Bioinformatics Header Image

 





Bioinformatics
Operationalize Bioinformatics and Multimodal Data for Discovery and Clinical Impact
5/20/2026 - May 21, 2026
The Bioinformatics track examines how next-generation computational methods and multimodal data integration are reshaping discovery, translational research, and clinical genomics. While past programs emphasized innovation in multiomics pipelines, functional genomics, and predictive modeling, the 2026 agenda moves decisively toward operationalization. This year’s focus includes advances in pangenome references, structural variant detection, spatial and single-cell omics, and scalable analytics frameworks that unify genomics, transcriptomics, proteomics, imaging, and clinical data. Sessions explore workflow orchestration with Nextflow, Snakemake, and WDL; reproducibility and benchmarking; FAIR data practices; and infrastructure modernization for high-throughput and cost-efficient analysis. A key emphasis is the translational path: validating pipelines under CAP/CLIA and IVDR, aligning research workflows with clinical standards, and building robust, trustworthy systems ready for production. Designed for bioinformaticians, computational biologists, clinical genomics leaders, and R&D informatics professionals, this track delivers the technical depth and practical strategies needed to scale bioinformatics from the bench to regulated environments with rigor, speed, and scientific impact.

Tuesday, May 19

Recommended Pre-Conference Workshops and Symposia*

On Tuesday, May 19, 2026, Cambridge Healthtech Institute is pleased to offer six pre-conference Workshops scheduled across two time slots (9:00 am–12:00 pm and 1:15–4:15 pm) and three Symposia from 8:30 am–3:45 pm. All are designed to be instructional, interactive, and provide in-depth information on a specific topic. They allow for one-on-one interaction and provide a great way to explain more technical aspects that would otherwise not be covered during the main conference tracks that take place Wednesday–Thursday.

*Separate registration required. Additional details:

Symposia: www.bio-itworldexpo.com/symposia

Workshops: www.bio-itworldexpo.com/workshops

PLENARY KEYNOTE PROGRAM

Grab Your Seat! 25th Annual Golden Ticket Prize Giveaway & Organizer’s Remarks*

Cindy Crowninshield, Executive Event Director, Cambridge Healthtech Institute , Executive Event Director , Cambridge Healthtech Institute

*Must be present to win.

Welcome Remarks from the City of Boston and the Office of Mayor Michelle Wu

Photo of Donald Wright, Interim Chief, Economic Opportunity & Inclusion Cabinet, City of Boston , Interim Chief , Economic Opportunity & Inclusion Cabinet , City of Boston
Donald Wright, Interim Chief, Economic Opportunity & Inclusion Cabinet, City of Boston , Interim Chief , Economic Opportunity & Inclusion Cabinet , City of Boston

PLENARY KEYNOTE PRESENTATION:
Rare Conversations: Explorations of the Research, Funding, and Advocacy for Rare Diseases

Photo of Thomas Bartlett, Ambassador, MG Uniter Myasthenia Gravis, Amgen , Patient Ambassador - MG Uniter Myasthenia Gravis , Patient Advocate , Amgen
Thomas Bartlett, Ambassador, MG Uniter Myasthenia Gravis, Amgen , Patient Ambassador - MG Uniter Myasthenia Gravis , Patient Advocate , Amgen
Photo of Catherine Brownstein, PhD, Manager, Molecular Genomics Core Facility, Boston Children's Hospital; Scientific Director, Manton Center for Orphan Disease Research Gene Discovery Core; Assistant Professor, Harvard Medical School , Assistant Professor , Boston Children's Hospital
Catherine Brownstein, PhD, Manager, Molecular Genomics Core Facility, Boston Children's Hospital; Scientific Director, Manton Center for Orphan Disease Research Gene Discovery Core; Assistant Professor, Harvard Medical School , Assistant Professor , Boston Children's Hospital
Photo of Morgan Cheatham, MD, Partner, Head of Healthcare & Life Sciences, Breyer Capital , Partner, Head of Healthcare & Life Sciences , Breyer Capital
Morgan Cheatham, MD, Partner, Head of Healthcare & Life Sciences, Breyer Capital , Partner, Head of Healthcare & Life Sciences , Breyer Capital
Photo of Sebastien Lefebvre, Head of Technology, Data and AI, Aurelis Insights , Head of Technology, Data and AI , Aurelis Insights
Sebastien Lefebvre, Head of Technology, Data and AI, Aurelis Insights , Head of Technology, Data and AI , Aurelis Insights
Photo of Dylan V. Livingston, Founder and President, The Alliance for Longevity Initiatives (A4LI) , Founder and President , The Alliance for Longevity Initiatives (A4LI)
Dylan V. Livingston, Founder and President, The Alliance for Longevity Initiatives (A4LI) , Founder and President , The Alliance for Longevity Initiatives (A4LI)
Photo of William Van Etten, PhD, Co-Founder, CEO & Principal Scientist, StarfleetBio , Co-Founder, CEO & Principal Scientist , StarfleetBio
William Van Etten, PhD, Co-Founder, CEO & Principal Scientist, StarfleetBio , Co-Founder, CEO & Principal Scientist , StarfleetBio
Photo of Susan J. Ward, PhD, Founder & Executive Director, cTAP , Founder & Executive Director , cTAP
Susan J. Ward, PhD, Founder & Executive Director, cTAP , Founder & Executive Director , cTAP

In a unique plenary series of intimate conversations, we will explore the models, drivers, and challenges facing rare disease research. By uniting leaders in precision medicine, bioinformatics, national rare-disease infrastructure, and real-world legislative advocacy, we will give attendees an expansive, cross-disciplinary view of what’s required to deliver faster, more accurate, and more equitable rare-disease cures.

