°®ÎŰ´«Ă˝

Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences

Career Exploration Speakers

The °®ÎŰ´«Ă˝ Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences Career Fest 2026 brings together an inspiring group of invited speakers from across the biomedical ecosystem. Representing academia, industry, government, and nonprofit sectors, these professionals will share insights into diverse career paths and the evolving landscape of biomedical science. Explore below to learn more about our speakers and the expertise they bring to this year’s event.

Morning Career Exploration Speakers

Research and Development (Room Location- Pecan)

  • Veenu Aishwarya
    Veenu Aishwarya

    An immigrant from India, Veenu Aishwarya received his biomedical research training at the Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, and went on to found AUM BioTech and AUM LifeTech, two biotechnology companies, from scratch, without venture capital. Today, under Mr. Aishwarya's leadership, AUM BioTech's self-delivering AUMsilence RNA silencing products are trusted by researchers in 38 countries across five continents. He has successfully commercialized the AUMsilence platform to advance biomedical research, and it has been independently showcased in over 100 peer-reviewed scientific studies in journals including Nature, Science, Nature Genetics, Circulation, Blood, and Cell Stem Cell

    At AUM BioTech, Mr. Aishwarya developed and continues to advance the AUMsilence platform, most recently by integrating artificial intelligence and machine learning with self-delivering RNA silencing technology to accelerate different stages of drug discovery, from target identification and validation through preclinical therapeutic development. The platform's algorithms analyze millions of data points from global research databases, published literature, and years of internal experimental results to design gene-silencing products computationally, while the self-delivering chemistry enables direct delivery into cells and animal models without the complexity of conventional approaches. This combination of AI-driven design and self-delivering technology is used by researchers working on cancer, Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, HIV, ALS, and heart disease at hundreds of academic institutions, several US government agencies, NASA, and the world's ten largest pharmaceutical companies.

    Committed to supporting the global biomedical research community, Mr. Aishwarya also built the Gene Intelligence Portal (aumbiotech.com), a free AI-powered platform that gives researchers worldwide open access to integrated genomic intelligence, from 3D protein structure visualization and gene expression analysis across 54 human tissues to protein interaction networks, biological pathway mapping, and clinical variant interpretation. Mr. Aishwarya has also developed and continues to advance custom AI systems that power his company's customer engagement and operations.

    As Principal Investigator, Mr. Aishwarya has secured NIH SBIR grants from the National Cancer Institute and the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases to advance preclinical therapeutic programs in cancer immunotherapy and HIV. He has been honored six times by the Philadelphia Business Journal, including as Health Care Innovator, Forty Under 40, and Millennials to Watch in Life Sciences. He is regularly invited as a delegate to the annual JP Morgan Healthcare Conference. He has been invited to write on leadership and entrepreneurship for Fortune Magazine and has been a delegate at several Fortune Brainstorm Health and Forbes Healthcare Summit events. He has served on the editorial board and as a reviewer for several leading peer-reviewed scientific journals. He received permanent residency as a foreign national of extraordinary ability and became a naturalized U.S. citizen in 2021.

    Outside of the lab and the boardroom, Mr. Aishwarya is a strong advocate for mental health and physical discipline. He recently completed over 2,100 Orangetheory Fitness classes over six consecutive years, averaging nearly seven classes per week. While there is no official leaderboard, he believes this may be the fastest anyone has reached this milestone globally. He credits this discipline with keeping him mentally strong and fueling the drive to build his companies every day.

  • Mary Pat Moyer, PhD

    Mary Pat Moyer, PhDMary Pat Moyer is the Founder, CEO and Chief Science Officer of INCELL Corporation LLC (1993; San Antonio, TX). Her career spans over 58 years as an industry and academic scientist, entrepreneur, and a community activist for life sciences research, responsible policies, business, and education. She currently leads INCELL-sponsored, FDA approved INDs to treat amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) using Moyer’s combination cell therapy design with INCELL GMP-manufactured cells, proprietary media and processes in FDA Master Files, patient monitoring, testing and exercises, newly developed data capture and analysis tools, and at-home or close-to-home treatments by caregivers and medical professionals. The treated ALS patients have shown significant clinical improvements without disease progression. This is the first time any therapy has successfully improved ALS patient outcomes, so Moyer is expanding plans to treat more ALS patients, as well as those with other neurodegenerative disorders, under INDs and eventually to provide approved, clinical cell therapy products. She is developing multiple other cell-based therapeutic protocols and new biomedical use products for INCELL and its clients. 

    Moyer has very extensive expertise and collaborations in regenerative medicine, product development, microbiology, cancer, immune therapies, human cell culture, cell and tissue banking, stem and progenitor cells, virology, formulation, and biomanufacturing. Her work bringing products to clinical use has been the driving passion of her career. With a 1981 microbiology PhD (molecular virology emphasis) from The University of Texas at Austin, she joined the Surgery Department, °®ÎŰ´«Ă˝, as the first woman faculty member. Later, as a Professor of Surgery, Microbiology, Cellular and Structural Biology, Pediatrics, and Molecular Medicine she led Surgery’s Research Division, directed the Center for Human Cell Biotechnology, led the NIH-sponsored UTHSCSA Cancer Center’s Cell and Tissue Bioprocessing core, and managed the Biosafety Level 3 campus facility. She has taught and mentored hundreds of trainees, has over 250 publications, and consulted and served boards of for-profit and non-profit entities, and many government agencies, including DoD, NIH, NSF, US State Department, and WHO. She was on the founding board of BioMedSA and served as Biotechnology co-chair for the State of Texas. She was honored by selection as a 2024 TAMU Hagler Institute Fellow, and elections to the National Academy of Engineering (NAE; Bioengineering) in 2019, and as a 1991 American Academy of Microbiology fellow. Her other numerous awards include the AAUW Breaking the Glass Ceiling Award, Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year, international Athena Award, “Women of Voice and Vision” award, one of the “Top Ten Texas CEOs in Life Sciences” and ISBiotech International Fellow and Lifetime Achievement Award. Her motto is: “hire good people, never lie, keep a spiritual center and sense of humor, have joy, love and be loved, and never-never give up!”

