2021 IBSC Agenda
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About IBSC | Register |
Agenda | Plenary Speakers | |
Biotech Showcase | Sponsorships | |
Conference | Biotech Leader Award | |
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Draft Agenda - Subject to Change | |||
Tuesday, March 2 | |||
8:00 - 9:15am | Welcome & Biotech Showcase Pitch Competition | ||
Our annual event kicks off with welcome remarks and event instructions from IowaBio's staff and Board Chair, Rachel Binning of Corteva Agriscience. Immediately following, we will begin the Biotech Showcase pitch competition with our eight selected companies! Sponsored By ![]() |
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8:05 - 8:12am | LEAH Labs | ||
8:13 - 8:20am | FBB Biomed | ||
8:21 - 8:28am | Distynct | ||
8:29 - 8:36am | Mazen Animal Health, Inc. | ||
8:40 - 8:47am | 3D Health Solutions, Inc. | ||
8:48 - 8:55am | Hilltop BioSciences, Inc. | ||
8:56 - 9:03am | CartilaGen, Inc. | ||
9:04 - 9:11am | Otrafy, Inc. | ||
9:20 - 10:05am | Track Sessions - Series 1 | ||
Entrepreneur Essentials Track | |||
Biotech Start-Up Journey: Three Things I Learned Todd Krone co-founded PowerPollen nearly 6 years ago and has been on the ride of his life. Todd will relay lessons learned as an entrepreneur, that he will do differently next time to moderate the ups and downs of the startup journey. Speaker: Todd L. Krone, Ph.D - Co-Founder and CEO of PowerPollen |
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Key Collaborations Track | |||
The Iowa Immunizes Coalition and Public Health Practice Public health plays the convener role that brings people together to empower communities to maximize the health of all citizens, especially those in the workforce. It is aided by investment, partnership, and influence of private industry. This presentation will tell the story of the Iowa Immunizes Coalition and the inevitable success it will have for the aforementioned reasons. America's 21st century health issues will require collaborations like this and other opportunities should be explored. Speakers: Lina Tucker Reinders, MPH - Executive Director of Iowa Public Health Association and Elizabeth Faber, MPH - Public Health Consultant for Iowa Immunizes Coalition |
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10:15 - 11:00am | Track Sessions - Series 2 | ||
Entrepreneur Essentials Track | |||
Best Practices for Hiring and Working with IP Counsel Identifying and hiring IP counsel is an important strategic decision. Finding the right 'fit' is important as you will invest time and capital into this relationship. The selection and hiring process should not be like a bad online dating experience. Tips and strategies for hiring and effectively working with IP counsel will be discussed to ensure you enjoy the process while having your expectations met. Speakers: Jill Link, PharmD, JD - Partner, Chair of Licensing Practice Group at McKee, Voorhees & Sease, PLC and Cassie Edgar, JD - Partner, Chair of Regulatory Law Practice Group at McKee, Voorhees & Sease, PLC |
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Key Collaborations Track | |||
Tomorrow's BioTech Workforce = Today's STEM Students Iowa's STEM Council is intent on "growing our own" future scientists, analysts and engineers. Accumulating evidence shows our programs to not only be improving academic performance and attitudes about STEM, but also intentions about pursuing Iowa STEM careers. Iowa's BioTech industry sector has a powerful tool available in STEM Council programs such as school-business partnerships call STEM BEST, life science teacher summer externships, local community STEM festival exhibits, and more. The session will feature who is connecting, how, and why. Speaker: Jeff Weld, Ph.D. - Executive Director of the Governor's STEM Advisory Council |
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11:10 - 11:55am | Track Sessions - Series 3 | ||
Entrepreneur Essentials Track | |||
Science to Engineering to Commercialization Technoeconomic analysis of a planned bioprocess is critical in understanding the business viability at commercial scale. This presentation will focus on the key factors to consider in bioprocess scale up, including technology readiness, operating and capital cost evaluations, and common pitfalls. We will also describe the approach Black & Veatch recommends for a rigorous project development with a key focus on economic viability at scale. Speaker: Dr. Kris Chatrathi, PhD - Lead Process Engineer at Black & Veatch |
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Key Collaborations Track | |||
