Keynote Speaker<\/h2><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>Talk Title<\/div><\/div>CRISPR Genome Editing: From Biology to Biotechnology<\/h3><\/div>Fundamental research to understand how bacteria fight viral infections uncovered the function of CRISPR-Cas programmable proteins that detect and cut specific DNA or RNA sequences. CRISPR technology is now an indispensable tool in human, animal and agricultural research. The FDA\u2019s approval of a CRISPR therapy for sickle cell disease marked the beginning of a new era in healthcare. I will discuss the science and societal advances that will expand both the applications and access of genome editing across the globe.<\/p>\n<\/div>
<\/div><\/div>About Gregory Verdine, Ph.D.<\/div><\/div>Gregory Verdine is a pioneering scientist, educator, investor, and entrepreneur widely regarded as a founder of the field of chemical biology and one of the world’s leading innovators in new drug discovery. He is Founder President, and CEO of LifeMine Therapeutics,\u202fExecutive Chairman of VidaVinci,\u202fErving Professor of Chemistry and Harvard College Professor, Emeritus,\u202fat\u202fHarvard University and Harvard Medical School, Managing General Partner of\u202fLoLa Capital,\u202fand a\u202fVenture Partner at Andreessen Horowitz.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\nOver a distinguished career spanning more than three decades, Dr. Verdine has co-founded more than a dozen biotechnology companies\u2014including\u202fParabalis Medicines\u202f(formerly FogPharma),\u202fWaVe Life Sciences,\u202fWarp Drive Bio,\u202fEnanta Pharmaceuticals,\u202fEleven Biotherapeutics,\u202fVariagenics,\u202fTokai Pharmaceuticals,\u202fAileron Therapeutics, and\u202fGloucester Pharmaceuticals, acquired by Celgene\u2014which collectively have brought multiple FDA-approved medicines to patients and advanced numerous new drug modalities into clinical development. He is credited with coining the phrase\u202f<\/span>\u201cdrugging the undruggable\u201d<\/span><\/i>\u202fto describe his life\u2019s mission: transforming previously intractable disease targets into treatable ones through bold scientific innovation.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\nDr. Verdine earned his Ph.D. in chemistry from\u202fColumbia University, his B.S. in chemistry from\u202fSt. Joseph\u2019s University, and trained as an\u202fNIH postdoctoral fellow at MIT and Harvard Medical School. He is a\u202fFellow of the Royal Society of Chemistry\u202fand the\u202fAmerican Association for the Advancement of Science, and has received numerous awards and honorary degrees recognizing his groundbreaking contributions to science and medicine.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\nMore program details to come!<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>Gregory Verdine, Ph.D.<\/h3><\/div>![\"Frances](\"http:\/\/www.simbhq.org\/np\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/Gregory-Verdine_Natural-Products-Keynote-2027-214x300.jpg\" "\\"Gregory")
<\/span><\/div>Gregory Verdine, Ph.D.<\/b><\/p>\n
Founder, Chief Executive Officer, and Board Member<\/p>\n<\/div>
<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>Banquet Speaker<\/h2><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>Talk Title<\/div><\/div>New Initiatives and Drug Development Projects from the NCI Program for Natural Product Discovery<\/h3><\/div>About Dr. Barry O\u2019Keefe<\/div><\/div>Dr. Barry O\u2019Keefe received a B.S in Botany from Michigan State University and a Ph.D. in Pharmacognosy from the University of Illinois at Chicago. Dr. O\u2019Keefe immediately started post-doctoral research in the National Cancer Institute\u2019s Laboratory of Drug Discovery Research and Development to study novel proteins from natural products extracts; studies he continues as Head of the Protein Chemistry and Molecular Biology Section in the Molecular Targets Program of the NCI Center for Cancer Research. In 2015 Dr. O\u2019Keefe accepted a joint position and was also appointed Chief of the Natural Products Branch, DTP, DCTD, NCI which is responsible for the collection, extraction, pre-fractionation and discovery of bioactive natural products. He was appointed Director of the Molecular Targets Program in the CCR in 2020. Dr. O\u2019Keefe is an inventor on over 50 U.S. and international patents and is an author 150 peer-reviewed manuscripts.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>
Dr. Barry R. O\u2019Keefe<\/h3><\/div>![\"Frances](\"http:\/\/www.simbhq.org\/np\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/11\/BanqSp-Barry-OKeefe-600x700-1.jpg\" "\\"BanqSp-Barry-OKeefe-600×700\\"")
<\/span><\/div>Dr. Barry R. O\u2019Keefe <\/strong>
