San Jose BioCenter | Meet With... Series

Emerging companies find it increasingly difficult to reach the right person when seeking funding. It is equally difficult for companies with funds to allocate to wade through countless proposals in search of the right opportunity that aligns with their investment strategy and in some cases their mission.

The “Meet with…” Series provides greater access to a pipeline of emerging companies for Foundations, Angels, Investors, Governmental Agencies, Big Pharmas, and others who have partnering and/or financing opportunities. It also provide a unique opportunity for organizations with funds to present on their strategic financing objectives to a targeted and very captive audience. Contact Lauren for more information.

Thursday, March 26, 2009: National Cancer Institute SBIR Development Center
Friday, May 15, 2009: The Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson's Research

Meet with..
National Cancer Institute SBIR Development Center
Thursday, March 26, 2009 | 9:30 am -4:30pm | San Jose, CA

Agenda
·      9:30am: Registration
·      10:00am: Speaker Presentations
·      10:45am: General Q&A
·      11:15/30: Tour of BioCenter
·      12:00pm: Lunch
·      1:00pm: Private meetings start

Speakers
Michael Weingarten, Director, NCI SBIR Development Center, National Cancer Institute
Ali Andalibi, Ph.D., Program Director, NCI SBIR Development Center, National Cancer Institute

Event Description
The National Cancer Institute's (NCI) goal is to eliminate the suffering and death due to cancer. The Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) and Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) Programs are NCI's engine of innovation for developing and commercializing novel technologies and products to prevent, diagnose, and treat cancer. The SBIR & STTR Programs are one of the largest sources of early-stage technology financing in the United States. In this session, Directors from the NCI SBIR Development Center will talk to current and potential grantees about the Bridge Award and other opportunities such as their contract topics. After the presentation, each attendee will have a private meeting with Mr. Michael Weingarten – the Director of the NCI SBIR Development Center – and/or Dr. Ali Andalibi – the Program Director of the NCI SBIR Development Center.

Registrations are subject to approval, please submit Executive Summary to [email protected] for consideration.

Speakers Bios
Michael Weingarten, Director, NCI SBIR Development Center, National Cancer Institute
Mr. Weingarten was appointed as Director of the NCI SBIR & STTR Small Business Programs in 2005. In that role, he is overseeing the development of new strategies to optimize the impact of this Program in advancing emerging technologies towards clinical development and commercialization.
Mr. Weingarten served from 1990 until 2005 at NASA Headquarters in Washington, D.C. Most recently, he held the position of Program Manager, Exploration Systems Research and Technology Program at NASA, where he led a team of scientific and technical experts focused on the biomedical industry and the public health application of emerging technologies, as well as leading collaborative teams in building partnerships with private and public sector organizations to address public health needs. Earlier, as Program Manager of NASA’s Innovative Partnerships Program, he oversaw the Partnership Development Programs and Small Business Programs, formulating national policy and providing leadership on the development and implementation of educational outreach campaigns targeted towards small businesses. Mr. Weingarten also served as a Program Analyst from 1989 to 1990 at the Department of State. He holds a Masters in Political Science from Columbia University.

Ali Andalibi, Ph.D., Program Director, NCI SBIR Development Center, National Cancer Institute
Dr. Ali Andalibi is a molecular biologist and geneticist by training with extensive experience in both academia and industry. He received his PhD from the UCLA department of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics and later joined the faculty in the UCLA department of Medicine. After leaving UCLA he was involved in several early stage biotechnology companies. He then joined the House Ear Institute (HEI), where he served as the Director of New Technology and Project Development and was also an adjunct Assistant Professor of Otolaryngology, at the University of Southern California, School of Medicine. Dr. Andalibi then joined the National Science Foundation as a Program Director in the Division of Industrial Innovation and Partnerships, where he oversaw the NSF’s medical biotechnology SBIR/STTR grant portfolio. Dr. Andalibi is currently a Program Director in the National Cancer Institute’s SBIR Development Center.

Meet with..
Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson's Research
Friday, May 15, 2009 | 9:30 am -4:30pm | San Jose, CA

Agenda
·      9:30am: Registration
·      10:00am: Speaker Presentations
·      10:45am: General Q&A
·      11:15/30: Tour of BioCenter
·      12:00pm: Lunch
·      1:00pm: Private meetings start

Speakers
Sohini Chowdhury, Associate Director, Research Programs, The Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson's Research

Event Description
The Michael J. Fox Foundation is dedicated to finding a cure for Parkinson's disease within the decade through an aggressively funded research agenda and to ensuring the development of improved therapies for those living with Parkinson's today. In this session, Associate Director Sohini Chowdhury from the Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson's Research will talk to current and potential grantees about funding opportunities. After the presentation, each attendee will have a private meeting with Ms. Chowdhury.

Registrations are subject to approval, please submit Executive Summary to [email protected] for consideration.