  • Pragya Singh, PhD

    Pragya SinghPragya Singh is a biomedical scientist working in biotechnology research and development, where she contributes to research in the areas of biomaterials and regenerative medicine. She earned her PhD from University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio. Her career spans academic and industry research, leveraging expertise in cell and molecular biology to advance scientific discoveries into real-world biomedical applications. 

  • Alex Perdue

    Alex PerdueAlex Perdue is a Senior Manager and Clinical Development Trial Lead at Eli Lilly and Company, where he works on the neuroscience portfolio, supporting global clinical development programs and partnering closely with cross‑functional teams to drive high‑quality trial execution.

    Alex holds a Bachelor of Arts from Franklin College, an MBA from Indiana Wesleyan University, and is currently pursuing a Master of Science in Data Analytics from the University of Indianapolis. His academic background combines business leadership with advanced analytical training, informing his approach to data‑driven decision‑making in clinical development.

    In addition to his core role, Alex is actively engaged in workplace inclusion efforts through his involvement with Lilly Pride, contributing to initiatives that foster belonging, equity, and representation across the organization. He also serves as an AI subject matter contributor, with a focus on how emerging technologies can responsibly enhance productivity, decision‑making, and collaboration in highly regulated environments such as clinical research.

    Prior to joining Lilly, Alex built experience across roles supporting complex, cross‑stakeholder work, developing a pragmatic approach to delivery, change management, and operational execution. This background informs his perspective on how AI can be integrated thoughtfully into day‑to‑day work while keeping people, ethics, and outcomes at the center.

    Alex is passionate about helping organizations adopt AI in ways that are human‑centered, inclusive, and practical, and he regularly contributes to conversations on the future of work and technology‑enabled teams.

  • Madalyn Stancik

    Madalyn StancikMadalyn Stancik is a Senior Associate- Clinical Development Trial Lead within Eli Lilly and Company's neuroscience department, where she oversees clinical trial management with a focus on the advancement of treatments for individuals living with psychiatric conditions. In her current role, she has embraced the integration of artificial intelligence as a transformative force in clinical development — leveraging emerging tools to streamline trial operations and develop better ways to collaborate cross-functionally.  Madalyn's work reflects a deep commitment to ensuring that the patients who need care most are never left out of the clinical process.

    Madalyn holds a Bachelor of Science in Neurobiology and Physiology from Purdue University. She began her tenure through Lilly’s internship and rotational development programs before transitioning into a role in Mobile Research and Community Engagement, where she deepened her commitment to accessible, community-centered healthcare. She established and grew Lilly's Clinical Talent Development Program internship from the ground up, serving as its inaugural Internship Chair. She has recruited for Lilly internship and fellowship programs for four years. Prior to her industry career, Madalyn served as a Certified Compounding Pharmacy Technician at a hospital during the COVID-19 pandemic — an experience that reinforced her passion for patient care under the most demanding of circumstances. 

    Beyond her professional accomplishments, Madalyn is a dedicated mentor and advocate for early-career professionals. She serves as the Academic Excellence Chapter Advisor for Phi Mu's Delta Epsilon chapter at Purdue University and is an active member of Lilly's Pride and Women’s Initiative for Leading at Lilly employee resource groups. She is passionate about building more diverse and accessible clinical trials and helping others discover their own professional purpose. Outside of work, Madalyn is a proud member of the Indianapolis Symphonic Choir, an avid reader, and enjoys life at home with her husband Josh and their two corgis, Gouda and Brie. 

  • Kreg Zimmern

    Kreg ZimmernKreg Zimmern is a Senior Research Engineer at Southwest Research Institute, specializing in Medical Device Research and Development. With a bachelor's degree in biomedical engineering from UTSA, he boasts over 10 years of experience in creating medical devices and equipment for regenerative medicine, bioprocessing, bioproduction, and biomanufacturing. Kreg's expertise covers all facets of development, including mechanical design, device validation and verification, method development, project management, and regulatory compliance. He plays a crucial role in advancing the Bioengineering group's capabilities in Additive Manufacturing and 3D Printing, and leads initiatives focused on Traumatic Brain Injury.

Academia: Research and Administration (Room Location – Mesquite)

  • Maarten Rotman, PhD

    Maarten Rotman, Ph.DMaarten Rotman, PhD is the inaugural Assistant Dean of Medical Innovation and Entrepreneurship and an Assistant Professor of Medical Education at Dell Medical School at The University of Texas at Austin. He leads the design of longitudinal innovation curricula and learner pathways in medical translational science and supports the Texas Health Catalyst Roundup and Rodeo, a major event at Dell Med that connects clinical innovators, researchers, and industry.

    Dr. Rotman’s career has followed an intentionally nonlinear path. He trained in biotechnology, disease biology, neuroscience, Alzheimer’s disease, and glioblastoma research before moving into research innovation and educational program development. At a prior role at the Mayo Clinic, he created and taught Lean Startup Methodology for Life Sciences and co-designed the new academic field of rank of Clinical and Translational Science and served as its first Assistant Professor in that field.

    At Dell Med, he now builds programs that integrate innovation training across the educational pipeline and supports efforts that strengthen global translational science ecosystems. He also co-founded the NSF funded CONNECT network, which expands entrepreneurial training in undergraduate biology and is involved with a startup company that changes the way we obtain and validate stem cells for research and clinical purposes. Dr. Rotman remains an active mentor, speaker, and advocate for healthcare innovation.

