Conference Collaborators
The Science and Faith (STOQ) Foundation
The Science and Faith (STOQ) Foundation is a foundation under Vatican law promoted by the Pontifical Council for Culture. The identity and mission of the foundation have their main Magisterial references in the Pastoral Constitution, Gaudium et Spes, in the talks of St. John Paul II and Benedict XVI on the relations between science and faith, particularly in the Encyclical Fides et Ratio. The Foundation aims to give continuity to the activities of Project STOQ, which emerged from the collaboration between the Pontifical Council for Culture and Pontifical Roman Universities following the Galileo Commission and the Jubilee of Scientists in the year 2000. Among the aims of the foundation are research and study of the themes of dialogue between science, philosophy and theology; realization of conferences and other activities of high cultural and scientific value, even at the popular level; and publication of works of merit on the main arguments of the science–faith dialogue.
Stem for Life Foundation
Stem for Life, a Cura Foundation (SFLF) is a nonsectarian, nonpartisan, tax-exempt organization under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code focused on creating a movement to accelerate the development of cell therapies. SFLF believes that cell therapy holds the promise to cure many of the world’s most debilitating illnesses, as opposed to merely treating their symptoms. It represents a fundamental shift away from traditional drug treatment in favor of looking inside ourselves to understand and, then amplify, our bodies’ natural repair mechanisms. SFLF is firmly committed to advancing cell therapy research and development and its applications to improve the everyday lives of everyday people. To further this end, SFLF raises awareness and supports research and development efforts. SFLF was established in 2007. Expanding the foundation’s original focus on adult stem cell therapy alone, the foundation’s board of trustees and staff are deeply committed to the considerable promise to improve human health, increase the quality of life and enhance patient care offered by the broader field of cell therapy.
Sanford Health
Sanford Health, one of the largest health systems in the United States, is dedicated to the integrated delivery of health care, genomic medicine, senior care and services, global clinics, research and affordable insurance. Headquartered in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, the organization includes 44 hospitals, 1,400 physicians and more than 200 Good Samaritan Society senior care locations in 26 states and nine countries.
Learn more about Sanford Health’s transformative work to improve the human condition at sanfordhealth.org or Sanford Health News.
John Templeton Foundation
Founded in 1987, the John Templeton Foundation supports research and dialogue on the deepest and most perplexing questions facing humankind. The Foundation funds work on subjects ranging from black holes and evolution to creativity, forgiveness, and free will. It also encourages civil, informed dialogue among scientists, philosophers, theologians, and the public at large.
With an endowment of $3.8 billion and annual giving of approximately $115 million, the Foundation ranks among the 25 largest grantmaking foundations in the United States. Headquartered outside Philadelphia, its philanthropic activities have engaged all major faith traditions and extended to more than 190 countries around the world.
The Leona M. and Harry B. Helmsley Charitable Trust
The Leona M. and Harry B. Helmsley Charitable Trust is a global philanthropy committed to helping people live better lives today and creating stronger, healthier futures for individuals and communities. Our Type 1 Diabetes (T1D) Program is dedicated to helping the global T1D community live safer, better, and more fulfilling lives today while funding advancements in research and technology for a better tomorrow.
T1D is an autoimmune disease, and the only one requiring day-to-day management that includes regular dosing decisions with a drug (insulin) that can cause death. It’s a lifelong condition that poses significant burdens on individuals, their loved ones, and on health systems in the United States and around the world. Current access to care and existing therapies falls short of easing these burdens, and incrementalism is not an option. Helmsley invests in ideas that have the potential for significant impact. We embrace high-risk efforts, led by dedicated leaders who will be partners and share our vision.
For additional information, please visit: helmsleytrust.org
Hackensack Meridian Health
Hackensack Meridian Health is a leading not-for-profit health care organization that is the largest, most comprehensive and truly integrated health care network in New Jersey.
Hackensack Meridian Health comprises 17 hospitals, which includes three academic medical centers, two children’s hospitals, nine community hospitals, a behavioral health hospital, and two rehabilitation hospitals.
Additionally, the network has more than 500 patient care locations which include ambulatory care centers, surgery centers, home health services, long-term care and assisted living communities, ambulance services, lifesaving air medical transportation, a fitness and wellness center, rehabilitation centers, urgent care centers and physician practice locations. Hackensack Meridian Health has more than 36,000 team members and 7,000 physicians.
The Hackensack Meridian School of Medicine opened in 2018, the first private medical school in New Jersey in more than 50 years. The health network also formed a partnership with Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center.
For additional information, please visit HackensackMeridianHealth.org.
T. Denny Sanford Institute for Empathy and Compassion at University of California San Diego
At the University of California San Diego, we embrace a culture of exploration and experimentation. Case in point: Advances in brain imaging and the neurosciences allow previously unimagined insights into the workings of the human mind, but not necessarily how to translate that knowledge into a benefit for patients or provider. Until now with the establishment of the T. Denny Sanford Institute for Empathy and Compassion at UC San Diego. The university has been shaped by exceptional scholars who are not afraid to look deeper, challenge expectations and redefine conventional wisdom. Established in 1960, UC San Diego’s rich academic portfolio includes six undergraduate colleges, five academic divisions and five graduate and professional schools. Ranked internationally as one of the top 20 research universities, we are driving innovation and change to advance society, propel economic growth and make our world a better place. Learn more about UC San Diego’s Sanford Institute for Empathy and Compassion at empathyandcompassion.ucsd.edu.