Welcome Reception & 25th Anniversary Celebration in the Exhibit Hall with Poster Viewing

The Bio-IT Kickoff Reception is a reunion, reconnect with friends, explore cutting-edge research, and celebrate innovation! This year, join us in celebrating the 25th Anniversary of Bio-IT World Conference & Expo with cake and champagne as we mark a quarter century of advancing science and technology. Enjoy poster presentations, networking, and vote for the Best of Show and Poster awards.

Close of Day

Wednesday, May 20

Bio-IT World’s 5K Rise and Shine Fun Run! (Sponsorship Opportunities Available)

RUN COORDINATORS:
Bridget Kotelly, Senior Conference Director, Cambridge Healthtech Institute
Eileen Murphy, Conference Producer, Cambridge Healthtech Institute

Lace up and join Bio-IT’s Coordinators for the Fun Run on Wednesday, May 20! Sprint, jog, walk, or talk-your-way-through—ALL abilities are welcome. This informal event is all about getting moving together. Full details to come…just don’t forget your sneakers!

Registration and Morning Coffee

PLENARY KEYNOTE PROGRAM

Grab Your Seat! 25th Annual Golden Ticket Prize Giveaway & Organizer’s Remarks*

Allison Proffitt, Editorial Director, Bio-IT World and Clinical Research News , Editorial Dir , Bio-IT World

*Must be present to win.

PLENARY KEYNOTE PRESENTATION:
The Collaboration Breakthrough: How Federated Learning Is Rewriting the Rules of Drug Discovery

Photo of Mohammed AlQuraishi, PhD, Assistant Professor, Systems Biology, Columbia University , Assistant Professor , Systems Biology , Columbia University
Mohammed AlQuraishi, PhD, Assistant Professor, Systems Biology, Columbia University , Assistant Professor , Systems Biology , Columbia University
Photo of Jonathan B. Gilbert, PhD, Senior Director, Ecosystem Growth and Contributor Partnerships, Eli Lilly and Company , Sr. Director - Ecosystem Growth and Contributor Partnerships , Eli Lilly and Company
Jonathan B. Gilbert, PhD, Senior Director, Ecosystem Growth and Contributor Partnerships, Eli Lilly and Company , Sr. Director - Ecosystem Growth and Contributor Partnerships , Eli Lilly and Company
Photo of José-Tomás Prieto, PhD, Director of AI Programs, Apheris , Director of AI Programs , Apheris
José-Tomás Prieto, PhD, Director of AI Programs, Apheris , Director of AI Programs , Apheris
Photo of Woody Sherman, PhD, Founder and Chief Innovation Officer, PsiThera , Founder and Chief Innovation Officer , PsiThera
Woody Sherman, PhD, Founder and Chief Innovation Officer, PsiThera , Founder and Chief Innovation Officer , PsiThera
Photo of Christina Taylor, PhD, Senior Science Fellow and Computational Molecular Design Lead, Bayer , Senior Science Fellow and Computational Molecular Design Lead , Bayer
Christina Taylor, PhD, Senior Science Fellow and Computational Molecular Design Lead, Bayer , Senior Science Fellow and Computational Molecular Design Lead , Bayer
Photo of Arman Zaribafiyan, PhD, Head of Strategic Alliances, AI Simulation, SandboxAQ , Head of Strategic Alliances, AI Simulation , SandboxAQ
Arman Zaribafiyan, PhD, Head of Strategic Alliances, AI Simulation, SandboxAQ , Head of Strategic Alliances, AI Simulation , SandboxAQ

The pharmaceutical industry sits on a collective treasure trove of proprietary structural biology data, yet competitive concerns have historically prevented the data sharing necessary to train the most powerful AI models for drug discovery. Federated learning is changing this paradigm, enabling biopharma companies to collaborate on AI model training while keeping sensitive data secure and confidential. This plenary session explores the groundbreaking AI Structural Biology (AISB) Network, where industry leaders are pooling proprietary protein-ligand structure data to collaboratively train OpenFold3, an AI model designed to predict molecular interactions with precision approaching X-ray crystallography. Through the federated computing platform, thousands of experimentally determined protein–small molecule structures remain securely at their original locations while contributing to a shared learning framework that no single organization could achieve alone. This session reveals how federated learning solves the industry's most persistent challenge: unlocking collective intelligence while protecting intellectual property. ​Attendees will hear directly from consortium leaders about: 

  • The technical architecture enabling privacy-preserving collaborative AI training across competing organizations 
  • Real-world implementation of federated learning platforms and computational governance frameworks 
  • Strategic rationale for industry collaboration: why sharing model training beats going it alone 
  • Impact and outcomes from early OpenFold3 results in predicting binding affinities and accelerating small molecule discovery 
  • The future of collaborative AI in biopharma, from structural biology to clinical development

Coffee Break in the Exhibit Hall with Poster Viewing (Sponsorship Opportunity Available)

Start your morning with coffee, connections, and cutting-edge research! Enjoy poster presentations, network in the Exhibit Hall, vote for awards, and a chance at a fabulous raffle prize!

