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Data Science & Analytics Technologies
Scale Data Science in Life Sciences from Algorithms to Outcomes
5/20/2026 - May 21, 2026
The Data Science & Analytics Technologies track highlights the advanced computational and analytical methods transforming discovery and development. The 2026 program emphasizes scalable systems for modeling biological complexity, including nonlinear dynamics, systems-medicine frameworks, and population-level neural analytics. Additional sessions explore privacy-preserving federated learning, reverse translation from clinical data, multimodal bioinformatics, and high-throughput automation. With a focus on trust, interpretability, and operational readiness, talks demonstrate how teams are moving from mathematical models to production-grade, validated data science pipelines across regulated life science environments. Designed for computational biologists, data scientists, engineers, and R&D analytics leaders, this track delivers rigorous methodologies and practical strategies for scaling trustworthy, high-impact analytics in biopharma.

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:

PLENARY KEYNOTE PROGRAM

Organizer's Remarks

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

Presentation to be Announced

Welcome Reception 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! 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

Organizer's Remarks

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

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 Woody Sherman, PhD, Founder and Chief Innovation Officer, Psivant Therapeutics , Founder and Chief Innovation Officer , Psivant Therapeutics
Woody Sherman, PhD, Founder and Chief Innovation Officer, Psivant Therapeutics , Founder and Chief Innovation Officer , Psivant Therapeutics

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!

Organizer's Welcome Remarks

RETHINKING HEALTH AND DISEASE: NETWORK MEDICINE AS A FOUNDATION FOR PREDICTIVE DATA SCIENCE

FEATURED PRESENTATION:
Examining Health and Disease Through the Lens of Network Medicine

Photo of John Quackenbush, PhD, Chair, Biostatistics & Henry Pickering Walcott Professor, Computational Biology & Bioinformatics, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health , Chair Biostatistics & Henry Pickering Walcott Prof , Biostattistics , Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health
John Quackenbush, PhD, Chair, Biostatistics & Henry Pickering Walcott Professor, Computational Biology & Bioinformatics, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health , Chair Biostatistics & Henry Pickering Walcott Prof , Biostattistics , Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health

Health and disease states are not driven by individual genes, but by complex collections of genes, gene variants, proteins, epigenetic factors, environmental perturbagens, and stochastic processes. Their multilayered interactions can be captured in network models that are best inferred using methods that build on our understanding of the fundamental biological processes we hope to model. The structure of these networks and the way they change over time can provide unprecedented insight into drivers and help identify new therapeutic targets.

FROM NETWORKS TO DECISIONS: APPLIED SYSTEMS MEDICINE AND PREDICTIVE ANALYTICS

Optimizing Data Analytics to Solve Healthcare’s "Three-Body Problem": Modeling Interactions among Patients, Disease, and Care

Photo of Michael Liebman, PhD, Managing Director, IPQ Analytics, LLC , Managing Dir & Co Founder , IPQ Analytics LLC
Michael Liebman, PhD, Managing Director, IPQ Analytics, LLC , Managing Dir & Co Founder , IPQ Analytics LLC
Photo of Michael Montgomery, MD, Co-Founder and CEO, Stable Solutions LLC , CoFounder & CEO , Stable Solutions LLC , Individual Consultant
Michael Montgomery, MD, Co-Founder and CEO, Stable Solutions LLC , CoFounder & CEO , Stable Solutions LLC , Individual Consultant
Photo of Nicholas J. Sarlis, MD, PhD, FACP, CMO, CLEARA Biotech B.V. , Chief Medical Officer , Clinical Development , CLEARA Biotech BV
Nicholas J. Sarlis, MD, PhD, FACP, CMO, CLEARA Biotech B.V. , Chief Medical Officer , Clinical Development , CLEARA Biotech BV

This session introduces the concept of Accurate Medicine, an evolution beyond Precision Medicine that integrates the complexities of patients, diseases, and real-world clinical practice. Rather than focusing solely on technology or genomics, this approach models the dynamic interrelationships among these three components to optimize therapeutic development and treatment outcomes. A panel of experts will demonstrate how innovative disease stratification and translational insights can enhance efficacy, personalize care, and maximize clinical benefit within modern healthcare systems.

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!

TRUST, INTERPRETABILITY & PRIVACY IN ADVANCED ANALYTICS

From Chaos to Clarity: Nonlinear Dynamics and Bifurcation Theory for Predictive Medicine

Photo of Iman Tavassoly, MD, PhD, Founder and CEO, QMed , Co-founder , QMed Insights
Iman Tavassoly, MD, PhD, Founder and CEO, QMed , Co-founder , QMed Insights

A nonlinear dynamics and bifurcation-based framework for modeling complex medical systems connects mechanistic theory with modern machine learning. This approach enhances interpretability and prediction across multimodal data streams. A software package is presented that enables practical, scalable, and MLOps-ready implementation of these methods in biomedical data science.

