Join the Temple University School of Pharmacy for GRADsCAN 2026!
Friday, September 25, 2026 from 12p-5p
Keynote speaker:
From Bench to Boardroom: Navigating an Academic-to-Biotech Entrepreneurship Career
Harshini Neelakantan, PhD '14
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 '14
1:00 – 1:15 pm: Innovation at Temple University - the iNest
Stephen Nappi, Associate Vice President, Technology Commercialization and Business Development, Temple University
1:15 – 2:00 pm: Data Blitz - From Bench to Business
Students will have 2 minutes to present their research in front of the audience.
2:00 – 3:00 pm: Coffee Hour/ Poster Session
Attendees will visit posters of students who presented in the data blitz and ask questions.
3:00 – 4:45 pm: Entrepreneur Panel Discussion - Beyond the Bench: Pursuing a Career Entrepreneurship
Discussion of how a graduate student can transition from academia to an entrepreneur.
4:45 pm: Closing and Awards Ceremony