NEXT-GENERATION BIOINFORMATICS: PRECISION MEDICINE AND CANCER GENOMICS

Organizer's Welcome Remarks

Emily Byrer, Room Operations Lead, Cambridge Healthtech Institute , Room Operations Lead , Cambridge Healthtech Institute

Chairperson's Remarks

Brigitte Ganter, PhD, GTM and Product Strategy, Mithrl , Founder & Managing Director , enlightenbio LLC

Personalized Pangenome Methods Enable Exceptional Variant Calling Accuracy across All Variant Classes

Photo of Yilei Fu, PhD, Postdoctoral Associate, Human Genome Sequencing Center, Baylor College of Medicine , Postdoctoral Associate , Human Genome Sequencing Center , Baylor College of Medicine
Yilei Fu, PhD, Postdoctoral Associate, Human Genome Sequencing Center, Baylor College of Medicine , Postdoctoral Associate , Human Genome Sequencing Center , Baylor College of Medicine
Photo of Brendan Gallagher, Head of Business Development, Sentieon, Inc. , Head of Business Development , Sentieon, Inc.
Brendan Gallagher, Head of Business Development, Sentieon, Inc. , Head of Business Development , Sentieon, Inc.
Photo of Jeffrey A. Rosenfeld, PhD, Vice President, R&D, Foresee Genomics , Vice President, R&D , Foresee Genomics
Jeffrey A. Rosenfeld, PhD, Vice President, R&D, Foresee Genomics , Vice President, R&D , Foresee Genomics
Photo of James Smagala, PhD, Bioinformatics Practice Manager, Yahara Software , Bioinformatics Practice Manager , Yahara Software
James Smagala, PhD, Bioinformatics Practice Manager, Yahara Software , Bioinformatics Practice Manager , Yahara Software

The Human Pangenome Reference Consortium (HPRC) is a multi-year international effort that is completing its almost decade-long project to deliver a graph-based representation of human genetic diversity that captures variation across global populations. DNAscope Pangenome leverages this new technology while keeping existing reference coordinates. The pipeline supports both GRCh37 and GRCh38—and leverages the full HPRC graph for alignment—preserving compatibility with existing downstream tools/pipelines and clinical databases, while delivering the large variant call accuracy gains across SNV/INDEL, Segdup, CNV, and SV for any short-read platform.

Hackathons with Impact: Advancing Omics Research through Collaborative Innovation

Photo of Allissa Dillman, PhD, CEO & Founder, BioData Sage LLC , CEO/Founder , BioData Sage LLC
Allissa Dillman, PhD, CEO & Founder, BioData Sage LLC , CEO/Founder , BioData Sage LLC
Photo of LaFrancis Gibson, MBA, MPH, CHES, Associate Manager Health Promotion, Oak Ridge Associated Universities , Associate Manager Health Promotion , Oak Ridge Associated Universities
LaFrancis Gibson, MBA, MPH, CHES, Associate Manager Health Promotion, Oak Ridge Associated Universities , Associate Manager Health Promotion , Oak Ridge Associated Universities

Hackathons offer fast-paced, collaborative learning that mirror the needs of modern omics research. This session will highlight how integrating Common Fund Data Ecosystem resources enable teams to tackle real data challenges, build practical skills, share strategies for supporting new users, and spark discovery. Outcomes from the Bio-IT Hackathon on May 18–19, 2026, will be shared, including project themes, open tools, and data used.

Democratizing Genomic Interpretation through On-Device Analysis and Model Context Protocol

Photo of William Van Etten, PhD, Co-Founder, CEO & Principal Scientist, StarfleetBio , Co-Founder, CEO & Principal Scientist , StarfleetBio
William Van Etten, PhD, Co-Founder, CEO & Principal Scientist, StarfleetBio , Co-Founder, CEO & Principal Scientist , StarfleetBio

Whole genome sequencing is becoming widespread, yet access, usability, and data ownership remain controlled by sequencing providers. But that doesn’t have to be. We’ll introduce novel architectures and tools that enables individuals to query their complete genomic data using natural language—directly from their personal devices, without uploading sensitive information to third-party servers. Users can ask health questions like “Do I have pathogenic variants related to hemochromatosis?” or questions related to kinship or traits. By shifting genomic analysis to the edge—leveraging modern mobile computing power and AI-driven natural language interfaces—we return data ownership to individuals while maintaining the analytical sophistication of centralized platforms.

Data-Driven Multiomics Identifies Ribosome Export as a Therapeutic Bottleneck in Advanced Prostate Cancer

Photo of Yigang Bao, Graduate Student, Cancer Biology & Molecular Medicine, City of Hope National Medical Center , Graduate Student , Cancer Biology & Molecular Medicine , City of Hope Natl Medical Ctr
Yigang Bao, Graduate Student, Cancer Biology & Molecular Medicine, City of Hope National Medical Center , Graduate Student , Cancer Biology & Molecular Medicine , City of Hope Natl Medical Ctr

Therapy-resistant prostate cancer requires sustained protein synthesis, but the regulatory bottlenecks that maintain this state remain poorly defined. Using AI-assisted integration of subcellular RNA-seq, quantitative proteomics, and patient cohort analysis, we identified ribosome export as a clinically relevant control point linking nuclear transport to oncogenic translation. XPO1 inhibition caused broad nuclear-cytoplasmic remodeling, whereas NMD3 depletion selectively constrained pre-60S ribosome availability with minimal transcriptomic disruption. By extending conventional differential expression analysis with compartment-resolved RNA-protein concordance mapping and residual modeling of protein output beyond RNA abundance, our framework prioritized ribosome export as a precision therapeutic vulnerability in advanced prostate cancer.

