MassBioEd Life Sciences Workforce Conference
2025 – 10th Annual Life Sciences Workforce Conference
MassBioEd’s Annual Life Science Workforce Conference brings together representatives from the life sciences industry, academic institutions, training providers, government and community to explore key issues and strategies in building a strong life science workforce in Massachusetts.
The 2025 Life Sciences Workforce Conference: Preparing the Workforce for a Technology-Enabled Future: Uniting life sciences partners to extend our lead will be held on June 3rd at Boston University.
Featured Speakers
Julie Kim, President of the U.S. Business Unit, U.S. Country Head, Takeda
Kirk Taylor, President and CEO, Massachusetts Life Sciences Center
Deborah Glasser, Head of Specialty Care, North America, and US Country Lead, Sanofi
Mickey Atwal, Chief Data and AI Officer, Flagship Intelligence, Flagship Pioneering
Mike Tirozzi, Senior Vice President, Chief Information and Data Officer, Alnylam Pharmaceuticals
Jaana Rask, Head of People and Organization, US Division of Research and Development, Novo Nordisk
Robert LePage, Assistant Secretary for Career Education, Massachusetts Executive Office of Education
Jared Auclair, Dean, College of Professional Studies, Northeastern University
2025 Conference Co-Chairs
Conference Planning Committee
Co-Chairs: Jaana Rask, Novo Nordisk | Monique Cooper, UMass Boston | Jimmy Zhang, Takeda | Members: Jared Auclair, Northeastern University | Dominique Brewer, Takeda | John Brothers, MassBioEd | Marissa Budds, Bristol Myers Squibb | Lauren Celano, Propel Careers | Mike Convicer, Biogen | Jim Curley, Boston University | Andrea Dropkin-Mackey, Blueprint Medicines | Debbie Durso-Bumpus, Blueprint Medicines | Linnea Fletcher, InnoVATEBIO | Wynter Duncanson, MathWorks | Josh Finkelstein, Boston University | Shawn Fitzpatrick, Wuxi | Sasha Goldman, Northeastern University | Jennifer Hanselman, Clark University | Ali Joyce, Ultragenyx | Jill Macoska, UMass Boston | Yolanda McLean, Alnylam | Ross Marshall, Bioversity | Ryan Mudawar, Massachusetts Life Sciences Center | Pam Obando, Pfizer | Sarah Regan, Thermo Fisher | Melina Reid, Massachusetts Biomedical Initiative | Katie Ruggieri, Massasoit Community College | Sunny Schwartz, MassBioEd | Brian Souza, MassBioEd | Elizabeth Van Pelt, LabOps Unite
2024 Conference Highlights
- Nearly 500 people attended
- 38% industry; 38% academia; 17% non-profit; 7% government attended
- 37 speakers across 11 sessions in one day
- 25 sponsors
- 14 exhibitor booths
Yvonne Greenstreet, CEO of Alnylam Pharmaceuticals and Julie Kim, President of the U.S. Business Unit, U.S. country head and member of Takeda’s Executive Team, led an engaging conversation with questions and answers, offering their insights into Building a Strong and Diverse Life Sciences Workforce while Navigating Expansion and Contraction in the Sector.
Strategies for retaining and expanding Massachusetts’ global leadership in the life sciences were presented by state leaders: Lt. Governor Kim Driscoll, Secretary Lauren Jones, Senator Sal DiDomenico.
70+ Industry representative on 18 Industry teams meet with 70+ Representatives on 18 Teams of Educators and Training providers to engage in conversations to deepen each others’ understanding of current talent needs, curriculum, and partnership opportunities in the Life Sciences.