Academia: Teaching (Room Location – Mesquite)

  • Alisa Isaac, PhD

    Alisa Isaac, Ph.DAlisa Isaac, PhD, is an Assistant Professor of Biomedical Engineering in the Department of Mechanical and Industrial Engineering at St. Mary’s University. She earned her PhD in Biomedical Engineering from Texas A&M University and her BS from The University of Texas at San Antonio. Dr. Isaac’s research focuses on tissue regeneration and biomaterials, including the development of extracellular matrix–based immunomodulatory materials for bone repair, studying the host response to biomaterials, and innovative approaches to modulate inflammation for wound healing. She has received multiple fellowships and awards, including the NIH SABER IRACDA Postdoctoral Fellowship and the UT System TRC4 Mentored Research Award. In addition to her research, Dr. Isaac is dedicated to teaching and mentorship, leading courses in biomechanics, biomaterials, and biomedical engineering design, while actively guiding in innovative research.

  • Lindsey Barron, PhD

    Lindsey Barron, Ph.DDr. Barron has spent most of her life in the great state of Texas. She grew up in Houston, Texas, and then moved to Corpus Christi where she completed her Bachelor’s degree in Biochemistry at Texas A&M Corpus Christi (TAMUCC). Her time at TAMUCC was very impactful due to her experiences in the Environmental Microbiology lab. It was through this experience that she realized she loved mentoring and teaching others in the research lab and in the classroom. Her passion for mentoring and teaching others motivated her to pursue a career as a professor. In order to accomplish this goal, she moved to San Antonio to complete her Ph.D. in Cancer Biology at °®ÎŰ´«Ă˝. She stayed at °®ÎŰ´«Ă˝ to complete her postdoctoral training as a scholar in a teaching and research training program (IRACDA). After completing the IRACDA program, Dr. Barron joined the faculty at UIW in Fall 2021. Dr. Barron is currently an Assistant Professor of Biology at UIW where she teaches Anatomy and Physiology, General Biology and Research Methods. Additionally, Dr. Barron maintains an active research program with undergraduate students where she works to derive novel anticancer drugs to treat Ewing Sarcoma (a pediatric cancer) from mushrooms.

Start-ups & Entrepreneurs (Room Location – Oak)

  • Lauren Cornell, PhD, MS

    Lauren Cornell, Ph.D, MSLauren Cornell attended Texas A&M University as a Robert C. Byrd Scholar, earning a Bachelor of Science in Genetics in 2009. She subsequently joined a research team in the Department of Zoology at the University of Oxford before completing a Master’s degree in Biomedical Engineering through the joint program at the University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio (UTHSCSA) and the University of Texas at San Antonio (UTSA) in 2012. Following her graduate training, she joined the United States Army Institute of Surgical Research (USAISR), Sensory Trauma Department, where her work focused on the development of sensory and regenerative therapeutics for wounded warriors.

    In 2015, while at USAISR, Cornell co-founded NovoThelium, a biotechnology company dedicated to advancing women’s health, with an initial focus on improving nipple reconstruction outcomes following mastectomy. In 2016, she was accepted into the Translational Science PhD program—a joint initiative of UT Austin, UTSA, and UTHSCSA - where she continued her research in sensory trauma while simultaneously advancing NovoThelium’s translational and commercialization efforts. She earned her doctorate in 2019.

    During her doctoral training, Cornell was selected for a U.S. Food and Drug Administration Fellowship, received a Military Health Young Investigator Award (Military Health System Research Symposium), and was chosen for an internationally competitive scientific communication fellowship that included direct engagement with U.S. Congressional and Senate representatives on scientific funding and policy.

    NovoThelium has received national and international recognition, placing in more than ten business plan competitions and being recognized by the U.S. Small Business Administration for Women in Science Day. Cornell has been named a 40 Under 40 honoree by the San Antonio Business Journal (2026) and is the recipient of the Life Sciences Catalyst Award (2025, BIOCOM), the Aesthetics Technology Award (2025, OCTANE), and the Golden Ticket Award (2024, Allergan Aesthetics & University Lab Partners), reflecting her work at the intersection of regenerative medicine, translational science, and applied medical innovation.

    Beyond her academic and industry work, Cornell has held leadership roles in human spaceflight analog research. She served as Commander of NASA’s Human Exploration Research Analog (HERA) Crew 6, Mission 1, and has been selected for multiple competitive space-focused fellowships recognizing leadership, performance, and research excellence in extreme and isolated

  • Tarjani Shukla, PhD

    Speaker profile coming soon.

Medical & Clinical Affairs (Room Location – Magnolia)

  • Saif Nirzhor, PhD

    Saif Nirzhor, Ph.DSaif Nirzhor, PhD is a data-driven oncology specialist combining academic rigor with clinical strategy. He holds a Ph.D. in Cancer Biology from °®ÎŰ´«Ă˝ and completed a postdoctoral fellowship in Neuro-oncology at UT Southwestern Medical Center. As a Medical Science Liaison, he integrates clinical oncology with bioinformatics to drive the adoption of AI-powered precision medicine. He brings over 13 years of oncology experience spanning preclinical and clinical research to his role in medical affairs, managing comprehensive field medical activities and territory strategy. He leverages this unique trajectory to unite scientific innovation with clinical utility, using real-world evidence to translate molecular insights into impactful patient outcomes.

  • Kat (Passlack) Guillen

    Kat (Passlack) GuillenKat Guillen is a biotech executive and drug discovery generalist with over 15 years of experience shaping biotech platforms and new medicines from ideation through commercialization. She is currently the Asset Entrepreneur for the first clinical stage, metabolic asset (ENV-308) at Enveda, where she leads the program end-to-end, driving asset strategy, execution, and value creation.