Transition to Lunch

Refreshment Break in the Exhibit Hall with Poster Viewing (Sponsorship Opportunity Available)

Bio-IT's hall is bigger than ever; one break won’t cut it! Enjoy dessert and coffee after lunch, explore booths and posters, vote for awards, and participate in our raffle for a chance to win a prize!

FROM NETWORKS TO TISSUES: MULTISCALE COMPUTATIONAL BIOLOGY

Chairperson's Remarks

Dan Ryder, PhD, Founder & CEO, Bridge Informatics , Founder & CEO , Bridge Informatics

The Role of MicroRNAs and Competing Endogenous RNA Regulatory Networks in Mesothelioma Response to Immunotherapy

Photo of Farhad Kosari, PhD, Associate Professor, Molecular Medicine, Mayo Clinic , Assoc Prof , Molecular Medicine , Mayo Clinic
Farhad Kosari, PhD, Associate Professor, Molecular Medicine, Mayo Clinic , Assoc Prof , Molecular Medicine , Mayo Clinic

Based on the concept of competing endogenous RNA (ceRNA), this talk presents a new framework to analyze the potential contributions of microRNAs in response to ICI therapy in mesothelioma. We first constructed mesothelioma ceRNA networks based on two largest sets of publicly available gene and microRNA expression data and six public microRNA databases. We then used these networks to ascertain the contributions of differentially expressed microRNAs in mesothelioma patients’ survival outcomes with ICI.

Bioinformatics-Driven Statistical Modeling of Metabolic Regulation in Liver Systems

Photo of Rima Zinjuwadia, Graduate Student, Northeastern University; formerly, Computational Biologist, Novo Nordisk AS , Graduate Student , Computational Omics , Northeastern University
Rima Zinjuwadia, Graduate Student, Northeastern University; formerly, Computational Biologist, Novo Nordisk AS , Graduate Student , Computational Omics , Northeastern University

Metabolic dysfunction and insulin resistance remain central challenges in cardiometabolic disease research, demanding integrative frameworks that bridge biology and bioinformatics. Leveraging a microphysiological liver model and bulk RNA-Seq, we developed a Nextflow-based bioinformatics pipeline integrating batch correction and statistical power modeling to ensure reproducible and interpretable results. This approach operationalizes design and computational rigor, transforming transcriptomic data into actionable insights to advance understanding of metabolic regulation and therapeutic targets.

Towards Scalable Visualization and Spatial Analysis in Multi-Volume (3D) IF Imaging Data

Photo of Robert Krueger, PhD, Assistant Professor, New York University , Assistant Professor , Computer Science and Engineering , New York University
Robert Krueger, PhD, Assistant Professor, New York University , Assistant Professor , Computer Science and Engineering , New York University

Novel 3D IF (immunofluorescence) imaging technologies are shifting analysis of the tissue microenvironment from low-resolution 2D to high-resolution 3D approaches, allowing study of cellular interaction in unprecedented detail. This talk presents progress from displaying and analyzing spatial relations in tabular (2D) data towards scalable 3D multi-volume visualization and detailed image-based analysis of cellular features and cell-cell interactions. I will showcase different approaches and tools on healthy and cancerous tissue data.

From Text to Bioinformatics Apps: Building Scalable Analysis Tools without Coding

Photo of Daniel Clarke, Biomedical Software Developer, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai , Biomedical Software Developer , Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai
Daniel Clarke, Biomedical Software Developer, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai , Biomedical Software Developer , Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai
Photo of Avi Ma'ayan, PhD, Professor & Director, Center for Bioinformatics, Pharmacological Sciences, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai , Prof & Dir Ctr for Bioinformatics , Pharmacological Sciences , Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai
Avi Ma'ayan, PhD, Professor & Director, Center for Bioinformatics, Pharmacological Sciences, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai , Prof & Dir Ctr for Bioinformatics , Pharmacological Sciences , Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai

Text-to-bioinformatics app platforms are transforming how researchers design and deploy analytical tools by converting natural language instructions into fully functional applications. The Playbook Workflow Builder (PWB) exemplifies this paradigm as a no-code, web-based environment where users can describe desired analyses in plain text and instantly generate modular bioinformatics apps powered by integrated data sources, APIs, and visualization components. Through conversational interfaces and guided prompts, users can iteratively refine app logic, enabling rapid development of reproducible and shareable tools without programming expertise. PWB supports the automatic generation of interactive dashboards, publication-ready reports, and multimedia outputs, facilitating seamless communication of results. This talk will highlight how text-driven app creation accelerates the transition from exploratory analysis to scalable, FAIR-aligned bioinformatics solutions, broadening access to advanced computational workflows for the biomedical community.

Best of Show Awards Reception in the Exhibit Hall with Poster Viewing

Unwind with colleagues at our lively reception! Explore posters, vote for the best, network with exhibitors, enjoy a drink, and try to win a raffle prize. Celebrate Best of Show winners!

Close of Day

Thursday, May 21

Registration Open

Continental Breakfast with Breakout Discussions

CONTINENTAL BREAKFAST WITH BREAKOUT DISCUSSIONS (IN-PERSON ONLY)

Connect & Collaborate: Breakfast Networking Roundtables (Sponsorship Opportunities Available)

Start the day with small-group roundtable discussions designed to spark collaboration and exchange insights across the Bio-IT community. Attendees join themed tables—spanning AI, data ecosystems, foundational models, and more—for focused, peer-driven discussions that foster problem-solving, connection, and cross-functional perspectives ahead of the plenary keynote.

