Don't miss this chance to eat, drink, learn, and be merry with colleagues from across life sciences and healthcare technology. Hear from heavyweights building the infrastructure and deploying AI-enabled operations and devices in healthcare settings.
NIH Director Visits Pittsburgh's Human Health Innovation Hub
Senator McCormick hosted Director Jay Bhattacharya for a full day visit of the Pittsburgh ecosystem, including a Human Health Innovation Forum convened by PLSA. The forum highlighted how federal research investment translates into jobs, medical breakthroughs, and economic growth.
The forum included dozens of ecosystem executives and featured a panel with the Senator, NIH Director, University of Pittsburgh Chancellor Joan Gabel and Carnegie Mellon University President Farnam Jahanian, moderated by PLSA's VP of External Affairs Austin Price.
Key Quotes
“Pennsylvania is one of the great life sciences hubs in the world, and I was proud to welcome Director Bhattacharya to Pittsburgh to see it firsthand. With advances in artificial intelligence and new technologies accelerating research, Pennsylvania is well positioned to lead the next generation of medical innovation.” - Sen. McCormick
“What stands out most is the extraordinary collaboration among the University of Pittsburgh, UPMC, and Carnegie Mellon University. Together, they represent a powerful trifecta of research and innovation, seamlessly bridging cutting-edge technology with biomedical discovery in ways that set a standard for institutions across the country.” - NIH Director Bhattacharya
Watch the story of how Smith+Nephew came to have their global R+D center for surgical robotics and enabling technologies based in Pittsburgh, which demonstrates the translation of discovery to jobs and health impact.
Photos from the Human Health Innovation Forum
Life Sciences Future Southwest
For the second year, LSPA and PLSA collaborated to bring Life Sciences Future Southwest to Pittsburgh. Hundreds of life sciences leaders, founders, investors, and academic partners came together to spotlight innovation across Southwest PA. The day included company pitches to investors across pre-seed, seed, and series A; perspectives from seasoned life sciences executives on the current uncertainty and choppiness of the market; and insights on the role of AI in changing the baseline for everything from clinical trials, to drug discovery, and biomanufacturing.
Here are a few highlights from the day:
Dr. Michael Bozik of Biohaven, Nick Pachuda of Peptilogics, and Scott Morley of the University of Pittsburgh kicked off the day with a mix of hard medicine and optimism. The three emphasized the long-view, perseverance, and conviction that is required for any journey to bring a new product to market in the life sciences. Dr. Bozik and Pachuda emphasized the importance of building strong working relationships with seasoned operators and corporate partners that can help you weather uncertainty, drawing on their long careers in the industry.
Dr. Anantha Shekhar, dean of the school of medicine at Pitt, shared the stage with Christopher Murphy, CEO of Elevate Bio. They discussed the capabilities coming online with the construction of BioForge, where Elevate Bio will be the anchor tenant and BioForge, LLC, a Pitt subsidiary, will occupy the rest of the space in the state-of-the-art facility. Both panelists spoke with enthusiasm about how emerging technology can change the timeline and cost for new therapy discovery and development and emphasized the need for state investment to accelerate the industry, as covered by the Pittsburgh Business Times.
Dr. Nicole Ansansi of UPMC Enterprises, Lara Luciano of GSK, Stacy Hurt of Parexel, and Dr. Chelsea Osterman of Tempus AI took the stage together for a 360 degree discussion of the current challenges in enrollment and activation for clinical trials. The experts covered ways their institutions are standardizing IRBs and contracting, alleviating administrative burden through better data integration, and the increasing use of AI to more quickly match patients to the right clinical trials. Clinical Leader recapped the panel’s key discussion points.
The energy of the day was palpable and the rooms buzzed with the excitement of new connections being made to propel initiatives forward.
Writing for Pharmaceutical Online, editor Katie Anderson aptly summed up the day writing: "Money is coming into Western PA, innovation is happening, and the future looks bright."