    Previously, Kat served as VP and Head of Strategy & Operations at Cellarity, a Flagship Pioneering company, where she built and scaled the strategy function and helped advance a differentiated small-molecule platform, including a lead asset for sickle cell disease through IND.

    Earlier in her career, Kat was an Engagement Manager in the Pharmaceutical & Medical Products practice at McKinsey & Company and a venture investor at the Sorenson Impact. She also developed patient-derived organoid models that are now licensed to Pharma companies worldwide during her postdoctoral training at the Huntsman Cancer Institute, with highly cited publications in leading journals including Nature Cancer and Nature Medicine.

    Kat holds a PhD in Biomedical Engineering from the University of Oklahoma where she was also a Division I collegiate athlete and now serves on the Board of Advisors for the College of Engineering.
     

  • Jason Mendoza, PhD

    Jason Mendoza, Ph.DJason Mendoza, PhD, is Head of Specialty Care and Medical Evidence Generation for U.S. Medical at Biogen. A multifunction leader, Jason oversees the Multiple Sclerosis, Immunology, and Alzheimer’s therapeutic areas and leads Scientific Value and Communications and Medical Evidence Generation across Biogen’s U.S. medical portfolio, including MS, Immunology, Alzheimer’s disease, Neuropsychiatry, and Rare Disease.

    Jason joined Biogen in 2015 as U.S. Medical Director and subsequently expanded his role to lead the company’s portfolio of MS disease modifying therapies, including oversight of the medical field team. Under his leadership, Jason and his team have led multiple clinical trials and authored numerous peer reviewed publications in multiple sclerosis and immunology.

    Jason earned his bachelor’s degree in Biology from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and completed his Ph.D. in Immunology at UT Southwestern Medical Center, followed by a postdoctoral fellowship in neuroimmunology. 

Military Affairs (Room Location – Buckeye)

  • Athena Farias

    Athena FariasAthena Farias is a Research Exercise Physiologist, Certified Personal Trainer, Performance and Corrective Exercise Specialist, Run Coach, and Menopause for Athletes Coach. She currently serves as the multi-site lead on a large federally funded study focused on improving return-to-duty decision-making following musculoskeletal injury, developing validated predictive models that integrate physical, biological, psychological, and environmental factors.

    Much of her career has been spent in clinical research settings, translating research into practical programs and helping improve standards of care in rehabilitation. Outside of research, Athena coaches endurance athletes from 5K to ultramarathons, many of whom are pursuing personal records, navigating perimenopause, rebuilding after injury, or training for lifelong strength. She also mentors with Game Changer, supporting the development of women of color coaches in the running industry and advocating for representation, leadership, and access.

    Athena combines her passion for running with her research career—developing performance systems during the day and coaching athletes by night.

  • Margaux Salas

    Speaker profile coming soon.

Regulatory Affairs (Room Location – Hawthorne)

  • Noor Obadi, MD, PhD

    Noor Obadi, MD, Ph.DNoor Obaidi, MD, PhD serves as Senior Vice President of Regulatory and Scientific Affairs at The Metis Foundation. In this role, she provides executive oversight of both pre-award and post-award research administration, including strategic program development, proposal development, grant negotiations, compliance oversight, and full lifecycle award management. She leads the development of new research initiatives and drives institutional strategy across medical, scientific, and regulatory domains, ensuring alignment with federal, DoD, and industry sponsor requirements.

    Obaidi has successfully developed and implemented organizational strategies that strengthen Metis’ research infrastructure, enhance regulatory compliance, and expand extramural funding portfolios. She oversees grant submission processes, budget development, contract execution, and post-award performance monitoring to ensure operational excellence and fiscal stewardship.

    Prior to joining The Metis Foundation, Obaidi earned her medical degree from the Baghdad School of Medicine in 2009 and completed clinical training under the Royal Jordanian Ministry of Health before transitioning into a career in basic and translational research. In 2022, she completed her PhD in Translational Science at The University of Texas Health Science Center.

    In addition to her executive leadership responsibilities, Obaidi remains actively engaged in research as a Clinical Research Scientist, with a primary focus on wound healing and improving outcomes in acute burn and complex wound care. She oversees clinical research operations, including study design, regulatory coordination, data analysis, manuscript preparation, and grant writing.

    Outside of her professional work, Obaidi studies fine art with a focus on impressionism. She practices yoga regularly and enjoys traveling, cooking, and spending time with family and friends.

  • Melissa Nashawati, MPA

    Melissa Nashawati, MPAMelissa Nashawati, MPA serves as Director of Quality Assurance and Training for Research Administration at the Mays Cancer Center, an NCI-designated cancer center at °®ÎŰ´«Ă˝. With more than 32 years of combined experience in state government and higher education, she brings deep expertise in regulatory compliance, policy development, program evaluation, and training.


    In her role of more than 17 years, Melissa leads quality assurance efforts for clinical research, supporting Good Clinical Practice standards and NCI-required oversight committees that ensure safety, integrity, and scientific progress across clinical trials. She is also a trusted advisor to faculty and staff, providing policy guidance, data analysis, and developing key institutional policies, including NCI-approved safety plans.


    Melissa began her career in public service with Texas Health and Human Services and the Texas Health and Human Services Commission, where she worked on policy development and analysis for major public assistance programs such as Medicaid, SNAP, and TANF.


    A proud UTSA graduate, she holds both a Master of Public Administration and a bachelor’s degree in Sociology. She continues to give back to UTSA through mentorship and advisory board leadership in the College of Health Community and Policy. Outside of work, Melissa enjoys running and creative pursuits like knitting and crocheting—earning top honors at the State Fair of Texas for her original work.
     

  • Lisa Creighton

    Profile to be added later.

