2025 Program
Cambridge VIP's 2nd Annual
Oncology Venture, Innovation & Partnering Summit
Connecting Investors and Business Leaders to Accelerate Cancer Innovation
September 29 - 30, 2025
Join us for an exclusive gathering of senior-level investors, corporate executives, entrepreneurs, and business leaders at Oncology Venture, Innovation & Partnering Summit, September 29-30, 2025 in Boston, MA. Connect with future investors and partners at intimate networking sessions; gain strategic insights on funding activities, exits, business development, and innovation strategies in cancer therapeutics and diagnostics from industry-led panels; and hear candid perspectives and business recommendations from oncology thought leaders during dynamic fireside chats. Building on the successful launch in 2024, this boutique oncology event is positioned as the premier meeting place for key oncology stakeholders to foster meaningful connections, acquire valuable strategic insights, and drive innovation and collaboration. New for 2025: Stay on for the Radiopharmaceuticals Venture, Innovation & Partnering Summit on October 1.
Monday, September 29
Registration and Morning Coffee
STARTUP BOOTCAMP: LEADERSHIP, FUNDING, AND PARTNERING FOR ONCOLOGY ENTREPRENEURS
Co-Chair's Remarks
Panel Moderator:
PANEL DISCUSSION:
Perfecting the Pitch: Strategies for Getting Funded
Tom Miller, Founder & Managing Partner, GreyBird Ventures, LLC , Founder & Managing Partner , GreyBird Ventures, LLC
Panelists:
Luba Greenwood, CEO, Gallop Oncology , CEO , Gallop Oncology
Marie-Claire Peakman, MRPharmS, PhD, Partner, Pfizer Ventures; Executive Director, Worldwide Business Development, Pfizer , Partner , Pfizer Ventures , Pfizer Global R&D Groton Labs
Aaditya Sekar, Vice President, Investment Group, Temasek , VP Investment Grp , Investment Grp , Temasek Holdings Pvt Ltd
Keynote Fireside Chat:Â From Startup to Acquisition: The IDRx Journey
Panel Moderator:
PANEL DISCUSSION:
Sponsored by: Preparing for Diligence; Tips and Lessons Learned
Jeffrey K. Mills, PhD, Esq., Partner, Medler Ferro Woodhouse & Mills , Partner , Medler Ferro Woohouse & MIlls
Panelists:
Christopher Potts, Esq., CBO, Persephoni BioPartners; CEO, Monarch Therapeutics, Inc. , CBO , Monarch Therapeutics, Inc.
Neil P. Shull, PhD, Esq., Partner, Medler Ferro Woodhouse & Mills , Partner , Medler Ferro Woodhouse & Mills
Networking Lunch and Close of Startup Bootcamp
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Organizer's Welcome Remarks
Co-Chair's Opening Remarks
Luba Greenwood, CEO, Gallop Oncology , CEO , Gallop Oncology
Sponsored by: Rough Market, Tough Patients: A Review of Oncology Investments and Exits Data Through 1H’25
This presentation will cover macro trends across healthcare and life sciences, as well as specific investment data for both oncology biopharmaceutical and diagnostic companies.
