Nucleate San Diego

? #NucleateSD March 2025 workshop highlights ? ?? Workshop 3: From First Hire to Lasting Impact-Cultivating Company Culture Thank you Jennifer Hairston, Julius Alejandro, M.S., Keiara Auzenne, H. Puentes, My-Nuong Vo, and Lucy Arciniega, PhD, CDP for joining us as DEI experts and leading such an important conversation! ?? Workshop 4: Regulatory Strategy Thank you Rea Brakaj, Matthew Ritter, Daniel Tabb, and Sanjeev Thohan for joining us (in-person and virtually) and sharing your expert knowledge around regulatory strategies! ?? As always, we thank our Nucleate HQ and regional sponsors and leadership team for making it all possible! A special shoutout to our SD leads Caitriona Brennan, Madeleine Duquette, Janet Joy, Fernando Melendez Vazquez, and Sakina Muckadam for organizing the workshops! Locations: Oxford Properties Group, and University of California, San Diego - Rady School of Management

Join us to learn more about Nucleate's global vision and the synergies between the biotech ecosystems of LA and Paris! Register here: https://lu.ma/05avhsff

Coming up: AI-assisted Protein Design to Enhance Epigenetic Reprogramming Join us for an exclusive AIxBio Tech Talk with Rico Meinl, Head of Applied AI at Retro Biosciences, and a lead developer of GPT-4b, a protein language model built in partnership with OpenAI. Rico’s team leveraged GPT-4b micro to redesign SOX2 and KLF4 transcription factors—dramatically improving their efficiency and speed. He’ll share how AI is unlocking new possibilities in optimizing biological processes like Yamanaka factors, paving the way for breakthroughs in regenerative medicine. Don't miss this deep dive into the future of AI-driven biology! Register here: https://lnkd.in/gZim-rus

?? Exciting news for our final session of the Women Leading Life Sciences Virtual Series this year! https://lu.ma/y7x3lz1t We are honored to welcome Michele Stone, Ph.D., PMP, Chief Scientific Officer at Kriya, as our distinguished speaker to conclude this academic year’s series. With a remarkable career spanning multiple prestigious biotech firms, Dr. Stone offers a wealth of expertise in gene therapies and vaccine development, and experience in navigating startup companies. In this session, Dr. Stone will take us through her impressive journey from her academic beginnings in biochemistry and molecular biology to her role as a leader in spearheading groundbreaking scientific projects. She has pioneered numerous partnerships and projects, pushing the boundaries of diagnostics and personalized medicine. Her work has not only advanced multiple vaccine platforms but also profoundly impacted the fields of nonclinical and bioanalytical processes in gene therapy. Join us to gain insights from her extensive experience and learn how she effectively addresses the challenges and successes of leading in the life sciences sector. ?? Reminder: Recordings of previous sessions are available on our YouTube channel for those who want to catch up. https://lnkd.in/gGg9QGXi #WomenInLeadership #LifeSciences #DiversityAndInclusion #Leadership #Inspiration

?? And finally, please give your warm welcome to our moderator, Devanshi Agarwal! Devanshi Agarwal is a third-year PhD student in Dr. Sonya Neal’s lab at UC San Diego where she is researching the role of rhomboid membrane proteins on alleviating aggregation stress caused by misfolded proteins as seen in diseases such as cystic fibrosis, neurodegeneration, and cancer. She received her undergraduate degree from UC Los Angeles in 2021 in biochemistry and art history, after which she worked in early R&D for a year at Cytokinetics Inc in San Francisco. Outside of science, she is committed to furthering DEI in STEM through her work with two organizations and was the recipient of the UCSD Biological Sciences DEI award in 2024. She has been involved with Nucleate since 2023 where she is currently the Director for Partnerships.

?? Let's hear it for our final panelist, Gabriela Tobal! Gabriela Tobal is Vice President of Business Development at Endeavor Biomedicines. She has over 25 years of industry experience in the life sciences, with a career spanning research, business development, corporate venture capital, alliance management, and organizational culture. Gabriela has served in business development and alliance management at Everest Medicines and held similar roles at La Jolla Pharmaceutical Company, The Scripps Research Institute, and Amgen. She earned her Bachelor of Science from the University of California, Santa Cruz; a Master of Science in Marine Biology from the Scripps Institution of Oceanography at the University of California, San Diego; and an MBA from the Robert H. Smith School of Business at the University of Maryland.

?? We're pleased to introduce our third speaker, Dr. Angela Nicholson-Shaw! Angela is a scientist passionate about product development and bringing new technologies to market to help researchers make groundbreaking discoveries. After earning a Ph.D. in Biology from UC San Diego in 2021, Angela has focused on developing innovative tools to advance molecular and cellular biology research. In her current role as Staff Scientist at Illumina, she has worked on assay innovation for spatial transcriptomics and identifying rare cancer mutations through blood samples.

?? Nucleate Summit 2025 is coming—mark your calendars! This year, we’re bringing the energy back to Boston, taking over Cathleen Stone Island, an extraordinary private retreat in Boston Harbor. ?? Dates: August 17–20, 2025 ?? Location: Cathleen Stone Island, Boston ?? Registration & ticketing: Coming soon This isn’t just another conference—it’s an immersive experience where biotech’s brightest minds will gather to innovate, collaborate, and shape the future of life sciences. Get ready for Nucleate’s most engaging and inspiring Summit yet! ??A Venue Like No Other Step off a private ferry and into a 204-acre natural escape with panoramic views of the Boston skyline, oceanfront networking spaces, and outdoor experiences designed to spark meaningful connections. From high-impact discussions to a classic New England clambake, this exclusive setting blends seclusion and accessibility for a biotech gathering like no other. ??Lodging Support for Summit Volunteers Want to be at the center of it all? Summit volunteers will receive lodging support for the duration of the event. Stay tuned for application details—free accommodations on the island could be yours! More updates coming soon. See you in Boston! #NucleateSummit2025 #Biotech #Innovation #Boston

?? Let's meet our next panelist, Dr. Sonya Neal, Ph.D.! Dr. Neal joined the faculty in 2018 at the Department of Cell and Developmental Biology at UC San Diego where her lab studies the role of the rhomboid superfamily in membrane-related functions and homeostasis. She is the recipient of the NIH MIRA, NSF CAREER, Pew, Chan Zuckerberg Initiative Science Diversity Leadership Award, and HHMI Freeman Hrabowski Award. Dr. Neal is a champion for diversity where she co-founded the Biology Undergraduate & Master’s Mentorship (BUMMP) program, which has served over 1,350 undergraduate & master’s students to date. Moreover, she teaches a DEI graduate course, “Social Issues in Biology” which is a discussion-based course on the biases we face academia. For these efforts, she has received the campus-wide Inclusive Excellence, the Faculty Mentorship award, advancing EDI award, along with a nationwide award ASCB WICB Junior Award for Excellence in Research.

?? Introducing our first panelist, Jennifer Hairston! Jennifer Hairston is a dynamic leader with a passion for driving meaningful change through Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI). With over a decade of experience in project management and organizational development, she has a proven track record of fostering inclusive environments that promote innovation and collaboration. Jennifer holds a DEI certification from Cornell University and has partnered with CEOs and senior leaders to implement strategies that ensure every voice is valued. Her approach emphasizes that true progress is achieved by focusing on people, not just processes. Throughout her career, Jennifer has worked with industry leaders such as Illumina and Biocom, leading initiatives that integrate DEI principles into core business strategies. Her work ensures that DEI is not just a statement but a measurable force for progress.