 

Afternoon Career Exploration Speakers

Bioinformatics/Data Scientists – (Room Location – Pecan)

  • Niti Vanee, PhD

    Niti Vanee, Ph.DDr. Niti Vanee is a healthcare and biosciences leader committed to advancing the life sciences ecosystem through three core pillars: clinical care, research, and workforce training.


    She specializes in genetic diagnostics and pharmacogenomics and currently serves as the CEO and Co-Founder of iGenomeDx Inc., a molecular diagnostic laboratory based in San Antonio. She is also the Managing Partner of Alamo BioCenter, a shared laboratory and innovation hub that supports biomedical startups and early-stage research initiatives. Her most recent initiative, BioSpark, focuses on biotechnology workforce and research training for K–16 students, strengthening the pipeline of future scientific talent.


    Previously, Dr. Vanee served as an Adjunct Associate Professor of Clinical Informatics at the UTHealth San Antonio School of Nursing. She remains deeply committed to community engagement and mentorship, with a strong focus on supporting the next generation of healthcare and life sciences professionals.


    During the COVID-19 pandemic, Dr. Vanee served on the San Antonio COVID-19 Task Force and was recognized by the Mayor of San Antonio for her leadership and contributions. Her honors include the 2022 Minority-Owned Business of the Year Award from the U.S. Small Business Administration (San Antonio District), the 2022 Star Alumni Award from Virginia Commonwealth University, the 2025 Women Who Inspire Award from the National Association of Women Business Owners – San Antonio Chapter, and most recently, recognition as a San Antonio Business Journal 40 Under 40 honoree for 2026.
     

    Through innovation, collaboration, and a deep commitment to equity, Dr. Vanee is focused on building a sustainable and inclusive healthcare and life sciences ecosystem in San Antonio.
     

  • Ruben U. Tovar, MS, PhD

    Ruben U. Tovar, MS, Ph.DRuben U. Tovar, MS, PhD, is a first-generation college graduate and Latino from San Antonio, TX. He is an Assistant Professor of Biological Sciences at St. Mary’s University, where he joined the faculty in Fall 2025. He teaches courses in Anatomy and Cellular and Molecular Methods and conducts research in Evolutionary Developmental Biology (Evo-Devo), with a focus on the molecular and developmental processes underlying biodiversity.

    Tovar earned his B.S. in Interdisciplinary Studies from The University of Texas at Arlington, where he engaged in diverse research experiences across biology and archaeology, including fieldwork throughout Mexico, Guatemala and Belize. His early work focused on the evolutionary relationships and behavioral traits of slug-eating snakes within a comparative phylogenetic framework.

    Tovar turned his research focus toward the endemic, cave-adapted Eurycea salamanders of central Texas. He earned his M.S. in Biology from Texas State University, where he took a comparative developmental approach to target two proteins known to play a leadership role in eye development: PAX6 and SHH. Using confocal microscopy and immunohistochemistry, he examined labeling patterns of these key developmental proteins along with proteins involved with phototransduction (Opsin and Rhodopsin) in adult salamander retinal tissue.

    He continued this work as a Dean’s Strategic Minority Fellow in the Ecology, Evolution and Behavior Ph.D. program at The University of Texas at Austin. Under the mentorship of David M. Hillis, Ph.D., and working closely with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) – San Marcos Aquatic Resources Center (SMARC), Tovar managed to breed and obtain a developmental series for several species. He took an integrative approach to understand how far reaching developmental convergent and parallel evolution is at the morphological, cellular and molecular levels. He uses microCT (diceCT) imaging, microscopy and RNA-sequence to analyze eye development across multiple cave-dwelling species. This work led to the identification of candidate genes involved in ocular development and degeneration.

    Following his Ph.D., Tovar completed a postdoctoral position with Dean Hendrickson, Ph.D. (Curator of Ichthyology) at UT Austin’s Biodiversity Center, initiating collaborative work on blind cavefish with Patricia Ornelas GarcĂ­a, Ph.D. (UNAM). At St. Mary’s, he is building breeding colonies of salamanders to further explore genetic and developmental parallels between cave-adapted vertebrates and human congenital eye disorders.

    His lab welcomes motivated Master of Science (M.S.) in Medical Genomics and undergraduate students (Bachelor of Science (B.S.) and Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) in Biology) to participate in all aspects of this integrative research, including fieldwork, animal husbandry, 3D imaging, confocal microscopy, geometric morphometrics and bioinformatics.

  • Jeff Howard, PhD

    Jeff Howard, Ph.DJeff Howard, PhD is Professor of Public Health at the University of Texas at San Antonio. As a health demographer and health data scientist, his research is focused on how exposure to trauma contributes to accelerated aging and premature mortality by triggering physiological dysregulation. His research is situated within the broader Life Course Perspective and focuses on how exposure to trauma leads to accelerated aging and premature mortality. 

    His research into this process focuses on 4 distinct, but often overlapping exposure domains: (1) traumatic injury (within military and civilian settings), (2) racial/ethnic health and mortality disparities, (3) environmental and mass traumatic events (climate events and COVID-19 pandemic), and (4) substance use/misuse. Within these 4 exposure domains, he examines how these processes operate within short-term (immediate death/survival) and long-term time scales (accelerated aging, chronic disease and premature mortality).  His research has been funded by the National Institutes of Health, US Department of Health and Human Services and the Department of Defense (DoD).  

Start-ups & Entrepreneurs (Room Location – Oak)

  • Vincent Pham

    Vincent PhamVincent Pham is the Co-Founder and CEO of Powerhouse Therapeutics Inc, a biotechnology company developing next-generation cell-based therapies for solid tumors. He focuses on translating academic discoveries into scalable therapeutic platforms designed to overcome cancer immune evasion and treatment resistance. His work sits at the intersection of scientific innovation, venture creation, and clinical translation. 

