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About the Life Science Showcase

Vanderbilt University's Industry Collaborations Division is proud to present this year's Life Science Showcase, centered on the theme AI in Translational Research. As artificial intelligence and machine learning reshape the earliest stages of the research pipeline — spanning target discovery, multiomics analysis, predictive modeling, and the data ecosystems that underpin it all — this event brings Vanderbilt's cutting-edge research into conversation with the industries, investors, and innovators driving real-world impact.

Agenda

Detailed Agenda

1:00 – 1:10 p.m. Opening Remarks

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Image of Susan Margulies
Susan Margulies, PhD Vice Provost for Research and Innovation, Vanderbilt University

1:10 – 2:00 p.m. Vanderbilt Innovations in AI for Life Sciences

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Image of Benjamin P. Brown
Benjamin P. Brown, MD, PhD Assistant Professor, Department of Pharmacology and Center for AI in Protein Dynamics, Vanderbilt University
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Image of Allison Walker
Allison Walker, PhD Assistant Professor, Department of Chemistry & Department of Biological Sciences, Vanderbilt University
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Image of Ivelin Georgiev, PhD
Ivelin Georgiev, PhD Director, Vanderbilt Program in Computational Microbiology and Immunology, Vanderbilt University Medical Center
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Image of Carlos Oliver
Carlos Oliver, PhD Assistant Professor, Department of Molecular Physiology and Biophysics, Vanderbilt University

2:00 – 2:25 p.m. AI Research Centers at Vanderbilt: Capabilities & Collaborations

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Image of Ken Lau, PhD
Ken Lau, PhD Professor, Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, Vanderbilt University

2:25 – 3:00 p.m. AI in R&D: Industry Perspectives

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Image of Bob Chen
Bob Chen, PhD Senior ML Scientist, Genentech
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Image of Francis Prael
Francis Prael, PhD Scientist, Cheminformatics/AI/ML, Bristol Myers Squibb
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Image of Cody Heiser, PhD
Cody Heiser, PhD Senior Scientist, Molecular Profiling & Data Science, Regeneron Pharmaceuticals
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Image of Douglas Applegate
Douglas Applegate, PhD Associate Director & Senior Principal Data Scientist, Novartis

3:00 – 3:30 p.m. Networking Break with AI Researchers

3:30 – 4:30 p.m. Panel: Will AI Replace Experimental Science? A Cross-Disciplinary Debate

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Image of Linus S. Lin, PhD
Linus S. Lin, PhD Associate Vice President, Molecule Discovery Capabilities and Academic Partnerships, Lilly Research Laboratories
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Image of Colleen Niswender
Colleen M. Niswender, PhD Associate Professor, Department of Pharmacology, Vanderbilt University
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Image of Elizabeth Ann Stringer, PhD
Elizabeth Ann Stringer, PhD Chief Operating Officer, NashBio
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Image of Firas Wehbe, MD
Firas Wehbe, MD, PhD, FAMIA Senior Executive Advisor, Healthcare & Life Sciences, Amazon Web Services

4:30 – 4:45 p.m. Closing Remarks

4:45 – 5:30 p.m. Happy Hour

Extended Content

What to Expect

The Showcase will feature presentations by leading Vanderbilt investigators leveraging AI and ML across early-stage research, from mining large-scale biological datasets to accelerating candidate identification and validation. Alongside Vanderbilt researchers, industry voices will offer perspective on how AI-driven tools and data strategies are being deployed to bridge the gap between fundamental discovery and therapeutic development.

Expert panel discussions will explore the opportunities and challenges unique to this early translational space — including data quality and integration, model interpretability, and building the research-industry partnerships needed to move discoveries forward responsibly and efficiently.

The event also offers rich networking opportunities connecting attendees with researchers, biotech and pharma partners, investors, and economic development organizations — all gathered in an environment designed to foster the kind of cross-sector relationships that turn promising science into real-world solutions.

Who Should Join

Whether you work in computational biology, data science, drug discovery, or life sciences investment, the Vanderbilt Life Science Showcase offers a focused opportunity to engage with early-stage AI-driven research and explore what's next at the frontier of translational innovation. Join us as Vanderbilt and Nashville help lead this exciting new chapter in biomedical science.

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