8:00 a.m.

Registration & Continental Breakfast

9:00 a.m.

The Future of Life Sciences and Bioengineering at WPI

Grant McGimpsey, Director, WPI Bioengineering Institute and Associate Provost for Research & Graduate Studies, ad interim

Eric Overström, Head, Biology & Biotechnology and Director, WPI Life Sciences and Bioengineering Center

9:20 a.m.

Welcome of Morning Session Keynote Speaker by Grant McGimpsey

 Laura Allen, Director of MedTech IGNITE and Special Projects, MassMEDIC

9:50 a.m.

Break

10:20 a.m.

Panel Session: The Challenges of Life Science Start-up Companies

The speakers in this session will describe the challenges that their young companies have encountered in the early phases of their development, how they have addressed these challenges, how the academic world has helped and how they see their company and their sector developing over the next several years. A panel discussion will follow.

Company Presentations

Noon

Lunch

1:15 p.m.

Welcome of Afternoon Session Keynote Speaker by President Berkey

Daniel O’Connell, Massachusetts Secretary of Housing and Economic Development

 1:45 p.m.

Panel Session: New Product Development in Established Life Science Companies

The speakers in this session will describe the challenges they encounter in new product development in their established companies, how they address these challenges, how the academic world has helped, and how they see their company and sector developing over the next several years. A panel discussion will follow.

Company Presentations

3:30 p.m.

Networking Reception