    Beyond his role at Powerhouse Therapeutics, Vincent is active in the broader biotech ecosystem, working with founders, scientists, and investors to help bring early-stage life science technologies from the lab to the market. He is particularly interested in building new models for turning academic breakthroughs into companies capable of delivering meaningful impact for patients.

  • Rafael Veraza, PhD, MPH

    Rafael Veraza, PhD, MPHDr. Rafael J. Veraza, PhD, MPH is the CEO & President of Vascular Perfusion Solutions (VPS), a San Antonio–based MedTech company developing next-generation organ preservation technologies to expand access to life-saving transplantation. A translational scientist and entrepreneur, he leads the development of the VP.S ENCORE® platform, a portable system designed to preserve donor hearts and other organs while increasing utilization and equity in transplantation.

    Dr. Veraza joined VPS in 2017 and has held several leadership roles including Director of Translational Science and CSO/CTO before becoming CEO in 2022. Under his leadership, the company secured FDA Breakthrough Device Designation and is advancing its technology toward clinical trials.

    He holds a PhD from the Joint PhD Program in Translational Science at The University of Texas system and an MPH from Emory University. His work focuses on translating scientific innovation into practical medical technologies that expand access to transplantation.

  • Brian Keiser

    Brian KeiserBrian Kieser is a seasoned entrepreneur and executive with a strong background in healthcare and advanced manufacturing. He currently holds leadership positions in several innovative companies:

    Nvision Biomedical Technologies
    As the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Nvision Biomedical Technologies, founded in 2013, Kieser leads the San Antonio-based medical device and biologics manufacturer. Under his guidance, Nvision has developed cutting-edge products, including the first 3D-printed porous PEEK interbody system for spinal fusion surgeries, which received FDA clearance in 2024. This advancement underscores the company's commitment to enhancing surgical outcomes through innovative solutions.

    Sequence Life Science 
    In his role as CEO of Sequence Life Science, Kieser focuses on investing in and supporting early-stage companies within the medical device, regenerative medicine, and advanced manufacturing sectors. The firm emphasizes sustainable industries, aligning with Kieser's vision of fostering innovation that improves patient care.

    Lockhill Additive Manufacturing 
    Kieser also serves as the CEO of Lockhill Additive Manufacturing, a company specializing in advanced manufacturing techniques, including additive manufacturing and 3D printing. This venture aims to accelerate the development and commercialization of medical technologies by providing comprehensive services from concept to production. Through these leadership roles, Brian Kieser demonstrates a steadfast commitment to advancing medical technology and supporting innovative ventures that enhance patient outcomes.
     

  • Veenu Aishwarya

    Veenu AishwaryaAn immigrant from India, Veenu Aishwarya received his biomedical research training at the Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, and went on to found AUM BioTech and AUM LifeTech, two biotechnology companies, from scratch, without venture capital. Today, under Mr. Aishwarya's leadership, AUM BioTech's self-delivering AUMsilence RNA silencing products are trusted by researchers in 38 countries across five continents. He has successfully commercialized the AUMsilence platform to advance biomedical research, and it has been independently showcased in over 100 peer-reviewed scientific studies in journals including Nature, Science, Nature Genetics, Circulation, Blood, and Cell Stem Cell

    At AUM BioTech, Mr. Aishwarya developed and continues to advance the AUMsilence platform, most recently by integrating artificial intelligence and machine learning with self-delivering RNA silencing technology to accelerate different stages of drug discovery, from target identification and validation through preclinical therapeutic development. The platform's algorithms analyze millions of data points from global research databases, published literature, and years of internal experimental results to design gene-silencing products computationally, while the self-delivering chemistry enables direct delivery into cells and animal models without the complexity of conventional approaches. This combination of AI-driven design and self-delivering technology is used by researchers working on cancer, Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, HIV, ALS, and heart disease at hundreds of academic institutions, several US government agencies, NASA, and the world's ten largest pharmaceutical companies.

    Committed to supporting the global biomedical research community, Mr. Aishwarya also built the Gene Intelligence Portal (aumbiotech.com), a free AI-powered platform that gives researchers worldwide open access to integrated genomic intelligence, from 3D protein structure visualization and gene expression analysis across 54 human tissues to protein interaction networks, biological pathway mapping, and clinical variant interpretation. Mr. Aishwarya has also developed and continues to advance custom AI systems that power his company's customer engagement and operations.

    As Principal Investigator, Mr. Aishwarya has secured NIH SBIR grants from the National Cancer Institute and the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases to advance preclinical therapeutic programs in cancer immunotherapy and HIV. He has been honored six times by the Philadelphia Business Journal, including as Health Care Innovator, Forty Under 40, and Millennials to Watch in Life Sciences. He is regularly invited as a delegate to the annual JP Morgan Healthcare Conference. He has been invited to write on leadership and entrepreneurship for Fortune Magazine and has been a delegate at several Fortune Brainstorm Health and Forbes Healthcare Summit events. He has served on the editorial board and as a reviewer for several leading peer-reviewed scientific journals. He received permanent residency as a foreign national of extraordinary ability and became a naturalized U.S. citizen in 2021.

    Outside of the lab and the boardroom, Mr. Aishwarya is a strong advocate for mental health and physical discipline. He recently completed over 2,100 Orangetheory Fitness classes over six consecutive years, averaging nearly seven classes per week. While there is no official leaderboard, he believes this may be the fastest anyone has reached this milestone globally. He credits this discipline with keeping him mentally strong and fueling the drive to build his companies every day.

Academia: Research and Administration (Room Location – Mesquite)

  • Uday Pratap, PhD

    Uday Pratap, Ph.DUday Pratap, Ph.D. is currently a faculty member in the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology at The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio. He earned his Doctorate in Biotechnology (Neuroimmunology) from SRM University in Chennai, India, in 2017. Pratap then advanced his expertise through a postdoctoral fellowship at the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, °®ÎŰ´«Ă˝, in neuroendocrinology, and drug discovery and development.

