2025 ARCHIVES
Monday, March 10
1:00 pmRegistration Open
Tuesday, March 11
7:00 amRegistration and Morning Coffee
Chairperson's Remarks
Edward Abrahams, PhD, Former President, Personalized Medicine Coalition
A New Era in Healthcare: Making Precision Medicine a Reality
Gabriele Allegri, MBA, Vice President, Global Commercial Precision Medicine, Johnson & Johnson Innovative Medicine
The Pharmaceutical Industry and Precision Medicine
Personalized or precision medicine depends upon linking prescribed therapies to diagnostics so that the right patient gets the right drug at the right time. Yet bringing the therapeutics and diagnostics together does not come easily as the pharmaceutical and diagnostic industries do not share the same business models or cultures. This panel discussion will explore what pharmaceutical executives look for when partnering with colleagues in diagnostics to develop targeted therapies.
Steffan Ho, MD, PhD, Vice President, Head of Translational Oncology, Pfizer
Andrea L. Stevens, PhD, Senior Director, Precision Medicine Access & Policy, J&J Innovative Medicine
Lourdes Barrera, PhD, Executive Director, Global Medical Affairs Oncology—Precision Medicine, Merck
Omar Perez, PhD, Head of Medical Diagnostics, US Medical Affairs Oncology, AstraZeneca
9:30 amGrand Opening Refreshment Break in the Exhibit Hall with Poster Viewing
Elsie Yu, PhD, Director, Clinical Pathology Informatics, System and Core Laboratory Director, Chemistry, Toxicology and Point-of-Care Testing, Geisinger Laboratory Medicine; Associate Professor, Geisinger Commonwealth School of Medicine
Direct-to-Consumer Testing—What Can Be Done to Improve Clinical Adoption?
Direct-to-consumer (DTC) testing can take the form of at-home testing, at-home sample collection, or traditional phlebotomy/laboratory testing at a clinical laboratory. Post-COVID pandemic, we have experienced both a rise and a fall of DTC testing. Some companies have filed for bankruptcy, while others are thriving. This presentation will discuss long-term strategy that focuses on enhancing clinical utility and adoption.
Advancements from Biology to Chips to Digital Tools Plus a New Era of Medicine will Drive Point of Care Forward
Michael J. Mina, MD, PhD, CEO, Biohealth Engineering
Point-of-care technologies have been critical in streamlining medical care and public health efforts. A burgeoning infrastructure is rapidly advancing the state of point-of-care devices. From synthetic biology, to robotics, to digital health, a new ecosystem is developing and with it advances that can alter the position of POC testing in our daily lives, in the clinic, and in the home. How to leverage these technologies appropriately and develop them towards mainstream use in healthcare will be the challenge. A discussion of the state of POC.
Advancing POC Diagnostics for Acute Hospital-Level Care in the Home
Jared Conley, MD, PhD, MPH, Assistant Professor, Harvard Medical School; Associate Director, Healthcare Transformation Lab
The rapidly developing technologies of point-of-care diagnostics have great potential to unleash our capacity to deliver more and more care in the healing environment of patients' homes. This session will briefly review the current/emerging acute and advanced at-home care models and then explore point-of-care diagnostic opportunities that enable the monitoring and management of dynamic clinical risk and enable us to safely and effectively serve more patients at home.
Patrick Vaughan, COO, R&D, DCN Dx
Regulatory missteps can derail diagnostic development, leading to delays and costly redesigns. This talk explores real-world case studies across multiple diagnostic areas, including a real-world STI biomarker lateral flow assay, highlighting common challenges and successful course corrections. We’ll examine the impact of early regulatory engagement, study design pitfalls, and the role of an experienced IVD CRO and CDMO partner in refining assays for validation, scalability, and commercialization in alignment with regulatory needs.
12:20 pmSession Break
Elizabeth Heisler, Immunoassay Business Development Manager, Commercial, MilliporeSigma
In lateral flow diagnostics, improving assay performance is essential for better outcomes. Learn how optimizing sample handling and key raw materials can significantly improve signal quality and assay consistency. Through real-world case studies, we will demonstrate advancements in reliable and versatile at-home testing solutions. These innovations illustrate how improved sensitivity and stability make diagnostics more accessible and effective, for better healthcare outcomes for everyone.
