Professor Andreas Möller is a trained biochemist and cancer biologist, with >20 years’ experience in cancer research. He is Professor in the Faculty of Medicine at the Chinese University of Hong Kong, supported by the prestigious Global STEM Professor fellowship. In addition, he is the Director of the Jockey Club Laboratory of Precision Cancer Medicine at the Li Ka Shing Institute of Health Sciences. Previously, between 2012 and 2023, he led the Tumour Microenvironment Laboratory at the QIMRB Medical Research Institute, Brisbane, Australia. Professor Möller has a strong background in cancer cell biology, extracellular vesicle (EV) biology, hypoxia research, cancer metastasis and cancer immunology. He is Member of the Board of Directors of the International Society of Extracellular Vesicles since 2022, and since 2024 elected Executive Chair for Meetings and Programs as well as one of the founders and Executive Board Member of the Asia Pacific Societies of Extracellular Vesicles.

Andrew K. Godwin, PhD is the Chancellors Distinguished Chair in Biomedical Sciences endowed Professor and the Director of Molecular Oncology in the Department of Pathology at the University of Kansas Medical Center (KUMC). He is a leader in the field of translational research and precision medicine. A native of Lawrence, Kansas, Dr. Godwin graduated with highest distinction from the University of Kansas (KU) with a bachelor’s degree in Cellular Biology. He obtained his PhD in Molecular Biology from the University of Pennsylvania while carrying out his thesis research at Fox Chase Cancer Center (FCCC) in Philadelphia. While at FCCC he had the pleasure of learning from “giants” in their respective fields of cancer-focused science. He was appointed leader of the FCCC’s Cancer Center Support Grant Ovarian Cancer Program in 2008 and served as co-leader of the Women's Cancer Program from 2009 to 2010. He was the founding director of both the Clinical Molecular Genetics/Pathology Laboratory and the Biosample Repository at FCCC since their inception in 1995 and 1999 respectively, and until leaving FCCC.

Dr. Godwin was recruited to KUMC as the director of Molecular Oncology and as the Associate Director for Translational Research within the KU Cancer Center in October 2010 after 26 productive years at FCCC. His engaged participation in the cancer center led to being appointed the Deputy Director in 2013 and his unwavering efforts helped to gain NCI designation in 2012/2017 and comprehensive designation in 2022. He founded the Clinical Molecular Oncology Laboratory, a CLIA-certified, CAP-accredited molecular diagnostics laboratory in 2012. He was appointed the Division Director for Genomic Diagnostic for the KU Health System in 2020. He also founded the Center for Genetics Services and Health Equity, to address health disparities in medical underserved populations regionally and nationally.

Dr. Godwin holds secondary appointments as a Professor in the Department of Internal Medicine, and the Department of Microbiology, Molecular Genetics, and Immunology. He also leads the ovarian cancer research-working group, is a member of the Investigator Initiated Trial Steering Committee, serves as the founding Scientific Director for the Biomarker Discovery Laboratory, the Director of the KU Cancer Center’s Biospecimen Shared Resource, and the KU Medical Center’s Biospecimen Repository Core Facility. He was named the Vice Chair for the Breast Translational Medicine subcommittee of the Southwest Oncology Group in 2018 and was appointed to the National Cancer Institute’s NCTN Core Correlative Sciences Committee in 2021.

Dr. Godwin heads KU’s institutional efforts in precision medicine. In 2016 he founded the Kansas Institute for Precision Medicine which is currently supported by a Phase 2 Centers of Biomedical Research Excellence (P20 GM130423) grant from the NIGMS. He is also a co-founder of a startup company, Sinochips Diagnostics, a private reference laboratory that provides pharmacogenomic testing to provide a road map for which drugs will be most effective for each individual patient.

He was named a Kansas Bioscience Authority Eminent Scholar in 2010 and the University of Kansas School of Medicine Chancellor’s Distinguished Chair in Biomedical Sciences Endowed Professor in 2012. In 2014, Dr. Godwin received the KUMC School of Medicine’s Achievement Award for the mentoring of post-doctorate students. Of his awards, he is most proud of being acknowledged for his years of mentoring. He has mentored over 150 trainees, including high school students, undergraduates, graduate students, postdoctoral associates/fellows, medical students/fellows, visiting scientists, and junior faculty during his academic career. He was awarded the KU Medical Center’s Faculty Investigator Research Award in 2015, the University of Kansas Cancer Center Director’s William Jewell Team Science Award in 2017, the KUCC Director’s Basic Science Award and the Chancellor’s Club Award for Research in 2018, and the Dolph C. Simons, Sr. Higuchi Award in the Biomedical Sciences in 2020 – the state higher education system’s most prestigious recognition for scholarly excellence. Most recently, Godwin was presented with the 2021 KU School of Medicine Excellences in Mentoring (Faculty) award and the 2021 Cancer Center Director’s Award in Mentoring and was named the 2022 Lead Scholar in Biomedical Sciences by the Ewha Womans University in South Korea. Most recently he presented the 2024 Outstanding Mentorship in Pathology Award by the University School of Medicine and Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine in recognition of dedication to the mentorship and education of future pathologists.