    Pratap’s current research involves developing and optimizing small molecules that target novel oncogenes, aiming to translate these discoveries into potential therapeutic options. Pratap’s research involves developing and utilizing preclinical cancer models—including patient-derived xenografts and organoids- to investigate the mechanism of novel drugs' actions. His research aims to bridge the gap between laboratory discoveries and clinical applications in brain, liver, and gynecological cancers.

    He has authored numerous peer-reviewed publications and is the recipient of multiple national and international awards, including AACR Scholar-in-Training and Minor Faculty Scholar awards. In addition to his research, Pratap is actively involved in teaching, mentoring trainees at all levels, and serving on editorial boards and national grant review panels. 

     

  • Chris Rathbone, PhD

    Chris Rathbone, Ph.DDr. Chris Rathbone is an Associate Professor in the Department of Biomedical Engineering and Chemical Engineering and the Associate Dean of Administration and Faculty Success in the Klesse College of Engineering and Integrated Design at UT San Antonio. Dr. Rathbone received a Ph.D. from the University of Missouri-Columbia in 2006. After the completion of his postdoctoral work at the University of Arizona in 2008, he was a Principal Investigator in the Extremity Trauma and Regenerative Medicine Task area at the United States Army Institute of Surgical Research until 2015. He was the Director of Research for Arteriocyte Inc. before joining the Department of Biomedical Engineering and Chemical Engineering at UTSA in 2016.  Dr. Rathbone’s research utilizes tissue engineering-based approaches to understand and treat diseased and injured skeletal muscle. His research has been supported by the National Institutes of Health and the National Science Foundation, which includes an NSF CAREER award. Dr. Rathbone endeavors to integrate his research objectives with education and outreach to broadly impact students.

Academia: Teaching (Room Location – Mesquite)

  • Terry Shackleford, PhD

    Terry Shackelford, PhDDr. Terry Jo Shackleford has dedicated her career to mentoring undergraduate students and advancing research in cancer biology. She earned her Ph.D. in Cancer Biology at MD Anderson Cancer Center through the Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences at the University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston. Her doctoral research focused on the role of Jun-activating-binding protein 1 (Jab1) in breast cancer, where she identified novel regulatory mechanisms involving CEBP and Stat3 signaling pathways that drive its expression. Following her Ph.D., she worked at MD Anderson Cancer Center as a grants program manager before pursuing postdoctoral training at the Greehey Children’s Cancer Research Center at °®ÎŰ´«Ă˝. There, her research focused on pediatric sarcomas and uncovering mechanisms of resistance to IGF-1R targeted therapies. Her passion for teaching and mentorship led her to transition to a primarily undergraduate institution, where she could focus on training the next generation of scientists and healthcare professionals. She has also participated as a Program Coordinator in national training programs such as IRACDA and U-RISE, which emphasize the integration of research, teaching, and mentorship.

    Dr. Shackleford is currently an Associate Professor of Biology at St. Mary’s University, where she teaches courses in cell and molecular biology and research methods. She maintains an active undergraduate research program focused on understanding resistance to targeted cancer therapies and provides students with hands-on experience in modern molecular techniques. In addition to her teaching and research, she serves as Chair of the Health Professions Advisory Committee (HPAC), Chair of the Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC), and Secretary of the National Institute on Scientific Teaching (NIST), reflecting her commitment to student success and excellence in science education.

  • Maria Gonzalez Porras, PhD

    Maria Gonzalez Porras, Ph.DMaria Gonzalez Porras, Ph.D. is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Biomedical Engineering and Chemical Engineering at The University of Texas at San Antonio. She holds a PhD in Physiology and Biomedical Engineering from the Mayo Clinic and was an NIH Postdoctoral Fellow at UTSA. 

    Gonzalez Porras's research integrates cutting-edge bioengineering techniques with a deep understanding of adipose tissue cells metabolism. Her team combines physiology, cell biology, and bioengineering to enhance our understanding of fat cells metabolism and the microenvironmental conditions that contribute to metabolic dysfunctions in obesity, cancer and wound healing. As an early-career investigator, her long-term goal is to develop engineering tools that modulate adipose tissue pathophysiological processes in several applications. Since becoming an Assistant Professor, Gonzalez Porras has received several prestigious awards, including the Cellular and Molecular Bioengineering (CMBE) Young Innovators Award, the Voelcker Fund Early Career Award and the Mays Cancer Center Early Career Award. She is an active member of several professional organizations, including the Biomedical Engineering Society (BMES), the American Physiological Society (APS) and the American Society for Matrix Biology (ASMB). Her contributions to the field are demonstrated through multiple publications and patent disclosures.

Science Communication and Outreach (Room Location – Buckeye)

  • Monika Macdonald

    Speaker profile coming soon.

  • Vanessa Young, MS

    Vanessa Young, MSVanessa Young, MS., is a PhD candidate in Translational Science (Data Science Track) at °®ÎŰ´«Ă˝ and a Clinical Research Project Manager at the Glenn Biggs Institute. Since 2021, she has served as Faculty Associate at Arizona State University, where she teaches undergraduate psychology and statistics courses in the online psychology program. She is also the Communications Chair for the Alzheimer’s Association Technology & Dementia Professional Interest Area, leading strategic communication initiatives to ensure emerging research is accessible, trustworthy, and impactful for diverse communities. Trained in psychology, her work focuses on translating complex biomedical research into accessible, evidence-informed communication. 