Industry Collaborators
Celularity
Celularity is a clinical stage biotechnology company leading the next evolution in cellular medicine by developing off-the-shelf placental-derived allogeneic cell therapies, including unmodified NK cells, genetically-modified NK cells, T cells engineered with a CAR (CAR T-cells), and mesenchymal-like adherent stromal cells (ASCs) targeting indications across cancer, immunologic, infectious and degenerative diseases. Celularity believes that by harnessing the placenta’s unique biology and ready availability, it will be able to develop therapeutic solutions that address significant unmet global needs for effective, accessible, and affordable therapies.
To learn more, please visit celularity.com.
Akkad Holdings
Akkad Holdings is the family office of Stephen Shaya, M.D. He trained as a family practice physician and has been the Executive Servant Leader at J & B Medical, his family's company. Dr. Shaya developed J & B Medical's new lines of business, running the gamut from medical distribution to specialty distribution to being one of the largest third-party billers of consumable products in the United States. Akkad Holdings invests in health care and health care platforms, which can leverage J & B's global distribution channels. Most recently, Akkad Holdings has been providing catalytic capital to a new initiative advancing global health innovations in collaboration. The mantra of all of the activities of this active family office is the following: "People. Purpose. Pay It Forward." At every turn, Dr. Shaya has tried to demonstrate his grandmother's favorite phrase and a quote from Mother Teresa: "Not all of us can do great things. But we can do small things with great love."
If you would like to learn more, please follow Akkad Holdings on LinkedIn.
Aspire Capital
Aspire Capital Fund, LLC, is a Chicago-based investor focused on health care companies that are advancing breakthrough solutions to unmet medical needs. We believe recent advancements in chemistry, immunology, biomedical engineering, and genetics have enabled revolutionary treatments of serious disease and are poised to change the practice of medicine. Aspire leverages its expertise in science and medicine to dive deep into a broad range of approaches, from cell-based therapies in oncology, complex biologics in autoimmune disease, to genetically targeted approaches in rare neurological disorders. We invest across all stages of development and in all modalities including biologics, small molecules, cell & gene therapy, medical devices, and cutting-edge diagnostics. Aspire Capital’s critical mission is to support companies that seek to develop disease modifying drugs and transform clinical practice.
Sorrento Therapeutics
Sorrento Therapeutics, Inc., is a clinical stage, antibody-centric, biopharmaceutical company developing new therapies to treat cancers and COVID-19. Sorrento’s multimodal, multipronged approach to fighting cancer is made possible by its extensive immuno-oncology platforms, including key assets such as fully human antibodies (“G-MAB™ library”), clinical stage immuno-cellular therapies (“CAR-T”, “DAR-T™”), antibody-drug conjugates (“ADCs”), and clinical stage oncolytic virus (“Seprehvir™”). Sorrento is also developing potential antiviral therapies and vaccines against coronaviruses, including COVIGUARD™, COVI-AMG™, COVISHIELD™, Gene-MAb™, COVI-MSC™ and COVIDROPS™; and diagnostic test solutions, including COVITRACK™, COVISTIX™ and COVITRACE™.
Sorrento’s commitment to life-enhancing therapies for patients is also demonstrated by our effort to advance a first-in-class (TRPV1 agonist) non-opioid pain management small molecule, resiniferatoxin (“RTX”), and SP-102 (10 mg, dexamethasone sodium phosphate viscous gel) (SEMDEXA™), a novel, viscous gel formulation of a widely used corticosteroid for epidural injections to treat lumbosacral radicular pain, or sciatica, and to commercialize ZTlido® (lidocaine topical system) 1.8% for the treatment of post-herpetic neuralgia. RTX has completed a Phase IB trial for intractable pain associated with cancer and a Phase 1B trial in osteoarthritis patients. SEMDEXA is in a pivotal Phase 3 trial for the treatment of lumbosacral radicular pain, or sciatica. ZTlido® was approved by the FDA on February 28, 2018.
To learn more, please visit sorrentotherapeutics.com.
United Therapeutics Corporation
United Therapeutics Corporation focuses on the strength of a balanced, value-creating biotechnology model. We are confident in our future thanks to our fundamental attributes, namely our obsession with quality and innovation, the power of our brands, our entrepreneurial culture and our bioinformatics leadership. We also believe that our determination to be responsible citizens – having a positive impact on patients, the environment and society – will sustain our success in the long term.
Through our wholly-owned subsidiary, Lung Biotechnology PBC, we are focused on addressing the acute national shortage of transplantable lungs and other organs with a variety of technologies that either delay the need for such organs or expand the supply. Lung Biotechnology is the first public benefit corporation subsidiary of a public biotechnology or pharmaceutical company.
Alliance Global Partners
A.G.P. / Alliance Global Partners is a regional investment and advisory firm that has been a member of FINRA and registered with the SEC since 1980. A.G.P. specializes in wealth management and the middle market institutional arena. We have Full-Service capabilities with a global ability to handle domestic as well as international customers. A.G.P. prides itself on providing its clients with boutique-level services along with the comfort of knowing their assets are held at Fidelity Custody and Clearing. Whether a client is looking for wealth management advice, Institutional services, or investment banking, we have a track record and a proven team to assist. We pride ourselves on long-lasting relationships with our clients, ranging from some of the largest institutions and crossing over to the individual investor. We strive to make sure your interests become our interests.