Dr. Godwin is internationally recognized for his molecular biology/genetic studies of sarcoma (gastrointestinal stromal tumors and Ewing sarcoma), breast and ovarian cancer, and his efforts to help bridge the gap between basic and clinical science to improve patient care. As a result of his efforts, Dr. Godwin has been continuously since his first faculty appointment at the Fox Chase (in 1993) and has secured extramural funding totaling >$250M. He has published over 550 peer-reviewed manuscripts and scholarly review articles (h index = 143; >95,000 citations) and is the author of 4 patent applications.

Dr. Banishree Saha serves as the Associate Director and Analytical Lead for Translational Biomarker Assays at Takeda Pharmaceuticals in Cambridge, Massachusetts. She is instrumental in advancing biomarker assay development and spearheading innovative research in gastrointestinal and liver diseases. Renowned for her expertise in extracellular vesicles, especially exosomes, Dr. Saha has made substantial contributions to understanding the role of microRNA cargo in immune responses during liver injury. Her extensive experience in academia and the pharmaceutical industry allows her to significantly influence the field of liver biology and translational research, devising new therapeutic strategies for liver-related ailments.

Dr. Bowen Li is a tenure-track Assistant Professor at the Leslie Dan Faculty of Pharmacy, the Institute of Biomedical Engineering, and the Department of Chemistry at the University of Toronto. He is also an Affiliate Scientist at the Princess Margaret Cancer Centre. Dr. Li holds the Tier 2 Canada Research Chair in RNA Vaccines and Therapeutics and the GSK Chair in Pharmaceutics and Drug Delivery. He earned his Ph.D. in Bioengineering from the University of Washington, Seattle, and completed a postdoctoral fellowship under Profs. Robert Langer and Daniel Anderson at MIT. Dr. Li’s lab employs interdisciplinary strategies, including combinatorial chemistry, high throughput platforms, and AI-driven design of experiments, to develop advanced delivery systems for RNA medicines. Dr. Li has authored over fifty publications in top-tier journals, such as Nature Biotechnology, Nature Materials, Nature Biomedical Engineering, Nature Medicine, PNAS, and Science Advances, and holds eight patents. His research has been recognized with awards including the Moderna Fellowship, AAPS Emerging Investigator Award, CSPS Early Career Award, Marsha Morton Early Career Investigator Award, ACS Rising Star in Biological, Medicinal, and Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Gairdner Early Career Investigator Award, J.P. Bickell Medical Research Award, and Connaught New Researcher Award.

Brian Feng is the CEO and co-founder of Osem Fluidics. He received a BS in Biomedical Engineering, MS in Materials Engineering, and PhD in Materials Science from the University of Southern California. His current focus is advancing microfluidic solutions for assembling lipid nanoparticles at high throughput.

Dr. Simms, an HBCU alumna, synthetic polymer chemist, and entrepreneur is currently an assistant professor at the University of Cincinnati. Her research focuses on the design and development of functional biomaterials that address public health challenges. Her ultimate goal is to move biomaterials from the benchtop and into the communities that need them most, all while empowering the next generation of STEM scholars.

Dr. Chukwumaobim Nwokwu completed his graduate studies in Molecular Science and Nanotechnology. He is a widely published author, with a broad interdisciplinary focus in the fields of applied genomics, cancer therapeutics, nanomedicine, advances in exosome and extracellular RNA (exRNA) technology, biomedical engineering and device design. Dr. Nwokwu is an Assistant Professor of Biochemistry and Head of the Biomimetics Modeling (BM2) Lab at Florida Gulf Coast University.

Dr. Pearse is a Professor at The Miami Project to Cure Paralysis, Department of Neurological Surgery at the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine. Dr. Pearse is also a Research Health Scientist at the Bruce Carter Miami VA Healthcare System. Dr. Pearse received his undergraduate degree in Biotechnology and doctorate in Neuroscience from Griffith University, Queensland, Australia. Following a postdoctoral fellowship at The University of Miami, Dr. Pearse joined the faculty. Dr. Pearse was an associate in the Christopher and Dana Reeve Foundation Consortium from 2000 to 2006 and in 2005 received the Erica Nader Award for being the Outstanding Investigator in SCI Research from the American Spinal Injury Association. Dr. Pearse is currently The John M. and Jocelyn H.K. Watkins Distinguished Chair in Cell Therapies where his work is focused on the translation of autologous cell therapies for neural repair following spinal cord injury and other neurological disorders.

