Investor Relations

Eric Hacherl, PhD
Kyttaro Therapeutics
Chief Operating Officer

Eric Heil
Medical Excellence Capital
Managing Partner

Misun Hwang, MD, MS
Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia
Radiologist, Director of Neonatal Imaging

Jesse Johnson
Serna BIO
Chief Technology Officer

John Karanicolas
Fox Chase Cancer Center, Professor of Molecular Therapies
School of Pharmacy’s Moulder Center for Drug Discovery Research, Director

Louis P. Kassa III
Baruch S. Blumberg Institute and PA Biotechnology Center
Chief Executive Officer

Nancy J Kelley
Builds Bio+
Founding Member,
Nancy J Kelley + Associates
President & CEO

Todd Kilbaugh, MD
Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia
Endowed Chair of Translational Science and Innovation

Sima Singadia Kulkarni
Duane Morris LLP
Special Counsel: Patents, Trademarks, Copyrights, Licensing

Joseph La Barge
Apertura Gene Therapy
Chief Executive Officer

Mark Laurenzi
Aro Biotherapeutics Company
Chief Administrative Officer & Vice President, Legal

John Lunger
Adaptimmune Therapeutics PLC
Chief Patient Supply Officer

Tia Lyles-Williams, MS, MRSc
Goffman Bougard
Chief Executive Officer
LucasPye BIO & HelaPlex
Founder & CEO

Jennifer Manning, MPA
Kyttaro Therapeutics
Commercial Executive for Cell & Gene Therapy, Strategic Advisor

Colin Moran
Johnson & Johnson Innovation Center
Senior Director, Transactions / Global Innovation Partnering Lead, Discovery Sciences

Ben Pascal
BioMerieux
Global Head xPRO Program
Invisible Sentinel
Chief Business Officer

Lorenzo Pellegrini, PhD
Hatch Biofund
Managing Partner

William Peranteu, MD
Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia
Attending Fetal Surgeon, Division of General
Thoracic and Fetal Surgery