Welcoming Michael Bozik, M.D. to the PLSA Board
PLSA is announcing the addition of Dr. Michael Bozik to our board of directors. Dr. Bozik will add invaluable industry experience to our board and critical feedback on our strategy and programming as we work to elevate Pittsburgh as a global destination for - and source of - talent, capital, and transformative health innovation.
Dr. Bozik has more than 30 years of experience in drug discovery and development and in academic research and practice and currently serves as the President, Ion Channel R+D at Biohaven. Prior to joining Biohaven, he served for 17 years as President and CEO of Knopp Biosciences, a Pittsburgh-based biotechnology company that discovered BHV-7000. Over his career, Dr. Bozik has led pioneering discovery and clinical research programs in cancer immunotherapy, neurodegeneration, neuroexcitability, and neuropsychiatric diseases, including leading the team that secured the New Drug Application approval of ABILIFY® (aripiprazole).
He is the author of more than 20 peer-reviewed publications, the principal investigator on NIH grants totaling more than $3 million, and an inventor on 28 issued U.S. patents related to drugs developed for ALS, epilepsy, and asthma.
Dr. Bozik previously served in leadership roles at Bristol-Myers Squibb and directed the Brain Tumor Center at the University of Pittsburgh Cancer Institute and headed its Division of Neuro-Oncology. He received his M.D. from the University of Pittsburgh and conducted his fellowship training in neurology and neuro-oncology at the University of Michigan and the University of Pittsburgh.
PA Senate Committee Visits Pittsburgh
The Senate Institutional Sustainability and Innovation Committee chaired by Senator Frank Farry (R-Bucks) held a hearing in Pittsburgh on May 7th. PLSA CEO Megan Shaw testified alongside executives from LSPA, SignatureDX, Cook MyoSite, and Kalivir about the importance of the industry to the region and Commonwealth and key policy options that could drive higher growth and retention. Proposals under consideration include a $100 million investment in the innovation economy put forward in the Governor’s budget, a partial state match for federal SBIR/STTR awards, and an expansion of the research and development tax credit.
Megan Shaw, CEO, PLSA, Kurt Imhof, VP of Policy and Public Affairs, LSPA, Stephen Thorne, Co-founder & Chief Scientific Officer, Kalivir Immunotherapeutics, David Colaizzi, Co-founder & CEO, Signature Dx, and Ryan Pruchnic, Managing VP, Cooke Myosite
Inserting the Pittsburgh Ecosystem into the National Competitiveness Discussion
PLSA was invited by the National Security Commission on Emerging Biotechnology (NSCEB) to share some of the region’s unique assets at the intersection of bio and emerging technology to other ecosystem leaders from around the country during the Biotech Across America State Symposium co-hosted by the NSCEB, the Federation of American Scientists, and the Engineering Biology Research Consortium (EBRC) in Washington, D.C.
The forum provided a valuable view into national programs to build talent and advance commercialization. PLSA executives also visited with members of the Western Pennsylvania congressional delegation to discuss key proposals from the NSCEB that could help advance the regional economy and national competitiveness.
Employer Profile – PANTHERx Rare
What began in a Pittsburgh garage in 2011 has grown into the largest independent rare disease pharmacy in the United States. PANTHERx® Rare now operates from facilities in Pittsburgh, PA and Memphis, TN, and is licensed to serve patients in all 50 states. The company's growth has been driven by deliberate investments in its people, technology, and infrastructure.
PANTHERx holds a distinct place in the rare disease pharmacy landscape as the trusted leader and innovator in patient access and support services for personalized rare disease care. It’s also the first national pharmacy to earn dual accreditations in rare disease from the Accreditation Commission for Health Care (ACHC) and the Utilization Review Accreditation Commission (URAC). Its commitment to the patient experience has also been recognized through nine MMIT Patient Choice Awards, including the 2026 award.