Prof. Dr. Dominique PV de Kleijn is molecular biologist and chemist and professor of Exp. Vascular Surgery at UMC Utrecht and professor at the Netherlands Heart Institute. From 2012 to 2016, he was Research Professor of Surgery at NUS/NUHS and preclinical director of the Cardiovascular Research Institute (CVRI) Singapore. He was until 2016 professor of Cardiovascular Immunology and co-chair of Experimental Cardiology at UMC Utrecht. Since 1997 he is coordinating cardiovascular research from basic science, animal myocardial infarction and atherosclerotic studies (pig and sheep) towards clinical biobanking studies. His research interests are: The innate immune system in cardiovascular disease and atherosclerosis & Biomarkers predictive for primary & secondary events with a focus on plasma extracellular vesicles. He has more then 275 publications and a H-factor of 78.

Professor Hsueh-Chia Chang is the Bayer Professor of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering at the University of Notre Dame. He has been at Notre Dame since 1987 and has served as the department chair and the director of the Center for Microfluidics and Nanofluidics. His research is in the area of micro/nanofluidics and diagnostics, particularly integrated devices for the isolation and characterization of exosomes and other nanocarriers. His research has resulted in 19 patented technologies, eight of them have been licensed by four startups: Cubed Laboratories, AgenDx, ImpeDx and Aopia Biosciences. Products developed from these IPs include CRDTM Botrytis Detection kit by CubedLabs and NanoExTM exosome purification technology by Aopia Bio. Professor Chang served as the Chief Scientific Advisor of FCubed LLC (predecessor of CubedLabs) for 4 years. He co-founded Aopia Bio in 2019 and currently serves as its interim CTO and Board member. Professor Chang has published more than 300 papers and has a Google h-index of 79. He is the co-author of a seminal book in microfluidics: "Electrokinetically Driven Microfluidics and Nanofluidics" by Cambridge University Press in 2009. Professor Chang founded a new journal, Biomicrofluidics of the American Institute of Physics, in 2006 and served for 12 years as its Chief Editor. More than 35 PhD and post-doc students from his laboratory have embarked on academic careers as tenure-track professors in all engineering and science disciplines over 5 continents (15 in the US), including Duke, Imperial, Johns Hopkins etc. They include a chancellor, a Provost, three Department Chairs, four endowed chairs and five NSF Career Awardees. Industrial alumni from his group hold manager/director positions at Merck, Gilead, Alcon, Genentech and other major biotech and world-leading microfluidic companies. Professor Chang is a fellow of APS, NAI and AIMBE. His microfluidics work has been recognized by the Frenkiel Award from APS, the Lifetime Achievement Award from AES and the 1st Source Bank Commercialization Award. He has also won the Notre Dame Provost Research Achievement Award and was recognized at half time during the 2024 game against Stanford.

Johnny Zhuang, a Business Development & Product Application Scientist at EXODUS BIO since March 2023, plays an important role in the development and application of the EXODUS - automatic exosome isolation system. He obtained his Bachelor of Science from Hong Kong Baptist University and his Master of Science in Biotechnology from Georgetown University. Johnny's diverse experience includes significant roles in research and product application at Charles River Laboratories, as well as in research at NOVAVAX INC and Nantomics LLC.

As one of the founding members of Intuitive Biosciences, Dr. Luke has been leading the company’s research efforts in infectious disease diagnostics for over 13 years. She completed her PhD studying influenza virus at the University of Wisconsin-Madison and has worked at small biotech companies and larger pharma companies like Pfizer. Her research has focused on utilizing novel immunoassay platforms for multiplex biomarker detection for bacterial and viral infections in humans and animals, including tuberculosis, HIV, and SARS CoV-2, and she is the primary inventor on several issued and pending worldwide patents. With Intuitive Biosciences, she has been awarded several NIH contracts focused on the development of improved HIV diagnostics. Most recently her work has focused on extracellular vesicle (EV)-based lateral flow immunoassay that overcomes the limitations of current point-of-care HIV testing technologies.

Michael Graner received his PhD in Biochemistry from the University of Illinois followed by post-doctoral and research faculty work at the University of Arizona, shifting gears from the Drosophila extracellular matrix to cancer immunotherapy. He then took at faculty position at Duke University’s Tisch Brain Tumor Center, followed by his current position as Professor in Neurosurgery at the University of Colorado Denver (Anschutz Medical Campus). He is also a member of the University of Colorado Cancer Center, the Colorado Clinical and Translational Sciences Institute, the MAVRC Program, and holds a Visiting Professorship Appointment at the Shenzhen Third People’s Hospital (China) and an adjunct faculty appointment at Colorado State University. Graner has a long-standing interest in cell stress responses, which led to cancer vaccine development (including one in clinical trials), which somehow led to the world of extracellular vesicles (EVs). His lab currently concentrates on signaling mechanisms involving EVs, in particular the transfer of stressed phenotypes from stressed tumor cells to unstressed ones via EVs.