Tom Piombino
Integrated Project Services
Managing Director, Americas

Mitchel W. Simpler
Builds Bio+
Founding Member
JB&B
Partner Emeritus

Shivaranjani Sridharan
Bayer
Senior Director, Business Development & Licensing

Sumit Verma, MEM
Iovance Biotherapeutics
SVP, Global Strategic Manufacturing

Nelson Way
Ensemble
Director, Leasing and Development

Elizabeth White
Entrepreneur and Former Pharma Executive

Peter Zucca
Peter Powerhouse Foundation
Founder

David Zuzga, PhD
The Wistar Institute
Associate Dean
of Biomedical Studies
Our symposium featured thought-provoking discussions led by industry experts and innovators. We delved into the future of life sciences with sessions like "The Science Driving Innovation and Commercialization in Philadelphia’s Research Institutions," where scientists from Philly institutions explored emerging technologies differentiating our city's life science landscape. We gained insights into the art of deal-making in the pharma and biotech sectors with our panel of seasoned pharma executives. We uncovered the potential of workforce development and social equity in the life sciences industry as we shared success stories and examined strategies for future growth. These engaging sessions and our speakers' expertise illuminated the path forward for Philadelphia's thriving life science hub.
8:00am – 8:30am: REGISTRATION & CONTINENTAL BREAKFAST
8:30am – 8:45am: WELCOME
- Nancy J Kelley, JD/ MPP
Nancy J Kelley + Associates, President & CEO
Builds Bio+, Founding Member - Mitchel W. Simpler
JB&B, Partner Emeritus
Builds Bio+, Founding Member
8:45am – 9:00am: OPENING KEYNOTE
Fostering Transformational Discovery During a Time of Immense Need and Great Change
- Jonathan A. Epstein, MD
Penn Medicine, Executive Vice Dean and Chief Scientific Officer
9:00am – 9:40am
The Science Driving Innovation and Commercialization in Philadelphia's Research Institutions
This session will include a panel of scientists from Philly institutions, moderated by a leading scientist, and will explore the recent and next generation of technologies that are emerging from Philly institutions, driven by increasing NIH funding levels to Philadelphia institutions. The panel will also explore how science can differentiate Philadelphia from other major life science clusters such as Boston, San Francisco and the Greater NYC Metro area.
Moderator:
- Todd J. Kilbaugh, MD
The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia
Endowed Chair of Translational Science and Innovation
Speakers:
- William Peranteu, MD
Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia
Attending Fetal Surgeon, Division of General, Thoracic and Fetal Surgery - Misun Hwang, MD, MS
Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia
Radiologist, Director of Neonatal Imaging - John Karanicolas
Fox Chase Cancer Center, Professor of Molecular Therapies,
School of Pharmacy’s Moulder Center for Drug Discovery Research, Director
9:40am – 10:20am
The Intersection of Science and Technology Accelerating Innovation and Breakthroughs
This session will include a panel of innovators focusing on new technologies driving innovation and commercialization. The panels would include technology experts and will explore the recent and next generation of tools, technologies and techniques that are emerging from institutions across the Greater Philly area.
Moderator:
- Kathleen Brunner
Acumen Analytics, President
Speakers:
- Eric Heil
Medical Excellence Capital, Managing Partner - Sima Singadia Kulkarni
Duane Morris LLP, Special Counsel: Patents, Trademarks, Copyrights, Licensing - Sangeeta Bardhan Cook, PhD, MBA
Fox Chase Cancer Center, Chief Innovation Officer
Temple University Health System, SVP of Strategy and Business Development - Ben Dibling
Penn Center for Innovation, Deputy Managing Director - Andrei Georgescu
Vivodyne, Penn Spinout, CEO
10:20am – 10:40am: BREAK
10:40am – 11:20am
The Philly Life Science Continuum: Fueling the Advancement of Science
This panel will focus on the different elements necessary for the growth and development of life sciences, beginning with institutional research to fuel discovery, incubators/accelerators to house startups, venture capital to make them grow and real estate to furnish housing at every stage of a company’s life cycle.
Moderator:
- Louis P. Kassa, III, MPA
Baruch S. Blumberg Institute and PA Biotechnology Center
Chief Executive Officer
Speakers:
- Matthew Burkhardt
B+labs, Director - Lorenzo Pellegrini, PhD
Hatch Biofund, Managing Partner - Jeffrey DeVuono,
Life Sciences, Brandywine Realty Trust
Executive Vice President, Senior Managing Director - Jesse Johnson
Serna BIO, Chief Technology Officer
11:20am – 11:35am
The Patient Perspective: The Peter Powerhouse Foundation
The Peter Powerhouse Foundation was formed to improve the lives of children that are currently fighting childhood cancer by providing donations to pediatric cancer treatment facilities, and contributing financial support to researchers to improve the lives of childhood cancer survivors. http://www.peterpowerhouse.org
Hear from Peter Zucca, first diagnosed with cancer at the age of 10 months and now 20 years old, tell his story and how the Peter Powerhouse Foundation was born. Jennifer Ball, current Executive Director of the Foundation, will also share how she came to be involved in the Foundation, her family’s story and the stories of other families the Foundation is serving.
Speakers:
- Jennifer Bell
Peter Powerhouse Foundation, Executive Director - Peter Zucca
Peter Powerhouse Foundation, Founder
11:35am – 12:15am:
Commercializing Innovations into Products: The Life Science Company Pipeline