\nNational Cancer Institute<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"parent":324,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"100-width.php","meta":{"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-659","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.simbhq.org\/np\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/659","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.simbhq.org\/np\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.simbhq.org\/np\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.simbhq.org\/np\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.simbhq.org\/np\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=659"}],"version-history":[{"count":13,"href":"https:\/\/www.simbhq.org\/np\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/659\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":9671,"href":"https:\/\/www.simbhq.org\/np\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/659\/revisions\/9671"}],"up":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.simbhq.org\/np\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/324"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.simbhq.org\/np\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=659"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}
CRISPR Genome Editing: From Biology to Biotechnology<\/h3><\/div>Fundamental research to understand how bacteria fight viral infections uncovered the function of CRISPR-Cas programmable proteins that detect and cut specific DNA or RNA sequences. CRISPR technology is now an indispensable tool in human, animal and agricultural research. The FDA\u2019s approval of a CRISPR therapy for sickle cell disease marked the beginning of a new era in healthcare. I will discuss the science and societal advances that will expand both the applications and access of genome editing across the globe.<\/p>\n<\/div>
<\/div><\/div>About Gregory Verdine, Ph.D.<\/div><\/div>Gregory Verdine is a pioneering scientist, educator, investor, and entrepreneur widely regarded as a founder of the field of chemical biology and one of the world’s leading innovators in new drug discovery. He is Founder President, and CEO of LifeMine Therapeutics,\u202fExecutive Chairman of VidaVinci,\u202fErving Professor of Chemistry and Harvard College Professor, Emeritus,\u202fat\u202fHarvard University and Harvard Medical School, Managing General Partner of\u202fLoLa Capital,\u202fand a\u202fVenture Partner at Andreessen Horowitz.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\nOver a distinguished career spanning more than three decades, Dr. Verdine has co-founded more than a dozen biotechnology companies\u2014including\u202fParabalis Medicines\u202f(formerly FogPharma),\u202fWaVe Life Sciences,\u202fWarp Drive Bio,\u202fEnanta Pharmaceuticals,\u202fEleven Biotherapeutics,\u202fVariagenics,\u202fTokai Pharmaceuticals,\u202fAileron Therapeutics, and\u202fGloucester Pharmaceuticals, acquired by Celgene\u2014which collectively have brought multiple FDA-approved medicines to patients and advanced numerous new drug modalities into clinical development. He is credited with coining the phrase\u202f<\/span>\u201cdrugging the undruggable\u201d<\/span><\/i>\u202fto describe his life\u2019s mission: transforming previously intractable disease targets into treatable ones through bold scientific innovation.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\nDr. Verdine earned his Ph.D. in chemistry from\u202fColumbia University, his B.S. in chemistry from\u202fSt. Joseph\u2019s University, and trained as an\u202fNIH postdoctoral fellow at MIT and Harvard Medical School. He is a\u202fFellow of the Royal Society of Chemistry\u202fand the\u202fAmerican Association for the Advancement of Science, and has received numerous awards and honorary degrees recognizing his groundbreaking contributions to science and medicine.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\nMore program details to come!<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>Gregory Verdine, Ph.D.<\/h3><\/div><\/span><\/div>Gregory Verdine, Ph.D.<\/b><\/p>\n
Founder, Chief Executive Officer, and Board Member<\/p>\n<\/div>
<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>Banquet Speaker<\/h2><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>Talk Title<\/div><\/div>New Initiatives and Drug Development Projects from the NCI Program for Natural Product Discovery<\/h3><\/div>About Dr. Barry O\u2019Keefe<\/div><\/div>Dr. Barry O\u2019Keefe received a B.S in Botany from Michigan State University and a Ph.D. in Pharmacognosy from the University of Illinois at Chicago. Dr. O\u2019Keefe immediately started post-doctoral research in the National Cancer Institute\u2019s Laboratory of Drug Discovery Research and Development to study novel proteins from natural products extracts; studies he continues as Head of the Protein Chemistry and Molecular Biology Section in the Molecular Targets Program of the NCI Center for Cancer Research. In 2015 Dr. O\u2019Keefe accepted a joint position and was also appointed Chief of the Natural Products Branch, DTP, DCTD, NCI which is responsible for the collection, extraction, pre-fractionation and discovery of bioactive natural products. He was appointed Director of the Molecular Targets Program in the CCR in 2020. Dr. O\u2019Keefe is an inventor on over 50 U.S. and international patents and is an author 150 peer-reviewed manuscripts.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>
Dr. Barry R. O\u2019Keefe<\/h3><\/div><\/span><\/div>Dr. Barry R. O\u2019Keefe <\/strong>
