SoCalBio Investor Conference Sessions to Spotlight Bioscience Workforce Development, Technology Transfer, and AI-Driven Innovation

27th Annual Conference Set for October 1–2 in Orange County Will Unite Leaders From Across the Bioscience Industry

LOS ANGELES, Sept. 25, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The Southern California Biomedical Council (SoCalBio) today announced the final lineup of expert panels for its 27th Annual Investor & Partnership Conference, taking place October 1–2 at the Hyatt Regency Newport Beach. This year’s program will feature in-depth discussions focused on workforce development, technology transfer, and the role of artificial intelligence in medtech.

“Ultimately, the goal of the Investor & Partnership Conference is to turn the rich IP portfolios developed at California universities into thriving companies,” said Walid Sabbagh, Jr., PhD, President & CEO of SoCalBio. “These companies will grow and create jobs locally while competing on a global scale. The innovation born here advances human health everywhere.”

Building on this mission, the conference will feature expert-led panels designed to provide actionable insights and foster collaboration among educators, company executives, and investors.

CONFERENCE SESSIONS

Workforce Development – October 1
Two sessions will explore how academia and industry can collaborate to shape curriculum, build equitable talent pipelines, and prepare the bioscience workforce of tomorrow.

• Pathways and Pipelines to Successful Employment will be moderated by Terri Quenzer, Executive Director of the Bioscience Workforce Development Hub, with panelists Mike Fino of MiraCosta College, Marlo Gaston-Ruediger of the California Department of Rehabilitation, and Chander Arora of LA Mission College.

• Meeting the Needs of Industry in Workforce Development will be led by William Pratt of Kinamed, Inc., with panelists Nima Nia of Edwards Lifesciences, Hatem Tadros of Medtronic, Susan Szathmary of Open Bio, Carla Martinez of the California Department of Rehabilitation, Jennifer Neff of Allvivo Vascular, and Navanjot “Novy” Batth of Arbelos Genomics.
  
  

Academic Licensing – October 2

• Demystifying Academic Licensing: Connect with Your Tech Transfer Offices will be moderated by Michael Wise of Perkins Coie. Panelists include Fred Farina of CalTech, Raj Gururajan of UC Davis, Alvin Viray of UCI Beall Applied Innovation, Mark A. Wisniewski of UCLA Ventures, and Rosemary Kiser of USC Stevens Center for Innovation. This discussion will offer insights into licensing processes, associated costs, expectations, and the strengths of each institution.
  
  

Medtech & AI – October 2

• The Role of AI in Driving Better Patient Outcomes from Diagnosis to Recovery will be moderated by Ravi Sawhney, Founder & CEO of RKS Designs, with panelists Michele Colucci of DigitalDX Ventures, Robert Hamilton of NeuraSignal, and Shyam Natarajan of Avenda Health. This session will examine how AI is reshaping patient care, from diagnosis and treatment planning to monitoring and recovery, while also addressing adoption challenges and the importance of trust in AI-driven medicine.
  
  

Pricing – October 2

• Drug and Device Pricing: Current Challenges for Health Care Innovation will be led by Alex Guth, PhD, of L.E.K. Consulting, with Peter Blaisdell, co-chair of the SoCalBio Innovation Catalyst Committee, serving as moderator. This session will explore the evolving landscape of drug and device pricing, including the impact of trade policies, reimbursement pressures, and international pricing disparities.
  
  

The full SoCalBio 27^th Investor & Partnership Conference agenda, speaker details, and attendee registration materials are available at https://socalbio.org/events/socalbio-27th-annual-conference/.

SoCalBio acknowledges the support of conference sponsors, including Avantor, Canada, Perkins Coie, CBIZ, and RKS Designs.

About SoCalBio
The Southern California Biomedical Council (SoCalBio) is a nonprofit, member-supported trade association that promotes bioscience research, development, manufacturing, job creation, and overall economic growth across the Greater Los Angeles region. SoCalBio programs help local firms access capital, potential partners, and business support services. The annual SoCalBio Investor & Partnership Conference has become the region’s premier showcase for emerging life-science companies and technologies. SoCalBio also advances technology transfer and workforce training while informing policymakers and the public about the economic and social benefits of the bioscience industry. More information is available at www.socalbio.org.

Contact:
ExcelPR Group (for SoCalBio)
Erik Deutsch
erikd[at]excelpr[dot]com

Legal Disclaimer:

EIN Presswire provides this news content "as is" without warranty of any kind. We do not accept any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images, videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information contained in this article. If you have any complaints or copyright issues related to this article, kindly contact the author above.