Life Science Innovation Northwest 2025

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Keynote Speaker

David Baker, PhD

Director at Institute for Protein Design, University of Washington

Nobel Laureate David Baker is a professor of biochemistry, HHMI investigator, and the director of the Institute for Protein Design at the University of Washington School of Medicine. The Baker Lab develops protein design software and uses it to create molecules that solve challenges in medicine, technology, and sustainability. Among his recent work is the development of powerful machine-learning methods for generating functional proteins.

David is also an adjunct professor of genome sciences, bioengineering, chemical engineering, computer science, and physics at the University of Washington. He has published over 640 research papers, co-founded 21 companies, and been awarded more than 100 patents. Ninety of his mentees have gone on to independent faculty positions.

David is an elected member of the National Academy of Sciences and a recipient of numerous awards, including the 2024 Nobel Prize in Chemistry. TIME named him among the world’s 100 Most Influential People in health.

He received his PhD in biochemistry with Randy Schekman at the University of California, Berkeley, and did postdoctoral work in biophysics with David Agard at UCSF.

Johanna Bendell, MD

Global Head of Oncology, Pharma Research, and Early Development at Roche

Dr. Johanna Bendell is a distinguished physician and researcher in the field of oncology. She holds the position of Global Head of Oncology at Roche Pharma Research and Early Development since 2021, and will be assuming the position of Chief Development Officer, Oncology at Pfizer in early 2025.  She was formerly Chief Development Officer, Director of the Drug Development Unit, and Director of the Gastrointestinal Oncology Program at Sarah Cannon Research Institute, a globally recognized leader in cancer research and treatment, conducting clinical trials in the community setting..

Dr. Bendell received her medical degree from the University of Chicago Pritzker School of Medicine, followed by her residency in Internal Medicine at Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston. She then completed her fellowship in Medical Oncology at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute.

Known for her expertise in early oncology drug development and gastrointestinal cancers, Dr. Bendell has played a pivotal role in the development of numerous groundbreaking cancer therapies, with publications in notable journals such as the New England Journal of Medicine, the Journal of the American Medical Association, and the Journal of Clinical Oncology.  She has also had multiple invited oral presentations at the American Society of Clinical Oncology, the European Society of Oncology, and the American Association for Cancer Research. She is also a Fellow of the American Society of Clinical Oncology, and has served on the American Society of Clinical Oncology Cancer Education Committee, Cancer Research Committee, and Breakthrough Program Committee.  In 2024 Dr. Bendell was recognized by Endpoint News as one of the 20 Women Leading in Biopharma R and D.

In addition to her research and development work, Dr. Bendell is an active mentor, focused on developing the next generation of researchers, and has served on committees dedicated to diversity, equity, and inclusion.  She also continues to be a strong advocate for patients and caregivers.

Speakers

Teresa Foy, PhD

Senior Vice President at Bristol Myers Squibb
Moderator

Teresa (Teri) Foy is an immunologist with 30 years of experience in the biotechnology and pharmaceutical industry developing novel therapeutics in the areas of oncology and inflammation. Teri is currently leading Bristol Myers Squibb's (BMS) Cancer Immunology and Cellular Therapy Thematic Research Center (CICT TRC), focused on discovery, pre-clinical development and translational research of BMS’s Cancer Immunology and Cell Therapy pipeline. She is a member of BMS’s Research Leadership Team as well as the Cell Therapy Leadership Team. Teri also serves as the site head for BMS Seattle

Hetu Kamisetty, PhD

Co-founder and CTO at Xaira
Speaker

Hetu Kamisetty is a co-founder and CTO of Xaira and has played a pivotal role in scaling the firm since its inception in 2023. He has nearly two decades of experience in AI and ML. Prior to Xaira, he spent a decade at Meta, where he played a leading role in several AI-related initiatives, including early efforts in Generative AI. Before that, Hetu was a postdoctoral fellow in Dr. David Baker's laboratory at the University of Washington, where he pioneered the use of self-supervised generative models of protein families in protein folding and design. Kamisetty holds a Ph.D. in Machine Learning from Carnegie Mellon University, where his thesis focused on Probabilistic Models of Proteins, and a B.Tech in Computer Science from IIT Madras. At Xaira, Hetu and his team are focused on developing state-of-the-art AI models for drug discovery to address unmet clinical needs.

David Younger, PhD

Chief Executive Officer & Co-Founder at A-Alpha Bio
Speaker

David is A-Alpha Bio’s founding CEO. He invented A-Alpha Bio’s AlphaSeq platform with Scientific Advisors David Baker and Eric Klavins at the University of Washington, where he received his PhD in Bioengineering. Prior to graduate school, David studied bioengineering and economics at Rice University and the London School of Economics. David’s technical expertise spans synthetic biology, protein engineering, and assay development. In his free time, David enjoys spending time with family and friends, woodworking, cycling, backpacking, climbing, and skiing in the Cascade Mountains.

Keynote Speaker
Panelists