\nNational Cancer Institute<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"parent":324,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"100-width.php","meta":{"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-659","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.simbhq.org\/np\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/659","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.simbhq.org\/np\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.simbhq.org\/np\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.simbhq.org\/np\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.simbhq.org\/np\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=659"}],"version-history":[{"count":13,"href":"https:\/\/www.simbhq.org\/np\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/659\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":9671,"href":"https:\/\/www.simbhq.org\/np\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/659\/revisions\/9671"}],"up":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.simbhq.org\/np\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/324"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.simbhq.org\/np\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=659"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}
Fundamental research to understand how bacteria fight viral infections uncovered the function of CRISPR-Cas programmable proteins that detect and cut specific DNA or RNA sequences. CRISPR technology is now an indispensable tool in human, animal and agricultural research. The FDA\u2019s approval of a CRISPR therapy for sickle cell disease marked the beginning of a new era in healthcare. I will discuss the science and societal advances that will expand both the applications and access of genome editing across the globe.<\/p>\n<\/div>
Gregory Verdine is a pioneering scientist, educator, investor, and entrepreneur widely regarded as a founder of the field of chemical biology and one of the world’s leading innovators in new drug discovery. He is Founder President, and CEO of LifeMine Therapeutics,\u202fExecutive Chairman of VidaVinci,\u202fErving Professor of Chemistry and Harvard College Professor, Emeritus,\u202fat\u202fHarvard University and Harvard Medical School, Managing General Partner of\u202fLoLa Capital,\u202fand a\u202fVenture Partner at Andreessen Horowitz.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Over a distinguished career spanning more than three decades, Dr. Verdine has co-founded more than a dozen biotechnology companies\u2014including\u202fParabalis Medicines\u202f(formerly FogPharma),\u202fWaVe Life Sciences,\u202fWarp Drive Bio,\u202fEnanta Pharmaceuticals,\u202fEleven Biotherapeutics,\u202fVariagenics,\u202fTokai Pharmaceuticals,\u202fAileron Therapeutics, and\u202fGloucester Pharmaceuticals, acquired by Celgene\u2014which collectively have brought multiple FDA-approved medicines to patients and advanced numerous new drug modalities into clinical development. He is credited with coining the phrase\u202f<\/span>\u201cdrugging the undruggable\u201d<\/span><\/i>\u202fto describe his life\u2019s mission: transforming previously intractable disease targets into treatable ones through bold scientific innovation.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Dr. Verdine earned his Ph.D. in chemistry from\u202fColumbia University, his B.S. in chemistry from\u202fSt. Joseph\u2019s University, and trained as an\u202fNIH postdoctoral fellow at MIT and Harvard Medical School. He is a\u202fFellow of the Royal Society of Chemistry\u202fand the\u202fAmerican Association for the Advancement of Science, and has received numerous awards and honorary degrees recognizing his groundbreaking contributions to science and medicine.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n More program details to come!<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div> Gregory Verdine, Ph.D.<\/b><\/p>\n Founder, Chief Executive Officer, and Board Member<\/p>\n<\/div> Dr. Barry O\u2019Keefe received a B.S in Botany from Michigan State University and a Ph.D. in Pharmacognosy from the University of Illinois at Chicago. Dr. O\u2019Keefe immediately started post-doctoral research in the National Cancer Institute\u2019s Laboratory of Drug Discovery Research and Development to study novel proteins from natural products extracts; studies he continues as Head of the Protein Chemistry and Molecular Biology Section in the Molecular Targets Program of the NCI Center for Cancer Research. In 2015 Dr. O\u2019Keefe accepted a joint position and was also appointed Chief of the Natural Products Branch, DTP, DCTD, NCI which is responsible for the collection, extraction, pre-fractionation and discovery of bioactive natural products. He was appointed Director of the Molecular Targets Program in the CCR in 2020. Dr. O\u2019Keefe is an inventor on over 50 U.S. and international patents and is an author 150 peer-reviewed manuscripts.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div> Dr. Barry R. O\u2019Keefe <\/strong>Gregory Verdine, Ph.D.<\/h3><\/div>
<\/span><\/div>Banquet Speaker<\/h2><\/div>
New Initiatives and Drug Development Projects from the NCI Program for Natural Product Discovery<\/h3><\/div>
Dr. Barry R. O\u2019Keefe<\/h3><\/div>
<\/span><\/div>
\nNational Cancer Institute<\/p>\n<\/div>