Accelerating Coronavirus Testing Solutions (A.C.T.S.) Advisory Panel
Massachusetts understands the gaps that exist in the SARS-CoV-2 testing environment. To accelerate impact during this critical time, the Center solicited proposals to improve testing solutions and address bottlenecks in the testing supply chain. The A.C.T.S. program leverages Massachusetts’ R&D capabilities and innovation infrastructure to accelerate the development of innovative solutions that hinders our ability to quickly and effectively combat and contain the COVID-19 pandemic.
As part of this effort, the MLSC solicited the assistance of outstanding experts across multiple disciplines to serve on the A.C.T.S. Advisory Panel. The panel provides tremendous credibility to our investment portfolio by providing their expertise and talent to help us identify, support, and fund novel innovations and solutions for SARS-CoV-2 testing.
Ramy Arnaout
Assistant Professor, Department of Pathology, BIDMC Associate Director, Clinical Microbiology
Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center
Jerry Casey
Vice Chancellor for Research and Economic Development
UMass Lowell
Christine Coticchia
Principal Scientist
Sherlock Biosciences
Mahdi Garelnabi
Associate Professor, Dept of Biomedical and Nutritional Sciences
UMass Lowell
Lee Gehrke
Professor of Health Sciences and Technology (MIT) and Professor of Microbiology and Immunobiology (HMS)
Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Harvard Medical School
James Gomez
Senior Research Scientist, Infectious Disease and Microbiome Program
Broad Institute
Pawan Jolly
Senior Research Scientist
Wyss Institute
Rajnish Kaushik
Director, Licensing and Strategic Alliances, Office of Technology Licensing
Brandeis University
Ben Linville-Engler
Industry & Certificate Director, System Design & Management
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Erin McKenna
Deputy Director and Sr Project Manager, Boston Biomedical Innovation Center
Mass General Brigham
Glenn Miller
Market Sector Leader
Mass General Brigham
Ann Moormann
Professor of Medicine, Division of Infectious Diseases and Immunology
UMass Medical School
Mary Ann Picard
Director of Operations
M2D2
Pam Randhawa
Founder and CEO
Empiriko
Satinder Rawat
Senior Licensing Officer
UMass Medical School – Bridge
Peter Reinhart
Director, IALS and Clinical Professor, BMB
UMass Amherst
Daniel Schoener
Innovation Consultant
Thomas Tsai
Surgeon and Health Policy Researcher, Dept. of Surgery (BIDMC) and Assistant Professor, Dept. of Health Policy and Management (HSPH)
Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center and Harvard School of Public Health
Renee Wegrzyn
VP, Business Development
Ginkgo Bioworks
Wesley Wong
Associate Professor, Dept. of Biological Chemistry and Molecular Pharmacology and Pediatrics, HMS Investigator, PCMM, BCH Associate Faculty, Wyss Institute
Harvard Medical School and Wyss Institute
Mark Zeidel
Chairman, Department of Medicine (BIDMC) and Professor of Medicine (HMS)
Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center and Harvard Medical School
Biomanufacturing Advisory Panel
Massachusetts recognizes that as new innovative therapeutic modalities are being developed, a biomanufacturing bottleneck exists keeping therapies from patients. As the life science innovation capital of the world, home to hundreds of companies pioneering innovative therapies and treatments, Massachusetts is well poised to lead in developing these critical biomanufacturing innovations. The Building Breakthroughs Capital Call was designed to provide grants for capital projects in Massachusetts by enabling and supporting biomanufacturing innovation.
As part of this effort, the Massachusetts Life Sciences Center solicited the assistance of outstanding experts to serve on a Biomanufacturing Advisory Panel. The advisory panel provides tremendous credibility to our investment portfolio. Peer Reviewers provide their experience and talent to help us identify highly promising technologies, companies, and collaborative efforts for investment.
Alfred W. Boyle, Ph.D.
Senior Vice President Technical Operations
Alnylam Pharmaceuticals
Jie Chen, M.D.
VP of CMC Operation
WuXi Apptec
Rohan Patil, Ph.D.
Principal Scientist, Bioprocess Development
Sanofi Genzyme
Bob Steininger
SVP, CMC
Surface Oncology
Philip G. Vanek, Ph.D.
GM, Cell and Gene Therapy Strategy
GE Healthcare
Data Science Review Panel
Massachusetts recognizes that the role of data sciences in life sciences innovation has evolved rapidly and, if harnessed, has the potential to catalyze innovation at unprecedented rates. The digital transformation is taking place across the globe in various industries. Investment in generating datasets and training data scientists for life science research is required to sustain the Massachusetts global leadership position in life science innovation.
