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Life sciences industry leaders, academic researchers to discuss creating breakthrough medicines

Panels at Nov. 12 event include researcher/entrepreneurs, business founders, policymakers

Oct 28, 2019
Student working in a chemistry lab

Leaders in academia and the life sciences industry will discuss using university research to create medicines and how to improve the process at a Nov. 12 event at Indiana University Bloomington. Industry representatives and the general public are welcome to register and attend.

The IU Innovation and Commercialization Office hosts “Break On Through to the Other Side: How Academic Research Matures to Breakthrough Medicines” 3 to 6 p.m. at Presidents Hall in Franklin Hall, 601 E. Kirkwood Ave. Three panels will be followed by a wine and hors d’oeuvres reception:

  • “IU-based science that has propelled successful startups.” Scheduled panelists are Richard DiMarchi, IU Bloomington; Mark Kelley, IU School of Medicine; Yvonne Lai, IU Bloomington; and Adam Zlotnick, IU Bloomington.
  • “Business co-founders from prominent local biotechnology companies.” Scheduled panelists are Nora Doherty, BioCrossroads; Fritz French, Calibrium and Marcadia Biotech; Kent Hawryluk, MB2 and Marcadia Biotech Inc.; and Derek Small, Assembly Biosciences.
  • “Public policies that anchor investment decisions.” Scheduled panelists are Bruce Gingles, Cook Medical Inc.; Sue Mahony, formerly Eli Lilly and Lilly Oncology; Bill Ringo, Assembly Biosciences; and Anantha Shekhar, Indiana University, Indiana University Health, and Indiana Clinical and Translational Sciences Institute.

Richard DiMarchi, Distinguished Professor in the Department of Chemistry and the Linda and Jack Gill Chair in Biomolecular Science at IU Bloomington, wrote in a previously published opinion piece what the panelists will address during the event.

“What distinguished the academic discoveries at IU that have successfully progressed to well-financed companies that are managing clinical drug candidates against diseases such as hepatitis B, diabetes and obesity? From where did the nontechnical assets and personal resources emerge that promoted these startups to the next level of commercialization?” DiMarchi wrote.

“Can university policies and processes be improved to better support startup companies? Finally, in looking forward, is there good reason to believe that the lessons learned from these recent successes are likely to be valid in a public environment where medical care and drug delivery are hotly contested?”

Visitor parking is available in the Poplars and Henderson garages. Employee surface parking is also available.

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