05/03/2021
By Mary Ann Picard

Date: Thursday, June 17, 2021
Time: 9 a.m. to noon EDT
Register online
Description: See nine breakthrough point-of-care innovations and learn about strategic partnership and grant opportunities that can accelerate YOUR startup.

For the second straight year, The Center for Advancing Point of Care Technologies (CAPCaT) in Heart, Lung, Blood, and Sleep Disorders is pleased to present this high-energy, high-value event for life sciences startups. Join us and open the doors to big company/little company strategic partnerships and grant funding opportunities.

Who should attend?

  • Life sciences startups seeking corporate strategic partnerships.
  • Academic researchers seeking to build their early-stage innovation through NIH grant funding.
  • Life sciences entrepreneurs seeking an opportunity to network with potential corporate strategic partners.
  • Innovators, investors, academics, students, and anyone, anywhere, interested in the future direction of vital point-of-care medtech.

Event Speakers

Keynote:Bruce J. Tromberg, Ph.D., Director of the National Institute of Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering (NIBIB) at the National Institutes of Health (NIH)

Bruce Tromberg oversees a portfolio of research programs focused on developing, translating, and commercializing engineering, physical science, and computational technologies in Biology and Medicine. In addition, he leads NIH’s Rapid Acceleration of Diagnostics innovation initiatives (RADx Tech/ATP) to increase SARS-COV-2 testing capacity and performance. His laboratory, the Section on Biomedical Optics (SBO) in the National Institute of Child Health and Development (NCHD), develops portable, bedside, non-contact and wearable technologies for quantitative, sensing and imaging of tissue composition and metabolism.

Prior to joining NIH in January 2019, he was a professor of Biomedical Engineering and Surgery at the University of California, Irvine (UCI). During this time he served as director of the Beckman Laser Institute and Medical Clinic (BLIMC) (2003-2018) and the Laser Microbeam and Medical Program (LAMMP), an NIH National Biomedical Technology Center at the BLIMC (1997-2018).

Tromberg specializes in the development of optics and photonics technologies for biomedical imaging and therapy. He has co-authored more than 450 publications and holds 23 patents in new technology development as well as bench-to-bedside clinical translation, validation and commercialization of devices. Tromberg has trained >80 students and fellows, is co-founder of the Biophotonics company Modulim, Inc, and has served on numerous advisory boards in academia, industry, government, and private foundations.

Speaker:Kadir Kadhiresan, Ph.D., Vice President, Venture Investments, Johnson & Johnson Innovation

With more than two decades of operational, investment and business development experience, Kadir joined Johnson & Johnson Innovation – JJDC, Inc. (JJDC). to focus on investments in medical devices and digital health. Before joining JJDC, Kadir was head of Business Development at Guidant, Inc., now Boston Scientific, Inc.

In his role as the Vice President of Venture Investments, Kadir works closely with Johnson & Johnson leadership to identify business needs and has responsibility for sourcing, investing, and managing venture investment opportunities.

Prior to entering business development, Kadir led the R&D of multiple early-stage technologies and products in cardiac rhythm management and heart failure. He was instrumental in the development of the cardiac resynchronization device for heart failure, now a multibillion-dollar product. At Heart Rhythm Technologies, a subsidiary of Guidant, he led the development of an ablation technology for treatment of atrial fibrillation and raised venture financing for the project.

Kadir received a Ph.D. and MS in Biomedical Engineering from the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, an MBA from the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University, and a BS in Electrical Engineering from National Institute of Technology (REC), Trichy, India. Kadir was awarded the engineering alumni merit award from University of Michigan and serves on its biomedical engineering advisory board.

Kadir has published several scientific manuscripts in top peer-reviewed journals. He is passionate about the role of technology to improve and save lives and is often engaging in mentoring entrepreneurs to achieve their full potential.

Agenda

  1. Live pitch presentations to our panel of influential strategic and venture capital investors from 9 startups that received grant funding from CAPCaT in 2020:
    - Cardio Sounds - Device to provide heart and lung predictive clinical intelligence
    - Case Western University – Anemia and hemoglobin test
    - Cognita Labs – CareCOPD precision care platform
    - Daxor Corporation - Smart POC heart failure diuretic dosing
    - Emerald Innovations – Remote monitoring solution for breathing, sleep, mobility
    - GE Research - Bedside EIT Lung V/Q scanning
    - Leuko Labs 2018 M2D2 $200K Challenge Winner - Non-invasive device to monitor and assess neutrophil levels
    - NYU - RELAXaHEAD for Migraine+Sleep
    - USC - Coagulation Companion for Kids
  2. A panel presentation specifically aimed at preparing startups for strategic, “big company/little company” partnerships. These industry influencers will share real examples and explain the how, what, why, when, and where of strategic partnerships—and you’re encouraged to participate via our online Q&A portal.
  3. A presentation on small business funding opportunities and business programming available from the NIH.