12:55 pmSession Break
At-Home Testing vs. At-Home Specimen Collection
Elizabeth M. Marlowe, PhD, D(ABMM), Executive Scientific Director, Head, R&D Infectious Diseases & Immunology, Quest Diagnostics
Remote specimen collection with samples sent to a central laboratory as well as at-home testing options have shifted the paradigm in the patient journey. The goal of this talk is explore what is needed to support the changing paradigm and reduce barriers for diagnostic testing.
Mobile and Home Health: What We Learned from COVID-19 and the Future of Point-of-Care Testing
Nam K. Tran, PhD, Professor, Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of California, Davis
The COVID-19 pandemic accelerated the expansion and acceptance of mobile and at-home testing. With advancements in molecular diagnostics, home-based testing has become more feasible, while the integration of smart devices and artificial intelligence is set to further transform the landscape. This presentation offers an overview of the mobile and at-home testing solutions that emerged during the pandemic and explores future directions, potential opportunities, and challenges in this evolving field.
Optimizing Molecular Diagnostic Assay Development for RNA Targets: Enhancing Performance and Reducing Costs
Alex Latta, PhD, Field Application Consultant, Roche CustomBiotech
Molecular diagnostic developers face both internal and external pressures to reduce costs and improve assay performance. For example, the reverse transcription step in an RT-PCR assay drastically increases complexity encountered in molecular diagnostics. Using fast, inhibitor tolerant, and lyo-compatible reverse transcriptases can help reduce the burden on developers by enabling short overall turnaround times, streamlining or eliminating purification, and simplifying shipping and storage. Selecting the appropriate components to address the challenges in your assay can be a daunting task.
At Roche CustomBiotech, we are here to assist you in finding solutions and overcoming these obstacles. Explore our wide range of reagents designed for the unique requirements of centralized and point-of-care diagnostic assay development.
2:55 pmRefreshment Break in the Exhibit Hall with Poster Viewing (Sponsorship Opportunity Available)
Mara G. Aspinall, Partner, Illumina Ventures; Professor of Practice, Arizona State University; Editor, Sensitive & Specific: The Testing Newsletter
Patient-Centric Innovation—Redefining At-Home Health Experiences
Peter Foley, CEO and Founder, LetsGetChecked
In this fireside chat, Peter Foley, CEO and founder of LetsGetChecked, will explore the mission and vision that have driven the company’s rapid growth and innovation in home health management. He will share insights into the journey of scaling from a direct-to-consumer model to a robust business-to-business platform, addressing the challenges of integrating health insights and advanced clinical diagnostics with exceptional customer care. From immunoassays and clinical chemistry to genomics, Peter will discuss how LetsGetChecked leverages cutting-edge technologies to empower precision medicine at scale, delivering tailored healthcare solutions that meet the unique needs of millions of individual patients. This conversation will highlight the transformative role of precision medicine, patient-focused care models, and innovative digital platforms in shaping a more connected and responsive healthcare ecosystem that delivers measurable value for all stakeholders.
Nick Naclerio, PhD, Founding Partner, Illumina Ventures
Driving Innovation in Precision Medicine: CEO Perspective
Explore the cutting-edge of precision medicine through the eyes of leading diagnostics company CEOs.This panel will highlight how innovative companies are pushing the boundaries of innovation, addressing industry challenges, and shaping the future of personalized healthcare. Gain firsthand insights on the strategies driving breakthroughs and the critical leadership required to build a successful company and transform the landscape.
Lisa Alderson, CEO, Adela, Inc.
Alex Aravanis, MD, PhD, CEO, Moonwalk Biosciences
Susan Tousi, CEO, DELFI Diagnostics
5:00 pmWelcome Reception in the Exhibit Hall with Poster Viewing
6:00 pmClose of Day
Wednesday, March 12
7:30 amRegistration and Morning Coffee
Investing in Precision Medicine Innovation: What Defines Success?
Dive into the world of investing in precision medicine and explore what defines success in this ever-changing sector. This panel will unpack the key drivers behind successful investments, from proprietary technologies to regulatory challenges. Investors will share their perspectives on identifying high-impact opportunities, managing risk, and fostering innovation to achieve long-term value in precision medicine.
