Career GPS Program Keynote Speaker and Panelists Announced – Registration Open
Pharma Professionals Learn About Transferring Skills to Emerging and Start-Up Companies
October 14, 2009, Philadelphia, PA - Christopher Cashman, President and Chief Executive Officer of Protez Pharmaceuticals, will deliver keynote remarks at a half-day workshop for displaced or potentially displaced professionals from the life sciences sector, November 20 at the Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania. In addition, life sciences professionals who have deployed their skills into emerging and other support organizations will take part in an interactive panel discussion as part the half-day workshop. "Career GPS: Navigating the Job Market in the Philadelphia Region's Entrepreneurial Life Science Community," will be held the Wharton School from 8:00 a.m. - 1:30 p.m. on November 20. Free registration for displaced or potentially displaced professionals from the life science sector (manager or above) is available at www.bioadvance.com or www.sciencecenter.org.
"The Science Center, BioAdvance and Wharton Small Business Development Center developed Career GPS in order to help the region's rich talent base examine new ways to redeploy their skills," said Stephen S. Tang, Ph.D., President and CEO of the University City Science Center. "Retaining these talented life sciences professionals in start-up companies and other organizations that help commercialize new medical products is a win-win for the region's economic and [human] health," added Barbara Schilberg, CEO and Managing Director, BioAdvance.
Mr. Cashman will share insights related to being part of a biotech team and lessons learned as one who successfully transitioned from global pharmaceutical companies to the emerging biotech world. Participants in the program's panel discussion titled "Skill Transferability and What it Takes to be Part of a Team Today," also have first-hand experience with redeploying professional backgrounds in new ways and will discuss topics related to skill transferability, and share insights, experience and recommendations for communicating value and experiences as candidates navigate a new career landscape. The Career GPS panel will be moderated by Colleen Hamilton of the Life Science Career Alliance. Panelists include:
• Daniel M. Skovronsky, M.D., Ph.D., Founder and CEO, Avid Radiopharmaceuticals
• Osvaldo (Lalo) Flores, Ph.D., Chief Scientific Officer, Novira Therapeutics
• Jeff D. Edelson, M.D., FRCPC, MHSc, Executive Vice President of Research & Development and Chief Medical Officer, Intranasal Therapeutics Inc. and Principal, Aequanimitas Consulting, LLC
• Shelley Potente, Vice President, Right Management
Career GPS is developed and run by BioAdvance, University City Science Center, and Wharton SBDC. It is funded by a grant from The Delaware Valley Innovation Network and We Work for Health. Additional program support is provided by The Kauffman Foundation, The Life Science Career Alliance, and the University City Keystone Innovation Zone.
About BioAdvance
Since its first investments in 2003, BioAdvance has committed more than $16 million to 26 life sciences companies and 17 pre-seed projects. BioAdvance investments have enabled its portfolio companies to leverage almost $1 billion in subsequent capital into the region from private equity, grants, collaborations and M&A activity. Six companies have been acquired including Acuity Pharmaceuticals, Alteris Therapeutics and Protez Pharmaceuticals. BioAdvance portfolio companies are working to develop products to treat health problems such as Alzheimer's disease, cancer, diabetes, head trauma and infectious diseases. For more information visit www.bioadvance.com.
About The Science Center
The University City Science Center accelerates technology commercialization, regional economic development, and the market availability of life-enhancing scientific breakthroughs by bringing together innovations, scientists, entrepreneurs, funding, laboratory facilities, and business services. Established in 1963 and headquartered in Philadelphia, PA, the Science Center was the first, and remains the largest, urban research park in the United States. It provides services that range from incubator space with fully-equipped laboratories and "plug ‘n play" offices for entrepreneurs to path-breaking programs designed to demonstrate, nurture, and sustain new technology businesses and bring their benefits to the region and the world. For more information about the Science Center, go to www.sciencecenter.org.
About Wharton SBDC
The Wharton SBDC was founded in 1981 as part of the Wharton Entrepreneurial Programs - the first and widely acknowledged as one of the most influential entrepreneurial centers in a business school. Our mission is to aid small businesses in the Greater Philadelphia region to start, grow and prosper and to enhance the education of Wharton students. The Wharton SBDC annually serves over 600 businesses with consulting and 1500 with workshops annually - over 20,000 since its founding in 1980. We leverage the students, faculty and staff of the Wharton School and partner with professionals and leading organizations including private equity funds and several leading strategic consulting firms, this year including McKinsey, BCG, Bain, Deloitte, and LEK.
About DVIN
DVIN, officially launched in 2005, is a regional partnership and received endorsements from all three governors from Delaware, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania. DVIN is a tri-state, 14-county regional initiative working to transform the way in which the region develops its life science talent. The DVIN region includes New Castle County in Delaware; Burlington, Camden, Cumberland, Gloucester, and Mercer and Salem counties in New Jersey and Berks, Bucks, Chester, Delaware, Lancaster, Montgomery, and Philadelphia counties in Pennsylvania.
About We Work for Health
We Work For Health is a grassroots initiative that unites health consumers, biopharmaceutical company employees, vendors, suppliers and other business, academic and community partners to demonstrate how these diverse groups are vital to the socioeconomic climate and provide shared benefits and a better quality of life to all. For more information about the initiative, please visit www.weworkforhealth.org.