Towards Trustworthy Analytics of Brain Dynamics across Modalities, Scales, and Conditions

Photo of Takao Hensch, PhD, Professor, Molecular and Cellular Biology, Harvard University , Professor , Molecular and Cellular Biology , Harvard University
Takao Hensch, PhD, Professor, Molecular and Cellular Biology, Harvard University , Professor , Molecular and Cellular Biology , Harvard University
Photo of Julian Kedys, Computational Neuroscience Researcher, Poznan Supercomputing and Networking Center, Polish Academy of Sciences , Junior Research Associate - Computational Neuroscience , Poznan Supercomputing and Networking Center, Polish Academy of Sciences
Julian Kedys, Computational Neuroscience Researcher, Poznan Supercomputing and Networking Center, Polish Academy of Sciences , Junior Research Associate - Computational Neuroscience , Poznan Supercomputing and Networking Center, Polish Academy of Sciences
Photo of Cezary Mazurek, PhD, Senior Researcher, Head of Digital Medicine, Poznan Supercomputing and Networking Center, Polish Academy of Sciences , Senior Researcher, Head of Digital Medicine , Poznan Supercomputing and Networking Center, Polish Academy of Sciences
Cezary Mazurek, PhD, Senior Researcher, Head of Digital Medicine, Poznan Supercomputing and Networking Center, Polish Academy of Sciences , Senior Researcher, Head of Digital Medicine , Poznan Supercomputing and Networking Center, Polish Academy of Sciences

In the first part of the presentation, we outline the significance of a transdisciplinary approach to understanding of neurodegenerative mechanisms—from quantum scales to virtual humans—as the foundation for integrating insights across biological, computational, and physical domains. Building on this framework, we introduce a modular, quantum-computing–first pipeline that operationalizes population-level neural state-space modeling. The approach integrates ELA-secure preprocessing, population-aware detrending, multi-subject alignment, and dimensionality reduction to ensure data integrity and scalability. It advances interpretability through Ising/PMEM inference combined with energy-landscape and phase-diagram analytics, enabling the extraction of kinetic descriptors and facilitating meaningful cross-subject comparability in neurodegenerative research.

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

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

Kick off the morning with small-group roundtable discussions designed to spark collaboration, share challenges, and exchange insights across the Bio-IT community. Attendees gather around themed tables—spanning data ecosystems, AI adoption, foundational models, intelligent labs, translational infrastructure, and emerging technologies—to compare experiences and explore practical strategies. Each roundtable seats 8–10 participants for focused, peer-driven conversation that accelerates problem-solving, strengthens connections, and surfaces cross-functional perspectives before the plenary keynote. Topics will be announced throughout the year on the Bio-IT World website as part of our 2026 theme rollout, with opportunities for attendees and partners to propose table themes. If you have a topic to suggest or would like to participate as a moderator, contact Cindy Crowninshield at ccrowninshield@healthtech.com.

PLENARY KEYNOTE PROGRAM

Organizer's Remarks

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

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

The Innovative Practices Awards recognizes and celebrates technology innovation in the life sciences. Bio-IT World is currently accepting entries for the 2026 Innovative Practices Awards, a competition designed to recognize partnerships and projects pushing our industry forward. Winners will be announced in April 2026, recognized during the Thursday May 21 Plenary Keynote Program, and scheduled to give a podium presentation about their project during the conference. The deadline for entry is March 2, 2026. For more details about the Awards and to submit an application, visit www.bioitworldexpo.com/innovativepractices.

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 10-minute plenary keynote at Bio-IT World, highlighting the impact of their research and the forward-looking direction of their work. Nominations are due March 2, 2026, at www.bio-itworldexpo.com.

PLENARY KEYNOTE PRESENTATION:
Hopscotching through Drug Discovery: 15 Years of CADD and the Rise of AI

Photo of José Duca, PhD, Global Head Computer-Aided Drug Discovery, Global Discovery Chemistry, Novartis Institutes for Biomedical Research, Inc. , Global Head Computer-Aided Drug Discovery , Global Discovery Chemistry , Novartis Institutes for BioMedical Research Inc
José Duca, PhD, Global Head Computer-Aided Drug Discovery, Global Discovery Chemistry, Novartis Institutes for Biomedical Research, Inc. , Global Head Computer-Aided Drug Discovery , Global Discovery Chemistry , Novartis Institutes for BioMedical Research Inc

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!

