Join Us: GRADSCAN 2026 will be held on Friday, September 25, 2026 from 11a-5p.
Keynote Speaker:
From Bench to Boardroom: Navigating an Academic-to-Biotech Entrepreneurship Career
Harshini Neelakantan, PhD
Executive Director, Research and Development, Ridgeline Therapeutics, Houston, TX
Co-founder, Industry Science Committee, American Society for Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics, Washington, DC
Agenda
11:00 – 11:50 am: Welcome Lunch
12:00 – 1:00 pm: Keynote Presentation - From Bench to Boardroom: Navigating an Academic-to-Biotech Entrepreneurship Career
Harshini Neelakantan, PhD
1:00 – 1:45 pm: Data Blitz - From Bench to Business
Students will have 2 minutes to present their research in front of the audience.
1:45 – 2:45 pm: Coffee Hour/ Poster Session
Attendees will visit posters of students who presented in the data blitz and ask questions.
2:45 – 5:00 pm: Entrepreneur Panel Discussion/ Networking Reception - Beyond the Bench: Careers in Innovation, Entrepreneurship, and Industry
Discussion of how a graduate student can transition from academia to an entrepreneur.
5:00 pm: Closing and Awards Ceremony