Ajit Singh, PhD, CEO, Harbinger Health
Jenny Rooke, PhD, Managing Director, Genoa Ventures
Michael Hadjisavas, PhD, Executive Advisor, GreyBird Ventures LLC
9:00 amTransition to Sessions
Lesley Northrop, PhD, Former Executive, Everly Health
The Utility of Direct-Access Testing
Direct-access testing (DAT), also known as patient-authorized or direct-to-consumer testing, allows individuals to order laboratory tests without a physician's order. This approach empowers patients autonomy, expands healthcare access, and improves health outcomes. This abstract explores the utility of DAT by examining its benefits and drawbacks, considering its impact on patient care, and discussing its role in the evolving healthcare landscape. When implemented responsibly and ethically, can serve as a valuable tool for enhancing accessibility and promoting individual health management. However, there is still an unmet need for ongoing research and collaboration in the field to optimize the benefits of DAT.
Ensuring Quality in Medical Digital Solutions: Key Challenges & Best Practices in Supplier Collaboration, AI, and Machine Learning
Maliheh Poorfarhani, Product and Service Partnering Tech Lead - Digital Solutions, Roche Diagnostics
As AI and machine learning (ML) become integral to medical digital solutions, ensuring quality while collaborating with external suppliers presents new complexities. Regulatory compliance, data integrity, algorithm transparency, and model lifecycle management must be rigorously controlled to maintain patient safety and product effectiveness. This talk will explore the key challenges in supplier collaboration, including managing third-party AI/ML components, data sourcing risks, software lifecycle oversight, and cloud-based deployments. We will discuss best practices for supplier qualification, continuous monitoring, and contractual frameworks that align with evolving regulatory expectations for AI-driven healthcare solutions. Real-world case studies will illustrate how proactive collaboration, risk-based assessments, and interoperability strategies can enhance the reliability and regulatory compliance of AI/ML-powered digital diagnostics. Attendees will gain actionable insights into mitigating supplier-related risks while fostering innovation in AI-driven medical digital solutions.
Tara Dalton, CEO, AltraTech Ltd
Altratech is introducing a groundbreaking approach to sample-to-result combination testing for DNA, RNA, antibodies, and antigens in blood or saliva. Encapsulated in a low-cost, portable kit, this innovation leverages PNA probes, beads, and electronic signal amplification within a CMOS semiconductor chip, delivering digital wireless readouts. This cutting-edge technology paves the way for a new era of rapid serology and molecular diagnostics in point-of-care clinics, biomarker discovery and monitoring in Companion Diagnostics, and at-home molecular digital health testing. Most importantly, it achieves this at a commercially viable price point that meets market demands.
10:40 amCoffee Break in the Exhibit Hall with Poster Viewing
Joe Keenan, Head, Life Sciences, LetsGetChecked
Precision Medicine Reimbursement—A Landscape Overview
Matt Bacigalupi, Director, Medicare Account Management, Novartis
Precision Medicine has rapidly evolved over the last decade; as a part of the dynamic future of healthcare, where do we stand with payer coverage and reimbursement? What steps can we take to better understand how coverage decisions are going to be made and what steps can be taken "pre" and "post" market entrance to help support coverage?
Direct Access Testing—Greatest Challenges in Getting Patients the Results They Need
Direct access testing or 'consumer-initiated testing' has grown exponentially in the last 5 years. Much is attributable to the familiarization of home testing kits such as those used during the pandemic for Covid-19 antigen testing. Patients are moving to managing their health on their own terms and we as an industry need to appropriately facilitate. This panel will discuss test access/affordability as well as regulatory topics and operational aspects that present challenges and opportunities for patients to get the results they need. The different channels of how patients can access testing will also be a core topic with the ongoing evolution from traditional methods.
Robert Mordkin, MD, CMO, LetsGetChecked
Amy Summy, Executive Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer, Labcorp
Shawn Carlson, Vice President, Head of Market Access, Roche Diagnostics
1:00 pmLunch in the Exhibit Hall
2:00 pmClose of At-Home & Point-of-Care Diagnostics Conference
Conference Programs