Medical Foundation and NIH Translational Research Forum

Sunday, May 6, 2007

10:00 AM - 7:00 PM
Boston Convention and Exhibition Center
Room 258 A-C
Note: This program is offered at no charge if you pre register and have a unlimited full conference, limited session or unlimited one-day badge. You can add this program online to your record. Space is limited and first-come, first-served.

Sponsored by Kauffman Foundation and PsychoGenics Inc.

Research conducted by academic and research institutions is often at too early a stage to be taken up directly by pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies. Medical foundations and the National Institutes of Health (NIH) have increasingly recognized this gap and have stepped up their funding of translational research, with the goal of using new scientific knowledge to help improve human health. The major beneficiaries of this redirection have been the biotechnology industry and medical centers associated with academic institutions. The Medical Foundation and NIH Translational Research Forum seeks to bring together the major funders of translational research. The speakers and panelists will explore their criteria for selecting and funding programs, as well as describe how pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies and academic centers can be involved in foundation- and NIH-driven translational research.

Representatives from 25 medical research foundations will be available at information desks during the Forum’s Check-In, Break, Lunch Break and Networking Reception.

Foundation Table Displays As of 3/26/07

Parkinson’s Action Network
Mary McGuire

Children’s Tumor Foundation
Min Y Wong, Research Director

Families of SMA
Jill Jarecki, Research Director

Fragile X Foundation
Michael Tranfaglia, Medical Director

Huntington’s Diseases Association of America
Barbara Boyle, Executive Director and CEO

Autism Speaks
Andy Shih, CSO

International Aids Vaccine Initiative
Seth Berkley, President and CEO

Dystonia Medical Research Foundation
Jan Teller, Science Officer

National Organization of Rare Diseases (NORD)
Jean Campbell, Vice President Development

Sturge Weber Foundation
Karen Ball, CEO

Foundation Fighting Blindness
Alex Roe, Senior Business Development Manager

Tuberous Sclerosis Alliance
Vicky Whittemore, Ph.D., Vice President and Director of Science

And many more…

Program at a Glance

10:00 a.m. – 10:30 a.m.
Check-In and Coffee

10:30 a.m. – 10:45 a.m.
Welcome and Overview of Program

• Lesa Mitchell, Vice President, Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation
  Co-Chair of the Translational Research Forum

10:45 a.m. – 11:00 a.m.
Medical Research Foundations and the Biotechnology Industry

• Emer Leahy, Ph.D., President and CEO, PsychoGenics Inc.
  Co-Chair of the Translational Research Forum

11:00 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.
Opening Panel
Philanthropic-Driven Drug Discovery
Topics include: Business models and strategic directions, funding mechanisms, and partnering opportunities and challenges with examples of foundation-supported discovery collaborations with biotechnology companies and universities

Moderator:

• Robi Blumenstein, Senior Advisor, High Q Foundation (Huntington Disease)

Panelists:

• Deborah W. Brooks, President and CEO, Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research
• Monica Coenraads, Director of Research, Rett Syndrome Research Foundation
• Cynthia Joyce, Executive Director, Spinal Muscular Atrophy Foundation
• Doug Holtzman, Senior Program Officer, Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation

12:30 p.m. – 1:15 p.m.
Lunch Break (Reconvene at 1:15 pm)

1:30 p.m. – 2:30 p.m.
Keynote Speaker

Scott Johnson, President and Founder, Myelin Repair Foundation

2:30 p.m. – 4:00 p.m.
Foundation Supported Pre-Clinical and Clinical Development
Topics include: Drug development funding, integrating biotech and academia in the drug development process, specific research interests, and examples of foundation-supported drug development programs with biotechnology companies

Moderator:

• Gerald J. Siuta, Ph.D., Consultant, Business Development, Global Alliance for TB Drug Development

Panelists:

• Diana Wetmore, Ph.D., Vice President Alliance Management, Cystic Fibrosis Foundation
• Lucie Bruijin, Ph.D., Science Director and Vice President, The ALS Association
• Richard Insel, M.D., Executive Vice President, Research, Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation International
• Robert Pacifici, Ph.D., Chief Scientific Advisor, CHDI, Inc. (Huntington Disease)

4:00 p.m. – 4:30 p.m.
Break

4:30 p.m. – 6:00 p.m.
NIH Funding of Translational Research
Topic: New strategies for funding and accelerating drug development

Moderator:

• Greg Simon, President, FasterCures
  Former Chief Domestic Policy Advisor to Vice President Al Gore

Panelists:

• Anna D. Barker, Ph.D., Deputy Director, Advanced Technologies and Strategic Partnerships, National Cancer Institute
• Thomas R. Insel, M.D., Director, National Institute of Mental Health
• Barbara M. Alving, M.D., Acting Director, NIH National Center for Research Resources

6:00 p.m. – 6:15 p.m.
Summary and Wrap Up

• Philip N. Sussman, Managing Partner, The Channel Group, LLC
  Co-Chair of the Translational Research Forum

6:15 p.m. – 7:00 p.m.
Networking Reception

Note: This program is offered at no charge to if you pre register and have a unlimited full conference, limited session or unlimited one-day badge. You can add this program online to your record. Space is limited and first-come first served.