The Bits to Bytes Capital Call was designed to provide grants for capital projects in Massachusetts by enabling and supporting the generation and analysis of large datasets to answer pressing life science questions and to attract and train data scientists in the Commonwealth.
As part of this effort, the MLSC solicited the assistance of outstanding experts to serve on a Data Science Review Panel. The review panel provides tremendous credibility to the Massachusetts Life Sciences Center’s investment portfolio. Peer Reviewers provide their experience and talent to help us identify highly promising technologies, companies, and collaborative efforts for investment.
Gabriela Alexe
Research Associate in Pediatrics
Boston Children’s Hospital
Frederick Schoen
Senior Pathologist
Brigham and Women’s Hospital
Vasileios-Arsenios Lioutas
Neurologist
Beth Israel Deaconess Center
David Feygin
Chief Digital Health
Boston Scientific
Iain McFadyen
Head, Computational Sciences and Next Generation Analytics
Moderna Therapeutics
Sally Trabucco
Senior Scientist
Foundation Medicine
Doyle Ward
Associate Professor, Director of Operations, Center for Microbiome Research
UMass Medical
Caroline Shamu
Scientific Director for Harvard Medical School Research Cores and Technology, Director ICCB-Longwood Screening Facility, Assistant Professor of Department of Radiology (MGH) & Department of Biological Chemistry and Molecular Pharmacology
Harvard University
John Goodhue
Executive Director
Massachusetts Green High Performance Computing Center
Soha Hassoun
Professor, Computer Sciences
Tufts University
Helena Deus
Technology Research Director
Elsevier
Dolores Baksh
Innovation Leader for Cell Therapy Technologies
GE Life Sciences
Zhenjun Hu
Research Associate Professor, College of Engineering – Bioinformatics Research Unit
Boston University
Shannan Ho Sui
Senior Research Scientist, Department of Biostatistics
Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health
Massachusetts Next Generation Initiative Executive Coaches
Increasing the number of successful entrepreneurs is in the best interest of the entire life science industry. Gender parity is not only about equal representation. It is about a strong business case that supports a diverse ecosystem. Launched in 2017, the Massachusetts Next Generation Initiative (MassNextGen) is a five year, over $2 million commitment to ensure greater gender parity in the next generation of life science entrepreneurs.
Each year, following a competitive program, women-led early-stage life science companies will be awarded a year-long customized package of support, which includes non-dilutive grant funding and access to a network of seasoned Executive Coaches.
The Massachusetts Life Sciences Center has leveraged the region’s substantial network of seasoned entrepreneurs, investors, and life science experts to create an executive coaching network that selects each year’s winners based on a set of criteria including, but not limited to, the level of involvement of women in the conception, strategy and execution of the company, the proposed use of funding and feasibility and promise of the business plan and technology.
Christine Brennan
Partner
MRL Ventures
Nancy Briefs
Co-Founder and CEO
Altrix Bio, Inc.
Jim Coccia
Vice President of Market Access
Deciphera
Marc Cote
Certified Business/Executive Coach
Focal, Point Coaching
Bonnie Fendrock
CEO and Co-Founder
Cyta Therapeutics
Barbara Fox
Serial Entrepreneur
Tilos Therapeutics
Vikas Goyal
Principal
SR One
Ruoxi Hu
Senior Associate
Partners Innovation Fund
Lauren McGuire
Director
Digital Business Development and Licensing
Vinit Nijhawan
Executive Director
UMass MTTC
Mary Ann Picard
Director of Operations
M2D2
Pam Randhawa
Founder and CEO
Empiriko
Veronique Riethuisen
Senior Vice President, Global BD and Alliance Management
Ipsen
Rachel Sha
Digital Business Development & Licensing, Global Business Development & Licensing
Sanofi
Jo Viney
Founder and CSO
Pandion Therapeutics
MLSC Team
Meet the dedicated staff committed to supporting the growth and development of the life sciences through innovative programming and initiatives.
Board of Directors
Meet the Board of Directors responsible for the financial health of the agency and its investment in life sciences economic and workforce development.
Advisory Committees
Meet the Biomanufacturing Advisory Panel, the MassNextGen Executive Coaches, the Data Science Review Panel, and the A.C.T.S. Advisory Panel.