Panel Moderator:
PANEL DISCUSSION:
Investing Opportunities and Outlook for Oncology Innovation in 2025
Melissa McCracken, PhD, Partner, Nextech Ventures LLC , Partner , Nextech Ventures LLC
Panelists:
Stephen Curtis, PhD, Senior Director, New Ventures, BrightEdge, American Cancer Society , Sr Dir , American Cancer Society
Anna French, DPhil, Managing Partner, Qiming Venture Partners , Managing Partner , Qiming Venture Partners
Chelsea Place Johnson, PhD, Principal, Atlas Venture , Principal , Atlas Venture
Aaron Nelson, MD, PhD, Partner, Venture Investments, Novo Holdings US , Partner , Venture Investment , Novo Holdings US
Jason Ruth, PhD, Vice President and Sector Lead, Biotech Private Investments, Wellington Management , VP and Sector Lead , Biotech Private Investments , Wellington Mgmt
Keynote Fireside Chat
Networking Refreshment Break
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Panel Moderator:
PANEL DISCUSSION:
Leading through Uncertainty: Oncology CEO Perspectives
Kendalle O'Connell, CEO & President, MassBio , CEO & President , MassBio
Panelists:
Luba Greenwood, CEO, Gallop Oncology , CEO , Gallop Oncology
Rachel Humphrey, MD, President and Founding CEO, Normunity , President and Founding CEO , Normunity
Catherine Sabatos-Peyton, PhD, CEO, Larkspur Biosciences, Inc. , CEO , Larkspur Biosciences Inc
Keynote Fireside Chat: Balancing Patient Care, Research, and Business in the Future of Oncology Innovation
Welcome Networking Reception
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Close of Day
Tuesday, September 30
Registration and Morning Coffee
Organizer's Welcome Remarks
Co-Chair's Opening Remarks
Karen Hong, PhD, Former Partner, Novo Ventures; Co-Founder and Co-Owner, Cold Spring Bio , Co-Founder and Co-Owner , Cold Spring Bio
Panel Moderator:
PANEL DISCUSSION:
Scientific Breakthroughs Driving Oncology Innovation
Karen Hong, PhD, Former Partner, Novo Ventures; Co-Founder and Co-Owner, Cold Spring Bio , Co-Founder and Co-Owner , Cold Spring Bio
Panelists:
Josh Carpenter, DPhil, President, SPEROS; Vice President & Chief Integration Officer, Moffitt Cancer Center , President , SPEROS , Moffitt Cancer Center
Nils Lonberg, PhD, CEO, Tripeaks Therapeutics; Executive in Residence, Canaan Partners , CEO , Tripeaks Therapeutics
Fawzi Benzaghou, MD, CMO, Parabilis Medicines , Chief Medical Officer , Parabilis Medicines
Victoria Richon, PhD, CEO, Entact Bio , CEO , Entact Bio
Fei Shen, PhD, Managing Director, Boehringer Ingelheim Venture Fund , Managing Director , Venture Fund , Boehringer Ingelheim Venture Fund USA
INNOVATION SHOWCASE
Sponsored by:
Lan Xu, Advisor, Translational Medicine, Polymed Biopharmaceuticals , Advisor , Translational Medicine , Polymed Biopharmaceuticals
INNOVATION SHOWCASE
Sponsored by:
Panel Moderator:
Sponsored by: Fireside Chat: The Intersection of Science and Capital to Develop and Advance Effective Cancer Treatments
Aydin Huseynov, MD, CFA, Managing Director, Equity Research, Ladenburg , Managing Director , Equity Research , Ladenburg
Panelists:
Eric Poma, CEO and Board Director, Calidi Biotherapeutics , CEO and Board Director , Calidi Biotherapeutics
Networking Coffee Break
Panel Moderator:
PANEL DISCUSSION:
Opportunities, Challenges, and What You Need to Know about Partnering with Pharma
Michal Preminger, PhD, MBA, Former Regional Head, Johnson & Johnson Innovation, East North America, Johnson & Johnson , Biopharma Senior Executive
Panelists:
Polly Brown, Vice President, Head of Business Development, Oncology R&D, AstraZeneca , VP & Head of Bus Dev , Oncology R&D , AstraZeneca Pharmaceuticals
Lizabeth Leveille, Vice President and Head, Boston & European Innovation Hubs, Business Development & Licensing, Merck , VP & Head Boston Hub & European Innovation , Bus Dev & Licensing , Merck & Co
Marie-Claire Peakman, MRPharmS, PhD, Partner, Pfizer Ventures; Executive Director, Worldwide Business Development, Pfizer , Partner , Pfizer Ventures , Pfizer Global R&D Groton Labs
Bob Radinsky, PhD, Vice President, Global Head, Oncology External Innovation, Johnson & Johnson Innovative Medicines , VP Global Head Oncology External Innovation , Oncology External Innovation , Johnson & Johnson
SPOTLIGHT PRESENTATION:
Sponsored by: Navigating Complexity, Reducing Risk, Advancing Science
Beth Hollister, VP, Operations, Powered Research , VP, Operations , Powered Research
In the pursuit of transformative cancer therapies, precision and specialization are paramount. This presentation highlights how an integrated translational platform—combining advanced tumor models, biomarker-driven strategies, and customized study designs—can accelerate and de-risk therapeutic validation.