Iowa State University: Biosciences Initiative The state of Iowa has identified several biosciences platforms as priority areas for commercial innovation in the state. The state has funded three biosciences platforms at Iowa State University, (a) Biobased Products, (b) Precision and Digital Agriculture, (c) Vaccines and Immunotherapeutics. The objective of the initiative is to help catalyze development of innovation ecosystems for these areas by (i) identifying opportunities for commercializing technologies developed at ISU and in Iowa, (ii) fostering greater collaboration with industry, and (iii) encouraging the formation of new ventures. Iowa State University through the office of the Vice President of Research, actively partners with BioConnect Iowa to implement this initiative. The presentation will provide an overview and progress made to date in this important initiative. Speakers: Sundeep Vani, Ph.D. - Chief Technology Officer, Biobased Products at Iowa State University, Pat Schnable - C.F. Curtiss Distinguished Professor, Iowa Corn Endowed Chair in Genetics, Director - Plant Sciences Institute, Baker Scholar of Agricultural Entrepreneurship, Platform Lead - Digital & Precision Ag at Iowa State University, and Michael Roof, PhD - Chief Technology Officer, Vaccines and Immunotherapeutics at Iowa State University |
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12:05 - 12:30pm | Plenary Panel: Past Showcase Winner Updates | ||
Learn more about two of our past Biotech Showcase winners and how their efforts and innovation have progressed since they presented. The panel includes our very first Biotech Showcase winner, Viewpoint Molecular Targeting, and our most recent winner from 2020, Skroot Laboratories. | |||
12:30 - 12:45pm | Biotech Showcase Awards | ||
Join us as we confirm the winner of the 2021 Iowa Biotech Showcase pitch competition! | |||
1:00 - 3:00pm | 1:1 Meetings | ||
After registering for the event, please use the Whova app to pre-request one-on-one meetings with other attendees during this timeframe. | |||
Wednesday, March 3 | |||
8:30 - 8:45am | Welcome & Iowa Biotech Leader Award Announcement | ||
Iowa Biotech Leader Award Sponsored By![]() |
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8:45 - 9:30am | Industry Tracks - Series 1 | ||
Human Health Track - Sponsored by University of Iowa Research Foundation | |||
Developing Vaccines Against COVID-19 and Beyond in the 21st Century During the 20th century, there have been tremendous improvements in human health and increase in lifespan as a result of vaccines against many microbial diseases. However, there are still many pathogens, against which we still do not have protective vaccines. Vaccines have been developed against pathogens that are easy to control. What is left are those that are scientifically more difficult. As the society advances, the demand for more safe and effective vaccines make it more challenging, both technically and financially. There is no doubt that humanity will have to fight infectious diseases until the eternity. There will be constant influx of zoonotic pathogens into human population. SARS-CoV-2 is an excellent example. There are several promising COVID-19 vaccine candidates that were developed in record time. This rapid development has been possible, in part, by cumulative investments in biomedical sciences. However, the society will need to make even more investments to speed up vaccine development process for future pathogens that might be more deadly and more difficult to control. NeoVaxSyn Inc. is a new startup vaccine company that focuses on development of novel technologies that can overcome critical roadblocks to vaccine development. Our vision to develop vaccines against COVID-19 and other pathogens in the 21st century will be presented. Speaker: Dr. Michael Cho - Professor at Iowa State University and President/CEO of NeoVaxSyn, Inc. |
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Animal Health Track - Sponsored by Kent Corporation | |||
Protecting Fido's Food Integrity: Is Your Animal Food Safety Plan Up to Snuff? The Food Safety Modernization Act now requires preventive controls to be instituted for the protection of animal food from hazards. The presentation will focus on issues presented since the institution of this requirement through FDA inspections, as well as tips in crafting Food Safety Plans that are required in order to comply with the Preventive Control Rule. Finally, we can discuss possible crafting of recall plans as well. Speakers: Ryann Glenn - Partner at Husch Blackwell LLP and Emily Lyons - Senior Associate at Husch Blackwell LLP |
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Food & Ag Track - Sponsored by Midland Scientific Inc. | |||
Feeding Microbial Fermentation: From Discovery to Industrial Scale Up As a provider of yeast-based nutrients Procelys supports microbial industrial fermentation performed in the food and bio-agriculture industries for applications such as the growth of starter cultures for yogurt and microbes and metabolites used in crop protection. This presentation will discuss the product development process/workflow used in these industries from discovery to industrial scale up and the critical steps along the way. Learn the science of growing microbes; the essential nutrients and parameters to achieve growth and metabolite production and optimal sources to meet the nutritional and regulatory requirements of specific microorganisms used in the food and bio-agriculture industries. New trends and sustainable solutions in food and bio-agriculture will be highlighted. Speaker: Shawn Nelson, Ph.D. - Manager of Technical Services at Procelys |
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Industrial & Environmental Track - Sponsored by ADM | |||