IN-PERSON ONLY –
TABLE 1: Knowledge Graphs

Tom Plasterer, PhD, CEO & Co-Founder, Knowledge3 , CEO & Founder , BioPharmaceuticals R&D , Knowledge3 LLC

  • How are knowledge graphs supporting reliable scientific intelligence
  • Lessons from early deployments
  • Remaining challenges and barriers to scale​

IN-PERSON ONLY –
TABLE 2: From Molecules to Qubits: A Collaborative Conversation on Pharma’s Quantum Future

Christopher Bishop, Chief Reinvention Officer, Improvising Careers , Podcast host , Improvising Careers

  • Learn how leading global pharma companies are applying quantum principles to real-world research. 
  • Discover the quantum companies transforming traditional processes around drug development and drug discovery.
  • Discuss how quantum, along with HPC and AI, is poised to help researchers tackle historically intractable problems and potentially find new treatments for diseases like cancer, Alzheimer’s, and diabetes.​

IN-PERSON ONLY –
TABLE 3: From AI Tools to Autonomous Discovery: Are We Ready for Agentic AI in Drug Discovery?

Parthiban Srinivasan, PhD, Professor and Director, Centre for AI in Medicine, Vinayaka Mission's Research Foundation, India , Professor and Director , Centre for AI in Medicine , Vinayaka Mission's Research Foundation

  • Where are we today? Are AI tools truly integrated into workflows, or still operating in silos?
  • What changes with agents? How do LLM-based agents shift drug discovery from prediction to decision-making?
  • What is blocking autonomy? Data quality, validation, trust, or organizational readiness for AI-driven discovery?​

IN-PERSON ONLY –
TABLE 4: Bridging Tech Transfer and Industry: Unlocking Real Collaboration at Bio-IT

Nancy Wetherbee, Director Commercialization, Research Innovation Center, Northeastern University , Dir Commercialization , Research Innovation Ctr , Northeastern Univ

  • Where are the highest-value collaboration opportunities between academia/TTOs and industry (biopharma, startups, AI/data, investors), and what makes them actually work?
  • What types of partnerships are most effective in practice (licensing, co-development, startup creation, sponsored research), and how do both sides evaluate quality and fit quickly?
  • What specific formats, access points, or structures at the Bio-IT event would actually drive follow-up, partnerships, and deal-making?

IN-PERSON ONLY –
TABLE 5: Supporting Innovation While Managing Risk: The CIO’s Dilemma in AI-Driven R&D

Chris Dwan, Fractional CIO, Triveni Bio , Independent Consultant , Dwan, LLC

  • How do CIOs enable rapid AI and data innovation without breaking governance, compliance, or data integrity frameworks?
  • What separates pilot-stage innovation from scalable, production-grade systems? Where do most organizations fail?
  • How do leaders manage emerging risks (model bias, data provenance, regulatory exposure) while still pushing competitive advantage?

IN-PERSON ONLY –
TABLE 6: Real-World Data and Evidence: Unlocking Value Beyond Clinical Trials

Michael Liebman, PhD, Managing Director, IPQ Analytics, LLC , Managing Dir & Co Founder , IPQ Analytics LLC

  • How real-world data is being used alongside clinical and experimental data
  • Challenges in standardization, access, and regulatory acceptance
  • Opportunities to improve outcomes, access, and long-term patient insights

IN-PERSON ONLY –
TABLE 7: Beyond Data Management: Why AI Fails without Institutional Memory in Life Sciences

Alexandra Brocato, CEO & Co-Founder, Beakr, Inc. , CEO & Co Founder , Beakr Inc

  • Why critical experimental knowledge is lost across ELNs, LIMS, and siloed teams, and the cost of reinventing work 
  • How structured experimental memory makes past decisions, failures, and context reusable across teams
  • How organizations can make scientific knowledge reusable for both humans and AI

IN-PERSON ONLY –
TABLE 8: Intellectual Property in Biotech: Strategy, Patents, and Trademarks

Elizabeth F. Jackson, Acting Director, Northeast Regional Outreach Office, U.S. Patent and Trademark Office , Acting Director , Northeast Regional Outreach Office , U.S. Patent and Trademark Office

  • How to think strategically about IP early in biotech and AI-driven research
  • Common pitfalls in patent and trademark applications and how to avoid them
  • Navigating ownership, protection, and commercialization of innovations

IN-PERSON ONLY –
TABLE 9: Are Bioinformatics Workflows Broken? Rethinking Pipelines in the Age of No-Code and AI

Daniel Clarke, Biomedical Software Developer, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai , Biomedical Software Developer , Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai

  • Why do current workflow systems fail most scientists in practice? 
  • Can no-code and AI-driven workflows meet standards for reproducibility, validation, and clinical readiness? 
  • What would a “production-ready” workflow ecosystem actually look like across teams and organizations?

IN-PERSON ONLY –
TABLE 10: Data Readiness for AI: Why Most AI Programs Fail Before They Start

Bahador Marzban, PhD, Principal Data Scientist, Innovative Medicine R&D, Johnson & Johnson , Principal Data Scientist , Innovative Medicine R&D , Johnson & Johnson

  • The gap between AI ambition and the reality of data foundations, platforms, and operating models
  • What “AI‑ready data” actually means in practice—beyond pilots, dashboards, and proofs of concept 
  • Where AI initiatives most often break down: data integration, data quality, metadata, and governance at scale​

PLENARY KEYNOTE PROGRAM

Grab Your Seat! 25th Annual Golden Ticket Prize Giveaway & Organizer’s Remarks*

Cindy Crowninshield, Executive Event Director, Cambridge Healthtech Institute , Executive Event Director , Cambridge Healthtech Institute

*Must be present to win.