This session will feature three or four mature life science companies, all of whom have received venture backing or are publicly traded. Speakers will discuss the unique life science real estate requirements that stem from the unique science they are pursuing or products developed. The current regulatory and financial challenges in the life sciences market and the competitive pressures from surrounding life science clusters will also be discussed.
Moderator:
- Melina Blees
BioLabs Philadelphia, Site Director
Speakers:
- Tracy Brala
University City Science Center, Senior Vice President, Strategy & Partnerships - Kenneth Locke
Carisma Therapeutics, VP, Manufacturing and Supply Chain - Douglas Carr
Century Therapeutics, Senior Vice President and Head of Finance - Mark Laurenzi
Aro Biotherapeutics Company, Chief Administrative Officer - Jennifer Griffin
Mission Biocapital, Partner, Strategy & Investor RelationsPartner, Strategy & Investor Relations
- Eric Hacherl
Kyttaro Therapeutics, Chief Operating Officer
12:15pm – 1:00pm: LUNCH
1:00pm – 1:15pm: PHARMA KEYNOTE
The Promise of Future Collaboration in the Philadelphia Ecosystem
- Michael Flaschen
Daiichi Sankyo, SVP, Global External Innovation
1:15pm – 1:45pm:
The Art of Pharma and Biotech Deal Making
This panel will feature a group of pharma and biotech executives discussing the current environment in the pharma market. How is the pharma and biotech deal-making environment evolving? What data and indications are Pharma looking for? How can the Biotechs best prepare? Is global M&A picking up traction? What is your preferred way to engage and at what time? Are there preferences between technology and therapeutics? Are platforms the future?
Moderator:
- Jennifer Manning, MPA
Kyttaro Therapeutics
Cell and Gene Therapy Commercial Executive, Strategic Advisor
Speakers:
- Colin Moran
Johnson & Johnson Innovation Center, Senior Director, Transactions, Discovery Sciences, Global Innovation Partnering Lead - Elizabeth White
Entrepreneur and Former Pharma Executive - Joseph W LaBarge
Apertura Gene Therapy, Chief Executive Officer - Shivaranjani Sridharan
Bayer, Senior Director, Business Development & Licensing
1:45pm – 2:15pm
Housing Life Science Innovation: The Navy Yard Philadelphia
The Navy Yard is one of the most successful redevelopment projects in US history and today is a thriving riverfront community in South Philadelphia, with more than 15k people + 150 companies + 20 acres of parks, dining options, public art, and a variety of outdoor events. Today, the 2022 Navy Yard Plan charts the next 20 years of equitable growth at the Navy Yard, expecting to deliver an estimated 12,000 new jobs, 8.9 million square feet of new mixed-use development, and $6B of new investment. Big or small, global or startup, the Navy Yard is a community of people and companies working alongside each other in an environment that is flexible, customizable, and often unconventional.
This panel will showcase several of the Navy Yard’s leading edge life science and biotech companies.
Moderator:
- Nelson Way
Ensemble, Director Leasing and Development
Speakers/Projects:
- Ben Pascal
Invisible Sentinel, Co-Founder and Chief Business Officer - John Lunger
Adaptimmune Therapeutics plc, Chief Patient Supply Officer - Sumit Verma
Iovance Biotherapeutics, Senior Vice President, Global Strategic Manufacturing - David Chang
WuXi App Tech (Advanced Therapies Group), President and Chief Technology Officer
2:15pm – 2:30pm: KEYNOTE
Workforce Development: Ensuring Economic Opportunity in Life Science
- Tia Lyles-Williams, MS, MRSc
Goffman Bougard, Chief Executive Officer
LucasPye BIO, Founder & CEO
HelaPlex, Founder & CEO
2:30pm – 3:00pm
Workforce Development: Ensuring Social Equity in Life Sciences
Philadelphia's life sciences industry is experiencing remarkable growth and expansion, but a key factor to maintaining this preeminence is a skilled and well-prepared workforce. Workforce solutions are being developed on multiple fronts in and around Philadelphia. We've gathered a diverse set of success stories that highlight the achievements in our area and examine how other biotech hubs have tackled similar issues. Through the lens of lessons learned, we'll share these success stories and discuss the broader context of where we need to go in the region.
Moderator:
- John Balchunas
National Institute for Innovation in Manufacturing Biopharmaceuticals, Workforce Director
Speakers:
- Tom Piombino
Integrated Project Services, Managing Director, Americas - David Zuzga
The Wistar Institute, Associate Dean of Biomedical Studies - Vanessa Atkins
Cheyney University, Executive Director of Strategy Partnerships and Career Pathways, Division of Social Equity - Phil Brooks
University City Science Center, Director of STEM Workforce Partnerships
3:00pm – 4:00pm: RECEPTION



The Philly Builds Bio+ Annual Symposium is hosted by Builds Bio+, a nonprofit organization registered as a 501(c)(3). Builds Bio+ previously initiated a highly successful venture in 2018 in New York City and has since evolved into an engaged membership organization dedicated to educating and enhancing awareness of commercial life sciences prospects through various activities, including events, research, reports, and educational programs.
A Steering Committee composed of prominent individuals from Philadelphia's academic, life science, government, association, and real estate development sectors has been established to oversee the Symposium.
"The Symposium facilitates industry growth, networking with like-minded individuals, and finding potential funding and consultation."
"The symposium provided great awareness and industry updates."
– 2023 PHILLY BUILDS BIO+ Symposium ATTENDEES