Improved Corn Base Emulsifiers for Industrial and Food Uses A new high yield, high productivity process has been developed to produce amylose inclusion complexes (AIC). Through suitable selection of the ligands, these 95% corn starch materials have very high value in a number of end uses. The AICs make surfaces more hydrophobic; provide high value polymer blends; kill pathogenic bacteria and fungi; kill termites; and are an effective industrial or food grade surfactant/emulsifier. Speaker: Gordon Selling - Lead Scientist at U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Services |
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9:40 - 10:25am | Industry Tracks - Series 2 | ||
Human Health Track - Sponsored by University of Iowa Research Foundation | |||
Introduction to the Obesity Epidemic This presentation will discuss obesity as a disease and its associated cost to individuals and society as a whole. We will look at how obesity impacted the Covid-19 pandemic. And we will touch on available obesity treatment options. Speaker: Dr. Jessica Chardoulias, PharmD, BCPS - Medical Account Associate Director at Novo Nordisk Inc |
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Animal Health Track- Sponsored by Kent Corporation | |||
One Health Approaches in Antimicrobial Resistance Monitoring: Role of the Animal Health Sector Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is recognized as a critical global health threat, with some reports projecting up to 50 million deaths per year due to infections caused by antimicrobial resistant infections by 2050. This presentation will focus on One Health approaches in monitoring antimicrobial resistance as a One Health framework is being increasingly proposed for strategies to better understand the development, persistence, and spread of antimicrobial resistance. Topics discussed will include the National Antimicrobial Resistance Monitoring System (NARMS) Strategic Plan 2021-2025 as well as international approaches such as the World Health Organization (WHO)/World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE)/Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) tripartite collaboration on AMR, and the key role the animal health sector plays in a One Health architecture. Speakers: Dr. Kris Johansen - Associate Director of External Relations at National Institute of Antimicrobial Resistance Research and Education (NIAMRRE), Carl Heeder DVM - Senior Director of Avian Health and Nutrition at Mountaire Farms, Lucas Pantaleon DVM MS DACVIM MBA - Veterinarian Industry Advisor at DVM One Health, and Dr. Taylor Spronk, DVM - Staff Veterinarian at Pipestone |
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Food & Ag Track - Sponsored by Midland Scientific Inc. | |||
New Sources of Carbohydrates for Food, Protein and Chemical Production Using sugar as a feedstock, bio-based chemicals have been made for over a hundred years. Fast forwarding to 2020, citric acid has become a successful commodity chemical, with US$2.8B global sales of 1.5 million MT, using essentially the same microbial fermentation process developed in the early 1920’s. In its wake, other biologically produced chemicals (gluconic acid, itaconic acid, lactic acid, and 1,3-propanediol to name a few) have also become global commercial chemical successes. However, the key drivers for future accelerated commercialization of new bio-based chemicals are:
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Industrial & Environmental Track - Sponsored by ADM | |||
Connecting Performance and Sustainability At ADM, we have combined our core agricultural processing infrastructure with the right transformational technology to develop a portfolio of sustainable materials chosen to not only fit the circular economy but also meet or exceed today’s performance expectations. To realize these opportunities we have focused on partnering along the entirety of the value chain by engaging brand owners and their suppliers to create whole system solutions. Here we will discuss successes, partnering strategies, and key challenges to grow the sustainable materials portfolio and circular economy. Speaker: Erik C. Hagberg, Ph.D. - Technical Director, Process Chemistry and Sustainable Materials at ADM |
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10:35 - 11:20am | Plenary Panel: Bio Industry Legislative Update | ||
Join us for state and federal legislative updates on the various biotech sectors. Speakers: Sara Allen - Vice President at Cornerstone Government Affairs and IowaBio Lobbyist and Jeanne Haggerty - Executive Vice President, Advocacy at Biotechnology Innovation Organization |
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Sponsored By![]() |
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11:30 - 12:25pm | Plenary Keynote: Fireside Chat with Dr. McMurry-Heath | ||
Join us in a virtual "fireside chat" with BIO's new President and CEO, Dr. Michelle McMurry-Heath. Moderated by Rachel Binning, Global Regulatory Leader - Oilseeds at Corteva Agrscience | |||
12:25 - 12:30pm | Closing Remarks | ||
1:00 - 3:00pm | 1:1 Meetings | ||
After registering for the event, please use the Whova app to pre-request one-on-one meetings with other attendees during this timeframe. |