Engineering Genes and Genomes

T.E. Schlesinger, PhD
Benjamin T. Rome Dean, Whiting School of Engineering
Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Johns Hopkins University

Hai-Quan Mao, PhD
Director, Institute for NanoBioTechnology
Professor of Materials Science and Engineering, and Biomedical Engineering
Johns Hopkins University

George Church, PhD
Professor of Genetics, Harvard Medical School
Professor of Health Sciences and Technology, Harvard Medical School and MIT

Introduction by Reza Kalhor
Assistant Professor of Biomedical Engineering, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine

Efie Kokkoli, PhD
Engineering Targeted Nanoparticles for RNA Delivery
Professor of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering
Johns Hopkins University

Reza Kalhor, PhD
Understanding Cell Fate Through Genomic Barcodes
Assistant Professor of Biomedical Engineering, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine

Jeff Coller, PhD
Harnessing RNA Metabolism for Precision RNA Therapeutics
Bloomberg Distinguished Professor of RNA Biology and Therapeutics, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine
Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics
Johns Hopkins School of Medicine

Jordan Green, PhD
Polymeric Nanoparticles for Cell-Specific Gene Delivery Without Targeting Ligands
Professor of Biomedical Engineering, Johns Hopkins University

Taekjip (TJ) Ha, PhD
Very Fast CRISPR on Demand
Bloomberg Distinguished Professor
Departments of Biophysics and Biomedical Engineering, Johns Hopkins University

Moderator: Hai-Quan Mao

Steven Altschuler, MD
Managing Director of Healthcare Ventures at Ziff Capital
Co-founder Spark Therapeutics
Former CEO of Children’s Hospital of Pennsylvania

Steven Altschuler brings nearly 20 years of experience building and leading world-class, integrated, translational, value-based health care systems and transformational biotechnology companies. He currently serves as managing director of Healthcare Ventures at Ziff Capital Partners and was previously chair of the board of directors at Spark Therapeutics (now part of Roche) for six years, from its founding until it was acquired in 2019. In his role at Ziff Capital Partners, Dr. Altschuler co-leads the firm’s efforts towards investing in, and facilitating the startup and development of, companies with potentially transformative technologies that emphasize cellular and molecular approaches to human disease.

He previously co-founded Spark Therapeutics to develop and commercialize the preclinical and clinical gene therapy programs advanced at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP) and other institutions. He served as Spark’s board chair from its founding through its acquisition in 2019, which included leading the company through a successful transition to a public company and the launch of an approved commercial product, which was the first gene therapy for an inherited disease approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and European Medicines Agency. Dr. Altschuler formerly held chief executive positions at CHOP and University of Miami Health System. He is a member of the board of directors of WW (formerly Weight Watchers International), Orchard Therapeutics,  AsclepiX Therapeutics, ImVaX and Platelet Biogenesis. He is also an independent trustee of the Brigham and Women’s Physician Organization at Mass General Brigham. Dr. Altschuler holds a B.A. in mathematics and an M.D. from Case Western Reserve University.

Introduction by Sashank Reddy, MD, PhD
Associate Director, INBT
Departments of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, and Biomedical Engineering,
Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine

Daniel Siegwart, PhD
Associate Professor, Department of Biochemistry and the Simmons Comprehensive Cancer Center
The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center

Anthony Philippakis, MD, PhD
Chief Data Officer and Co-Director of the Eric and Wendy Schmidt Center, Broad Institute
Venture Partner, Google Ventures

Jeff Coller, PhD
Bloomberg Distinguished Professor of RNA Biology and Therapeutics, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine
Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics
Johns Hopkins School of Medicine

Steven Altschuler, MD
Managing Director of Healthcare Ventures at Ziff Capital

Moderators: Sashank Reddy and Christy Wyskiel, Senior Advisor to the President of Johns Hopkins University and Executive Director of Johns Hopkins Technology Ventures

Refreshments will be served.

Poster Session A: 1:30 pm – 2:30 pm
Poster Session B: 2:40 pm – 3:40 pm

Hai-Quan Mao, PhD
Director, Institute for NanoBioTechnology
Professor of Materials Science and Engineering, and Biomedical Engineering
Johns Hopkins University