Central to this success is its pioneering rare pharmacy model, designed to make rare disease care more personal and less overwhelming. Across every step of the patient journey, PANTHERx teams build deep, one-to-one relationships with patients, prescribers, and pharmaceutical partners—acting as trusted advocates and ensuring seamless coordination of care.
PANTHERx has received multiple workplace recognitions, including, a USA TODAY Top Workplace and a Top Workplace in the Healthcare Industry for the second consecutive year.
PANTHERx Rare currently has numerous open positions in the region. Learn more at Careers - PANTHERx Rare.
Startup Profile – SignatureDX
Signature Diagnostics was founded to commercialize and advance the pioneering genomics research of Dr. David Peters, conducted at Magee-Womens Research Institute. Peters' work in noninvasive prenatal screening (NIPS) was shaped by a deeply personal experience: in 2001, when he and his wife faced a high-risk pregnancy, they learned that the standard diagnostic options—amniocentesis and chorionic villus sampling—carried significant miscarriage risk. That moment redirected his research toward developing safer, blood-based alternatives. The resulting NIPS technology, which uses maternal plasma as a liquid biopsy, transformed prenatal care by giving expectant mothers a low-risk screening option.
The company took shape in 2019, when Peters connected with Dave Colaizzi, a pharmacogenomics entrepreneur and former operator of the Genelex testing lab. They were soon joined by biostatistician Dr. Tianjiao Chu, and together the three formed Signature's leadership team—Colaizzi as CEO, Peters as Chief Science Officer, and Chu as Chief Analytical Officer.
In 2021, the team launched SDxLabs, earning CLIA certification that July. Initial COVID-19 testing services helped meet pressing community demand while building the lab's commercial and research infrastructure. Today, SDxLabs offers noninvasive prenatal screening and pharmacogenomic testing for clinical drug trials, while continuing to translate Peters' research into novel diagnostic tools.
Quotes to Keep
Mark Cuban joined “Powering the Future of Sport,” a showcase and AI pitch competition put on by Carnegie Mellon University and the AI Strike Team during NFL draft week. Here’s what he had to say about the region—worth sharing with anyone who will listen.
Jobs, Jobs, Jobs
Find your next role in the local life sciences and healthcare technology sectors, or send a job to the smartest and best friend you have who wants to move to Pittsburgh.
NIH Director says funding reforms could bring Pittsburgh more research dollars Pittsburgh Business Times During a visit to Pittsburgh with Sen. Dave McCormick, NIH Director Dr. Jay Bhattacharya shared how he sees proposed changes creating opportunities for increased funding and competitiveness for regions like Pittsburgh.
Renerva Achieves First-in-Human Implant of PNM-CAP Device for Neuroma Pain PR Newswire Renerva PNM-CAP™ is an investigational nerve capping device designed to inhibit disorganized nerve growth (neuroma) and associated neuropathic pain when functional recovery of a severed nerve is neither achievable nor desired.
Thoroughcare + Withings Digital Health Wire ThoroughCare teams up with Withings Health Solutions to equip providers with real-time visibility into patient progress via a new integration with Withings’ cellular scales.
Pennsylvania Universities and Commonwealth Leaders Launch Keystone AI + Quantum Factory Quantum Insider Pennsylvania's seven research universities, the Pittsburgh Supercomputing Center, and the Commonwealth have launched the Keystone AI + Quantum Factory, a statewide network designed to translate university research into practical applications across life sciences, energy, manufacturing, agriculture, and robotics.
Traveling Across America, We Discovered How to Beat China National Security Commission on Emerging Biotechnology "In February, the National Security Commission on Emerging Biotechnology visited a 100-year-old industrial complex in Pittsburgh, newly converted into a $40 million research facility run almost entirely by robots."
We are always looking for your input! Please send suggestions for newsletter content or spotlights to Stephen Biernacki at sbiernacki@pittsburghlifesci.org.
Pittsburgh Life Sciences Alliance, 115 Atwood Street, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, United States
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