Bio-IT World 2026 Innovative Practices Awards Ceremony (Winners Announced)

Allison Proffitt, Editorial Director, Bio-IT World and Clinical Research News , Editorial Dir , Bio-IT World

Since 2003, Bio-IT World’s Innovative Practices Awards have recognized outstanding technology innovation advancing life sciences research. The 2026 winners highlight excellence in open science, patient advocacy, global data access, and real-world AI through collaborations involving Arizona State University and Starfish Storage, CareDx, ASAP Discovery Consortium, and Novartis with Genedata AG. Together, these projects illustrate the modern R&D data lifecycle, from unlocking legacy data to enabling collaboration and driving clinical decision-making.

Bio-IT World 2026 Emerging Innovator Award—NEW (Winner Announced)

Allison Proffitt, Editorial Director, Bio-IT World and Clinical Research News , Editorial Dir , Bio-IT World

The Emerging Innovator Award recognizes one exceptional early-career researcher advancing the future of life sciences through breakthrough work in biomedical data, computational methods, or technology-enabled discovery. The 2026 awardee will deliver a 20-minute plenary keynote at Bio-IT World, highlighting the impact of their research and the forward-looking direction of their work. 

EMERGING INNOVATOR AWARD PRESENTATION: Scalable Connectomics for AI-Ready Brain Data

Photo of Ons M'Saad, PhD, Co-Founder & CEO, panluminate Inc. , Co-Founder & CEO , panluminate Inc.
Ons M'Saad, PhD, Co-Founder & CEO, panluminate Inc. , Co-Founder & CEO , panluminate Inc.

Mapping the brain at synaptic resolution—connectomics—could transform neuroscience, medicine, and AI. Until now, the field has depended on electron microscopy: slow, expensive, difficult to scale, and limited to structure alone. Dr. Ons M’Saad presents a new optical approach that adds molecular context to large-scale brain maps, opening new ways to study neurodegenerative disease and inform more biologically grounded AI.

PLENARY KEYNOTE PRESENTATION:
Generative AI across Drug Discovery Tasks

Photo of Jeremy L. Jenkins, PhD, US Head, Discovery Sciences, Novartis BioMedical Research , US Head , Discovery Sciences , Novartis BioMedical Research
Jeremy L. Jenkins, PhD, US Head, Discovery Sciences, Novartis BioMedical Research , US Head , Discovery Sciences , Novartis BioMedical Research

Many steps in drug discovery are informed by large-scale biological and chemical data, from genomics to the chemical universe, to phenotypic cell profiling. Generative-ML models are increasingly being deployed across these domains, including single-cell foundation models for target discovery, generative chemistry for rapid ligand design, and transfer learning to accelerate image analysis. Practical applications of generative AI in early drug discovery will be described, including simulated functional-genomics screens with in silico perturbations; compound design conditioned on protein pockets; and in silico-labeling approaches that replace traditional image staining. Together, these advances illustrate how generative AI is transforming how drug discovery research is conducted.

Coffee Break in the Exhibit Hall with Poster Competition Winners Announced (Sponsorship Opportunity Available)

Bio-IT is all about connections! Explore booths, award-winning posters, and network with clients, colleagues, and exhibitors. Grab coffee, build relationships, and stay for a chance to win a raffle prize!

PRODUCTION-READY GENOMICS: REFERENCES, INFRASTRUCTURE, INTERPRETATION & VALIDATION

Organizer's Remarks

Emily Byrer, Room Operations Lead, Cambridge Healthtech Institute , Room Operations Lead , Cambridge Healthtech Institute

Chairperson's Remarks

Yair Benita, PhD, CTO, AION Labs , Chief Technology Officer , AION Labs

Somatic Mosaicism with Personalized Pangenome Reference

Photo of Sairam Behera, PhD, Bioinformatics Scientist, Houston Methodist; former Research Fellow, Human Genome Sequencing Center, Baylor College of Medicine , Bioinformatics Scientist , Neurology , Houston Methodist
Sairam Behera, PhD, Bioinformatics Scientist, Houston Methodist; former Research Fellow, Human Genome Sequencing Center, Baylor College of Medicine , Bioinformatics Scientist , Neurology , Houston Methodist

Analyzing somatic mosaicism with DRAGEN using blood and sperm tissues, enhanced by a personalized reference genome for improved accuracy and detection. This approach will enable more sensitive detection of low-frequency variants and provide deeper insights into tissue-specific mosaic patterns.

Democratizing Genomics Analysis Platforms: Building Cost-Effective Infrastructure with miniWDL and AWS Batch

Photo of Sanjay Sreeram, Director IT Engineering, Information Systems and Technologies, Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, Inc. , Director - IT Engineering , Information Systems and Technologies , Regeneron Pharmaceuticals Inc
Sanjay Sreeram, Director IT Engineering, Information Systems and Technologies, Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, Inc. , Director - IT Engineering , Information Systems and Technologies , Regeneron Pharmaceuticals Inc

Building scalable genomics analysis platforms traditionally requires significant infrastructure investment and specialized IT expertise, limiting access to well-funded institutions. We present a production-ready platform architecture using miniWDL and AWS Batch that enables research organizations to deploy enterprise-grade genomics infrastructure supporting complex genomics pipelines while achieving 30–50% cost reduction through intelligent spot instance orchestration. This platform democratizes genomics by providing researchers with self-service access to secure, reproducible, and cost-efficient large-scale analyses.