Panelists

Moderator: Jeff Champagne,Connector, Medical Tech & Life Sciences Product Development Sherpa

With a background in R&D and Marketing, Jeff Champagne has over a decade of product development consulting experience. Focused on Life Sciences but crossing over multiple industries including Biotech, Medical Device, Energy, Advanced Materials, Specialty Chemistry, Food & Beverage, and Consumer Products, Jeff helps clients to solve their biggest challenges by mediating discussions with subject matter authorities and engineering experts. Well versed in Connected Health, Intellectual Property Strategy, Stage-Gate Process for the development of product pipelines, Regulatory Affairs and Technology Transfer, Jeff is able to help guide clients in their efforts to commercialize new products and launch startup companies. Over the last 12 years, Jeff has been immersed in helping the most innovative companies in the world to make their product plans into tangible commercial products. With a Bachelor’s in Visual Communication Design and MBA focused on Market Strategy, both from the University of Hartford, Jeff brings a fresh perspective to clients’ product development projects.

Lana Caron, Innovation Lead, Phillips Ventures

Lana Caron is a healthtech innovation executive and entrepreneur with an established track record of success launching new ventures, raising capital, and expanding business into new markets. She has been helping startups and multinationals develop plans and accelerate growth for over 15 years. Lana is currently Sr. Director and Innovation Lead at Philips HealthWorks driving external innovation and venturing activities, including scouting, partnership development and deal execution. Prior to joining Philips, Lana served as an independent startup advisor and innovation consultant working with health tech and digital health companies across the healthcare continuum. Earlier in her career, Lana held senior leadership roles as VP of Sales & Marketing for a digital learning startup, Director of Corporate Development at Sensata Technologies (formerly Texas Instruments) and Manager of Strategy & Business Development at Philips Healthcare. Lana started her career in management consulting with Accenture after earning her MBA and CPA. She is an avid supporter of the Boston innovation community and currently mentors entrepreneurs at MassChallenge and other startup accelerators.

Stephen Flaim, Ph.D., Member, Tech Coast Angels

Stephen is a senior pharmaceutical executive with extensive management experience in R&D and operations. He has been instrumental in brining many technologies through clinical trials and to market. With years of scientific managerial experience and funding expertise, Stephen is an expert in helping startups with technological development and commercialization.

Stephen holds a doctorate in Human Physiology and Pharmacology from the University of California at Davis. He held faculty positions in Medicine and Physiology at the Pennsylvania State University College of Medicine and senior management roles at the Johnson & Johnson Pharmaceutical Research Institute, the Squibb Institute for Medical Research, Alliance Pharmaceutical Corporation, Trega Biosciences, Inc. and Galileo Pharmaceuticals, Inc. He is a Fellow of the American College of Cardiology, the American Heart Association, the American College of Clinical Pharmacology, and the Royal Society of Medicine. He is Chair Emeritus of the Board of Governors for the Tech Coast Angels, Past President and Chair Emeritus of the San Diego Network of Tech Coast Angels and Emeritus Director of the Angel Capital Association. He is a member of the Editorial Board of the Journal of Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics, founding member of the Board of Directors for the John G. Watson Foundation and is active in numerous regional and national scientific organizations. He is a Technology and Business advisor to the Institute for the Global Entrepreneur at the University of California, San Diego, and Senior Special Advisor & Investor-in-Residence to the Office of Translational Alliances and Coordination in the Division of Extramural Research Activities at the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institutes of the National Institutes of Health.

Gladys Nunez, Principal, Amgen Ventures

As part of Amgen's Venture Group, Gladys prospect and leads diligence on new venture opportunities. With a focus on the east coast, works on networking activities with institutional, corporate and academic groups including Canada. One of her main focus areas is also working closely with Amgen's Digital Health Organization which has been established over the past two years, supporting alliances with key digital health venture groups and organizations.

Varun Ramdevan, Global Digital Innovation Lead, Johnson & Johnson Innovation

Varun is currently responsible for shaping the business technology strategy at J&J Innovation, enabling digital health, data science and enterprise technology solutions to help shape business operational and R&D outcomes. He previously worked in Johnson & Johnson Medical Devices, supporting various digital health explorations and R&D portfolio rationalization. He also has experience in economic consulting, technology consulting and as an entrepreneur in global healthcare settings.

John Benco, Senior Director of Business Development & Technology Strategy, Siemens Healthcare

John Benco is the Senior Director of Business Development and Technology Strategy for Siemens Healthcare. John has extensive expertise in industrial and innovation development of critical care and chronic disease IVD assays for the Point-of-Care market. He is a global R&D expert heading IVD technology strategy and driving business development objectives for Siemens Healthcare. His experience with direct ownership of assay design, analytical method development, manufacturing transfer and post commercial monitoring has brought tremendous added value to Siemens and the healthcare ecosystem overall.