    From 2020–2023, she served as a scientific writer and collaborator with Cochrane Rehabilitation Group, contributing to systematic reviews commissioned by the World Health Organization and developing plain-language summaries to broaden the reach of global health evidence. Through this work, she developed expertise in evidence synthesis, knowledge translation, and dissemination. Over the past several years, she has delivered numerous outreach presentations on dementia, sleep, and healthy brain aging across South Texas and implemented culturally responsive engagement strategies to foster trust and participation among Hispanic/Latinx older adults in longitudinal research.

  • Dana A. Forgione, PhD, CPA, CMA, CFE

    Dana A. Forgione, Ph.D., CPA, CMA, CFE

    Dana A. Forgione, PhD, CPA, CMA, CFE is a Professor of Accounting and former Endowed Chair of the Jessie Frances Neal Foundation & Clifton W. Coonrod Endowment in the College of Business at Texas A&M University Corpus Christi. He was previously the inaugural Janey S. Briscoe Endowed Chair in the Business of Health at the University of Texas at San Antonio, which he held for its first decade. He also directed the MBA in the Business of Health program—a Participant in the American College of Healthcare Executives (ACHE) Higher Education Network. He is an Adjunct Professor in the School of Medicine, Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery, the Department of Pediatrics, and in the School of Public Health, as well as a faculty member in the Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Translational Science Ph.D. program, all at the University of Texas Health. Dr. Forgione previously served as advisor to the MBA in Healthcare Management program at the University of Baltimore, and held a joint appointment in the School of Pharmacy at the University of Maryland, where he taught in the Doctor of Pharmacy program.

    He has been an active member of the Healthcare Financial Management Association (HFMA), the American College of Healthcare Executives (ACHE), and the Medical Group Management Association (MGMA). He has served as the Senior Editor of Research in Healthcare Financial Management, and as a Columnist for the Journal of Health Care Finance, and San Antonio Medicine.

    Dr. Forgione is a consultant to healthcare organizations and has analyzed the financial and operating performance of more than 5,500 hospitals throughout the United States. His litigation support and consulting work was used twice by the U.S. Congress in national healthcare policy deliberations, by the U.S. Veterans Health Administration, and by the Texas Attorney General in landmark hospital charity care legislation. He has also worked in collaboration with the EuroDRG project for eventual convergence of healthcare payment systems throughout the European Union, sponsored by the European Union and the World Health Organization [WHO] Collaborating Centre for Health Systems Research & Management of the Technical University of Berlin (Germany). He was invited by the government of South Korea as an international expert to provide guidance to more than 500 government and healthcare professionals in their rollout of a new national healthcare payment system. He was also invited to organize a team of leading U.S. experts and provide regulatory analysis of our physician specialist payment system to help guide national physician payment reforms for the government of Belgium. He served as the past Chairman of the Board of Directors of Morningside Ministries Senior Living—an award-winning three-campus nonprofit long-term care organization, successfully completing nearly $175 million in new external financing, including $90 million in Fitch-rated, tax-exempt public bond issuances.

    Dr. Forgione has developed and taught a Doctoral Research Seminar in Government & Nonprofit Accounting, also a graduate-level Healthcare Financial Management course, a Seminar in Medicare Regulation, as well as Legal & Tax Strategies for Healthcare Organizations, and Accounting for Healthcare Organizations. He has conducted professional training programs on the Economic Condition of the U.S. and its Relation to Healthcare Reform, Medicare Regulation, Healthcare Fraud and Abuse Regulations, Physician Self-Referral Prohibitions, Governmental Auditing, Forensic Accounting, Electronic Data Recovery, and related issues to hundreds of healthcare administrators & financial officers, accountants, auditors, regulators, fraud examiners, insurance & risk management professionals, U.S. Internal Revenue Service agents, physicians, surgeons, allied healthcare professionals, and U.S. Veterans Health Administration Inspectors General.

    He has more than 165 professional publications, 56 editorial and reviewing roles, 183 instances of television appearances, national radio network commentary, and other news / media coverage to his credit. His books have been used in more than 75 colleges and universities throughout the U.S. that promote ethics, technology skills, and award winning creativity and innovation in the academic curriculum. He is listed in °Âłó´Ç’s Who in Medicine and Healthcare (2000–2012), °Âłó´Ç’s Who in the World (2002–2016), °Âłó´Ç’s Who in America (2002–2015, 2019–2020), °Âłó´Ç’s Who in Finance and Business (2001–2009), and °Âłó´Ç’s Who in American Education (2006–2008). He earned his BBA in accounting and information systems, MBA, MS in accounting, and Ph.D. in accounting all at the University of Massachusetts at Amherst.

Commercialization and Tech Transfer (Room Location: Hawthorne)

  • Tracy Rausch, CCE

    Tracy Rausch, CCETracy Rausch, CCE is the founder and Chief Innovation Officer of DocBox. Tracy has a 20-year career in research, design, and integration of technologies into healthcare systems from the manufacturer, delivery, and research roles in both the private and public sectors. DocBox is a medical device company developing an open platform that enables healthcare providers to deploy innovative technology to improve efficiency, reduce cost, and improve patient safety.  For the past decade, she has been the PI for over 19M dollars in federally funded Research, Development, Test, and Evaluation Funding from the USARDC (formerly USAMRMC), NIST, and NIH related to medical device interoperability, safety-critical medical systems platform design, regulatory science of medical devices systems of systems, and autonomous medical systems.

  • Alia Mallah, PhD

    Alia Mallah, PhDAlia is currently a Scientist in the Process Development and Manufacturing Department at BBG Advanced Therapies, a subsidiary of BioBridge Global. She has a PhD in Biomedical Engineering. In her current role, she manages cell culture processes in biopharmaceutical manufacturing, utilizing both 2D and bioreactor technologies to ensure efficient cell expansion and high-quality production. Alia received her PhD in Biomedical Engineering in the dual degree program between °®ÎŰ´«Ă˝ and University of Texas at San Antonio.