Agentic Biology: Modeling Dynamic Disease with AI-Driven Virtual Cells

Photo of Arash Keshavarzi, PhD, Head of AI Products, Prima Mente , Head of AI Products , Prima Mente
Arash Keshavarzi, PhD, Head of AI Products, Prima Mente , Head of AI Products , Prima Mente

Current biological foundation models excel at static prediction but struggle to capture the dynamic complexity of disease. This presentation introduces an agentic AI architecture that models virtual cells by reasoning across longitudinal epigenomic, transcriptomic, and proteomic data. We demonstrate how this approach improves prediction of cellular response to perturbation and validate results against real-world clinical cohorts, highlighting a path toward more predictive, translationally relevant biological modeling.

REINVENTING TARGET DISCOVERY: AI, EVIDENCE, AND FUNCTIONAL BIOLOGY AT SCALE

AION Labs: A Venture Studio for Co-Building Companies with Pharma Partners

Photo of Yair Benita, PhD, CTO, AION Labs , Chief Technology Officer , AION Labs
Yair Benita, PhD, CTO, AION Labs , Chief Technology Officer , AION Labs

AION Labs is a venture studio founded by Pfizer, AstraZeneca, EMD Serono, Teva, Amazon Web Services, and two venture capital firms, IBF and Amiti. In fewer than four years, the studio has launched nine companies and built a model that enables early-stage startups to co-develop cutting-edge technologies with pharma companies while refining their commercial offerings. In this talk, I will share opportunities for entrepreneurs, lessons learned from building this model, where the field is heading, and how to get involved.

ProPhet—Breaking Screening Limits with Sequence-Based Drug Discovery

Photo of Tom Shani, PhD, CEO & Co-Founder, Prophet , CEO & Co-Founder , ProPhet
Tom Shani, PhD, CEO & Co-Founder, Prophet , CEO & Co-Founder , ProPhet

Modern small-molecule drug discovery is constrained by practical screening limits, both experimental and computational. Identifying hits for novel targets typically requires extensive screening, which in practice is restricted to relatively small and chemically biased libraries. Even the most advanced computational approaches, including co-folding, do not scale to broad chemical exploration and therefore operate on libraries far below the few million compounds that represent a practical upper limit. As a result, discovery efforts stay close to familiar chemistry to control cost and timelines, limiting chemical diversity, reinforcing historical bias, and leaving many potentially better drugs undiscovered.

ProPhet addresses this limitation with an AI-driven discovery platform capable of screening billions of molecules at once, without relying on structural information or large-scale experimental screening. By making broad and diverse chemical exploration practical instead of risky, ProPhet enables teams to search far beyond standard chemical libraries without slowing development or increasing cost, opening new possibilities for targets previously considered out of reach.

In addition to scale, ProPhet provides early insight into selectivity and off-target binding, helping reduce late-stage toxicity risk and avoid unnecessary experimental investment. Together, these capabilities make a wider range of historically “undruggable” targets accessible in practice.

Here we will present the principles behind ProPhet’s screening approach, discuss its application across challenging targets, and share early validation results from ongoing collaborations with pharma, biotech, and academic partners.

AI-Powered Broad Epiproteomics: Proteoform Resolution at Scale is the Missing Layer in Disease Biology

Photo of Ronel Veksler, MD, PhD, Co-Founder & CEO, Promise Bio , Co-Founder & CEO , Promise Bio
Ronel Veksler, MD, PhD, Co-Founder & CEO, Promise Bio , Co-Founder & CEO , Promise Bio

Biology  has long been studied through the lens of the genome, transcriptome, and  proteome- yet a critical functional layer remains largely unmeasured.  Post-translational modifications govern how proteins actually behave: their  activity, localization, interactions, and degradation. With over 200 known  PTM types and millions of potential modification sites, this layer represents  an enormous and largely unexplored dimension of disease biology.    


The challenge has been scale. Measuring PTMs broadly across samples and  diseases has been technically intractable- limited to narrow,  hypothesis-driven assays targeting single modification types. As a result,  the field has relied on protein abundance as a proxy for function, missing  the regulatory events that drive disease phenotypes. Promise Bio has built the first AI-powered epiproteomics platform to  profile this layer at scale. By measuring over 60 PTM types across thousands  of proteins in a single assay, we resolve biology at the proteoform level —  capturing functional states invisible to genomics, transcriptomics, and  standard proteomics. Our proprietary data lake, the largest epiproteomic  dataset available, enables systematic discovery of PTM-driven disease  signatures across multiple diseases and tissue types.    

Applied at scale, this enables proteoform-level resolution, which enables  identification of novel biomarkers, elucidation of drug mechanisms of action,  and identification of new therapeutic targets. We will present how broad  AI-powered epiproteomic profiling reveals novel, meaningful insights by  uncovering the missing functional layer in disease biology.

Evidence Synthesis Done Right: Why Your Knowledge Graph Is Built on Unvalidated Claims

Photo of Niv Matsboim, MD, CEO & Co-Founder, qed Science , CEO & Co-Founder , qed Science
Niv Matsboim, MD, CEO & Co-Founder, qed Science , CEO & Co-Founder , qed Science

Drug target discovery still fails at staggering rates. One root cause is rarely confronted head-on: the scientific literature we all depend on is a corpus of unvalidated, fragmented, and often contradictory findings. Every knowledge graph, every literature agent, every LLM-powered search tool treats published claims as equally reliable. They are not.