Organizer's Remarks

OPERATIONALIZING DATA SCIENCE: DISCOVERY TO IMPACT

High-Throughput End-to-End Data Automation to Accelerate Drug Discovery

Photo of Rizki Mardian, PhD, Senior Scientist, Discovery Biologics, Merck & Co. , Sr Scientist , Discovery Biologics , Merck & Co
Rizki Mardian, PhD, Senior Scientist, Discovery Biologics, Merck & Co. , Sr Scientist , Discovery Biologics , Merck & Co

This talk will present a data automation strategy developed in our discovery group. The fully integrated platform covers end-to-end workflows for key biologics discovery assays, streamlining data capture and processing from lab instruments to an analysis-ready database for both transactional and analytical needs. The platform reduced data processing turnaround from hours to seconds, enabling rapid, data-driven decision-making in biologics R&D.

Extracting Insights from Clinical Study Data—Two Reverse-Translation Case Studies

Photo of Radhesh Nair, Director, Data Science and Analytics, Clinical Development, AbbVie, Inc. , Director , Data Science and Analytics, Clinical Development , AbbVie
Radhesh Nair, Director, Data Science and Analytics, Clinical Development, AbbVie, Inc. , Director , Data Science and Analytics, Clinical Development , AbbVie
Photo of Yu Tian, PhD, Director, Development Sciences, AbbVie, Inc. , Director II , Development Sciences , AbbVie Inc
Yu Tian, PhD, Director, Development Sciences, AbbVie, Inc. , Director II , Development Sciences , AbbVie Inc

Reverse translation (aka bedside to bench) projects have been a rapidly growing focus area for target identification, patient stratification, and many other areas. Clinical studies are a valuable source of data and insights for reverse translational studies. We will illustrate the unexpected challenges and findings from locating, extracting, and using clinical studies using on two case studies.

Operationalizing PK-Driven Predictive Models for Compound Selection and Portfolio Decision-Making

Photo of Vimala Selvaraj, Senior Principal Scientific Product Operational Manager, Novartis Biomedical Research , Sr Principal Product Svc Mgr, Drug Candidate Selection Product Line , IT , Novartis BioMedical Research
Vimala Selvaraj, Senior Principal Scientific Product Operational Manager, Novartis Biomedical Research , Sr Principal Product Svc Mgr, Drug Candidate Selection Product Line , IT , Novartis BioMedical Research

Pharmacokinetic (PK) modeling is widely used in drug development, yet its impact is often limited by inconsistent integration into decision workflows. This case study presents a production-ready data science framework that operationalizes PK-driven predictive models alongside Intuence Discovery to support compound selection and portfolio decisions. By embedding validated models into cross-functional workflows, teams improved predictability, reduced late-stage attrition, and accelerated decision-making across discovery and development.

Federated Convolutional Neural Networks on Small-Scale Molecular Datasets: A Privacy-Conscious Strategy for Pattern Discovery

Photo of Anne Deslattes Mays, PhD, Principal, Science and Technology Consulting LLC , Principal , Discovery and Innovation , Science and Technology Consulting LLC
Anne Deslattes Mays, PhD, Principal, Science and Technology Consulting LLC , Principal , Discovery and Innovation , Science and Technology Consulting LLC

We present a privacy-preserving approach using federated averaging to train convolutional neural networks on small-scale molecular datasets where data cannot be moved or shared. By simulating a multi-center environment with publicly available phenotype-linked omics data, we evaluate how varying site participation and model reuse affect performance—demonstrating that federated learning can improve generalizability and robustness even in low-data, distributed biomedical research settings.

Q&A with 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.

AI FOR RARE DISEASE: ACCELERATING PRECISION DIAGNOSIS THROUGH GENOMICS, DATA SCIENCE & REAL-WORLD INSIGHT

Chairperson's Remarks

William Van Etten, PhD, Co-Founder & Principal Consultant, StarfleetBio , Co-Founder & Principal Consultant , StarfleetBio

AI for Rare Disease: Accelerating Precision Diagnosis through Genomics, Data Science & Real-World Insight

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 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 William Van Etten, PhD, Co-Founder & Principal Consultant, StarfleetBio , Co-Founder & Principal Consultant , StarfleetBio
William Van Etten, PhD, Co-Founder & Principal Consultant, StarfleetBio , Co-Founder & Principal Consultant , StarfleetBio

AI, genomics, and multimodal data science are reshaping rare-disease diagnosis and dramatically reducing the diagnostic odyssey. This closing joint session brings together leaders in precision medicine, bioinformatics, national rare-disease infrastructure, and real-world patient advocacy to highlight breakthrough models for rapid genomic interpretation, data integration, and clinical deployment. Attendees will gain a unified, cross-disciplinary view of what’s required to deliver faster, more accurate, and more equitable rare-disease diagnoses.

Close of Conference


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