AI Program Agenda:
April 10, 2025
All times displayed are EST (Eastern Standard Time)
Dave Johnson
Co-founder and CEO, Dash Bio
Dave Johnson is co-founder and CEO of Dash Bio, a tech-first startup reinventing clinical bioanalysis and disrupting drug development more broadly. Prior to Dash, Dave was Chief Data and Artificial Intelligence Officer at Moderna, where he led groundbreaking initiatives in AI and digital strategy. With over a decade of leadership in biotech, Dave's expertise spans artificial intelligence, software engineering, laboratory automation, and digital transformation. Dave holds a Ph.D. in Information Physics from SUNY Albany and an M.S. in Biotechnology from Johns Hopkins University.
Mehdi Sarmady
VP Data Science & Genomics, Spark Therapeutics
Mehdi is a leader in computational and data sciences, currently serving as VP of Genomic and Data Sciences at Spark Therapeutics. At Spark, he founded the Data Sciences organization and delivered several new capabilities including AI/ML, Computational Biology, R&D Informatics, Genomics. Key projects at Spark include implementing a digital transformation strategy, developing R&D data foundation capabilities, and delivering on several AI/ML initiatives to accelerate development of gene therapies. Previously, Mehdi held roles at the University of Pennsylvania Medical School and the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, where he built teams and developed software and computational methods to enable genomic medicine. He holds a Ph.D. in Computational Biology from Drexel University.
Roland Smith
CEO and Founder, Stealth Company
Roland Smith, former Chief Architect and Vice President of Digital CMC at Moderna, was instrumental in rapidly scaling Moderna’s digital capabilities to meet vaccine demand during the COVID-19 pandemic. With over 25 years of experience at the intersection of operations, technology, and engineering, Roland led the digital design and development of the 2019 ISPE Facility of the Future — one of the industry’s first fully digital clinical manufacturing sites. This Moderna facility integrated advanced automation and novel data-driven processes that redefined efficiency and scalability in clinical manufacturing, positioning the early-stage company to respond to the pandemic with unprecedented speed.
Nishtha Jain
Head of Innovation and Digital Technology, Takeda
Bio - Coming Soon!
John Seffernick
Senior VP, Strategy & Technology, Stellix
With more than 20 years of experience in life sciences consulting and solutioning, John has developed a passion for leveraging technology to change how people work to drive speed and efficiency. Helping to realize science through Industry 5.0 including AI is the driving force behind the Stellix innovation mission.