Human curation doesn't scale and rewards popularity over validity. General-purpose LLMs predict likely text but cannot detect contradictions or weigh evidence. Literature agents give flawed and rigorous studies equal standing. None of these approaches tell you whether a claim is actually supported by the data behind it. qed is the first platform purpose-built for evidence synthesis that scores the validity of scientific claims. The output is a scored, normalized evidence map that surfaces contradictions, quantifies confidence, and delivers probabilistic answers to therapeutic hypotheses grounded in scrutinized findings. 

Already validated with expert-level accuracy across 8,000+ labs, qed moves evidence synthesis from opinion-driven to evidence-driven, giving drug discovery teams an honest accounting of what the literature actually supports.

Q&A with 12:10-1:10pm Session Speakers

Session Break and Transition to Lunch

Refreshment Break in the Exhibit Hall with Poster Viewing (Sponsorship Opportunity Available)

Feeling tired? Recharge during the final Networking Exhibit Hall break! Visit booths, explore posters, connect with peers, and turn in your Game Cards for a chance to win a raffle prize.

SCALING AI INSIGHTS INTO REAL-WORLD CLINICAL IMPACT

Chairperson's Remarks

Grant Stephen, CEO & Co-Founder, bPrescient, Inc. , CEO & Co-Founder , bPrescient Inc

Three Steps to Success: Framework for Optimizing AI’s Impact on Drug Development

Photo of Umut Eser, PhD, Head, Generative AI, Johnson & Johnson Innovative Medicine , Head, Generative AI , Johnson & Johnson Innovative Medicine
Umut Eser, PhD, Head, Generative AI, Johnson & Johnson Innovative Medicine , Head, Generative AI , Johnson & Johnson Innovative Medicine
Photo of Grant Stephen, CEO & Co-Founder, bPrescient, Inc. , CEO & Co-Founder , bPrescient Inc
Grant Stephen, CEO & Co-Founder, bPrescient, Inc. , CEO & Co-Founder , bPrescient Inc

Based on extensive research, this presentation explores the three leading ways AI can accelerate the drug development process while substantially reducing costs. We provide a framework for considering how to deploy these capabilities in research and clinical while setting out (i.) the supporting evidence base and (ii.) the remaining challenges to be overcome. Our priority is to provide the audience with practical ways to positively impact their own drug development processes.

Panel Moderator:

PANEL DISCUSSION:
Beyond Discovery: Turning AI Insights into Real-World Clinical Impact

Photo of Grant Stephen, CEO & Co-Founder, bPrescient, Inc. , CEO & Co-Founder , bPrescient Inc
Grant Stephen, CEO & Co-Founder, bPrescient, Inc. , CEO & Co-Founder , bPrescient Inc

Panelists:

Photo of Anastasia Christianson, PhD, Pharma Industry Data Science Leader , Pharma Industry Data Science Leader
Anastasia Christianson, PhD, Pharma Industry Data Science Leader , Pharma Industry Data Science Leader
Photo of Charmaine Demanuele, PhD, Vice President, R&D Data Science & Digital Health - Neuroscience, Johnson & Johnson Innovative Medicine , Vice President, R&D Data Science & Digital Health - Neuroscience , Johnson & Johnson Innovative Medicine
Charmaine Demanuele, PhD, Vice President, R&D Data Science & Digital Health - Neuroscience, Johnson & Johnson Innovative Medicine , Vice President, R&D Data Science & Digital Health - Neuroscience , Johnson & Johnson Innovative Medicine
Photo of Arturo J. Morales, PhD, Vice President, Technology Enabled Science, CSL Behring , VP, Head of Technology Enabled Science , CSL Behring
Arturo J. Morales, PhD, Vice President, Technology Enabled Science, CSL Behring , VP, Head of Technology Enabled Science , CSL Behring
Photo of Alexander Sherman, Director, Center for Innovation and Bioinformatics, Massachusetts General Hospital , Dir , Ctr for Innovation & Bioinformatics , Massachusetts General Hospital
Alexander Sherman, Director, Center for Innovation and Bioinformatics, Massachusetts General Hospital , Dir , Ctr for Innovation & Bioinformatics , Massachusetts General Hospital
Photo of Nagaraja "Sri" Srivatsan, CEO, Endpoint Clinical, Inc. , CEO , Endpoint Clinical, Inc.
Nagaraja "Sri" Srivatsan, CEO, Endpoint Clinical, Inc. , CEO , Endpoint Clinical, Inc.

While AI dominates early-stage drug discovery discussions, pharmaceutical organizations struggle to connect these innovations to downstream clinical operations and real-world patient care. This panel tackles three critical gaps in current AI implementation: 1) integrating AI across R&D functions from target identification through clinical development, 2) leveraging digital health platforms and AI as the bridge between research insights and patient outcomes, and 3) enabling cross-team collaboration and external partnerships through shared AI infrastructure. Industry leaders from biopharma, hospitals, and digital health will debate what it really takes to break down silos between discovery, development, clinical, and commercial teams. Through candid discussion of real implementations, panelists will explore how to build communication channels that connect internal teams with external partners (hospitals, payers, and patients), creating an AI ecosystem that delivers measurable impact across the full therapeutic lifecycle.

Close of Conference


Custom Social Media Banners

Conference Tracks

T1: Data Platforms & Storage Infrastructure