Networking Lunch
Co-Chair's Remarks
Rachel Humphrey, MD, President and Founding CEO, Normunity , President and Founding CEO , Normunity
Keynote Fireside Chat: The Evolution of Healthcare Innovation at Mass General Brigham
Panel Moderator:
PANEL DISCUSSION:
Science Meets Strategy: Building and Backing the Next Generation of Cancer Therapeutics
Steven Weinstein, Senior Advisor, UPMC Enterprises , Senior Advisor , UPMC Enterprises
Panelists:
Philip E. Brandish, PhD, CSO, AI Proteins, Inc. , CSO , AI Proteins, Inc.
Manu Nair, MBA, Associate Chief Business Development Officer, Mayo Clinic , Associate Chief Business Development Officer , Mayo Clinic
Michael Partsch, MBA, Chief Venture Officer, Wisconsin Alumni Research Foundation , Chief Venture Officer , Wisconsin Alumni Research Foundation WARF
Marc Sedam, MBA, Vice President, Technology Opportunities & Ventures, NYU Langone Health and New York University , Vice President , Technology Opportunities & Ventures , NYU Langone Health and New York University
INNOVATION SHOWCASE:
Sponsored by:
Networking Coffee Break & Roundtable Discussions
Networking Coffee Break & Roundtable Discussions
Roundtable Discussions are informal, moderated discussions, allowing participants to exchange ideas and experiences and develop future collaborations around a focused topic. Each discussion will be led by a facilitator who keeps the discussion on track and the group engaged. To get the most out of this format, please come prepared to share examples from your work, be a part of a collective, problem-solving session, and participate in active idea sharing.
Roundtable Discussion:
Sponsored by: Capitalizing on Discovery: IP as the Catalyst for Investment and Growth
Margo Monroe, Principal, Intellectual Property & Patents, Choate Hall & Stewart , Principal , Intellectual Property & Patents , Choate Hall & Stewart
Beth Hollister, VP, Operations, Powered Research , VP, Operations , Powered Research
Keynote Fireside Chat
Shiva Malek, PhD, Global Head, Oncology Disease Area, Novartis BioMedical Research , Global Head , Oncology Disease Area , Novartis BioMedical Research, Inc.
Michal Preminger, PhD, MBA, Former Regional Head, Johnson & Johnson Innovation, East North America, Johnson & Johnson , Biopharma Senior Executive
Panel Moderator:
PANEL DISCUSSION:
From Breakthrough to Bedside: Making Cancer Innovation Work for Patients
Maya R. Said, ScD, Founder & CEO, Outcomes4Me , Founder & CEO , Outcomes4Me Inc
Panelists:
Manoja Lecamwasam, PhD, System Vice President, Intellectual Property and Life Sciences Innovation, CommonSpirit Health , System VP Intellectual Property and Life Sciences Innovation , Life Sciences & Device & Strategic Innovation , CommonSpirit Health
Osama Rahma, MD, VIce President & Global Clinical Strategy Head, GI Oncology, AstraZeneca , VP & Global Clinical Strategy Head , GI Oncology , AstraZeneca
Kireina Bell Sancho, MSW, Writer and Patient Advocate , Patient Advocate , NA
Dave Stevenson, Managing Director, Merck Global Health Innovation Fund , Managing Director , Global Health Innovation Fund , Merck
Co-Chair's Closing Remarks
Rachel Humphrey, MD, President and Founding CEO, Normunity , President and Founding CEO , Normunity
Close of Conference
Stay on to attend Radiopharmaceuticals Venture, Innovation & Partnering Summit | October 1, 2025
CONFERENCE CONTENT
Julia Boguslavsky
Executive Director, Conferences
juliab@healthtech.com
PARTNERING & SPONSORSHIP
Brian Caine
Specialized Business Development Manager
(+1) 908-809-0946
bcaine@healthtech.com