Dr. Ghosh, a Research Associate Professor at The Miami Project to Cure Paralysis in the Department of Neurological Surgery at the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, is at the forefront of developing innovative therapies for spinal cord injury. Her research focuses on reprogramming microglia and macrophages into neuroprotective and pro-regenerative phenotypes to overcome neurological dysfunction and promote recovery, using clinically relevant rodent models.

Dr. Ghosh earned her Ph.D. in Biochemistry from the University of Calcutta, India, and joined the faculty at the Miami Project after completing her postdoctoral training at the University of Miami. Her work has earned prestigious accolades, including the Sam Schmidt Paralysis Foundation Award and the American Spinal Injury Association’s Spinal Cord Injury Research Award, for groundbreaking contributions to 3D modeling of glial interactions in the injured CNS. Currently, her research delves into modulating microglial exosomal cargo to enhance their anti-inflammatory and pro-regenerative potential, paving the way for novel therapeutic strategies in CNS repair.

Dr. Mahoney is a professor with dual appointments in the Departments of Pharmacology, Physiology, and Cancer Biology and Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, at Thomas Jefferson University in Philadelphia, PA. She is also a member of the Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center. She received a PhD in Molecular and Cellular Biology from the University of Massachusetts at Amherst and post-doctoral trainings in Cardiovascular Biology at Parke-Davis Pharmaceuticals and in Dermatology at the University of Pennsylvania. Dr. Mahoney is part of the leadership team for the Squamous Cell Carcinoma Tumor Ecology and Microenvironment (STEM) Research Group and is a Co-Director of the Jefferson EV Talks. She is a Board member of the International Society for Extracellular Vesicles and a Co-Director of Meetings for the American Society for Intercellular Communication. The goal of Dr. Mahoney’s laboratory is to understand, at the molecular and cellular level, how normal signaling events during tissue morphogenesis and development are subverted for pathogenic signaling during malignant transformation and disease progression. She focuses on intercellular communication including membrane trafficking, extracellular vesicle biogenesis, and cytokine release.

Natalia Tumidajski is a Principal Scientist and GMP Site Head at ExoCel Bio in Doylestown, Pennsylvania with a background in regenerative medicine, stem cell research, and exosome technology, Her work focuses on developing innovative solutions for skin health, anti-aging, hair rejuvenation, and wound healing. In her current role, Natalia leads the development and management of a state-of-the-art facility specializing in regenerative medicine. She oversees GMP and R&D laboratories, ensuring compliance with regulatory standards and driving innovative research initiatives. Her leadership extends to strategic site management, experimental design, and the development of novel products. Natalia is also an active presenter at national conferences, sharing her findings and contributing to the scientific community.

Natalia’s lab is dedicated to optimizing GMP manufacturing of exosomes, conducting in-depth characterization studies—including mRNA and growth factor expression profiling—and assessing the effects of lyophilization on extracellular vesicle stability. The team is also evaluating advanced 3D cell culture systems and exploring the effects of microgravity and hypoxia on exosome yield and potency, aiming to enhance their therapeutic potential for regenerative medicine.

Currently, I am a Principal Investigator at the US Army Institute of Surgical Research (USAISR) where I utilize several animal models of injury to (1) study the relationship between stress and pain, (2) elucidate potential pain biomarkers, (3) explore potential drug targets that function to reduce injury-induced pain and (4) test the efficacy and safety of potential pain therapeutics. Previously, I obtained my PhD in Molecular Neuroscience at the University of Texas at Austin where I determined how specific RNA Binding Factors (such as microRNAs) regulate ion channel expression in normal and disease states. I am currently applying my eleven years of graduate and post-doctoral training in neuroscience, pain, and molecular techniques to elucidate and study the underlying causes of pain and the best potential treatment options.

Noah Malmstadt is Professor at the University of Southern California. He received a BS in Chemical Engineering from Caltech and a PhD in Bioengineering from the University of Washington. Following postdoctoral work at UCLA, he joined the Mork Family Department of Chemical Engineering and Materials Science at USC in 2007. Malmstadt is the recipient of a 2012 Office of Naval Research Young Investigator award. His research focuses on microfluidic strategies to facilitate material fabrication and biophysical analysis. He has pioneered the integration of ionic liquids as solvents in droplet microreactors and the application of microfluidic systems to synthesizing biomimetic cell membranes. Microfluidic analytical techniques he has developed include methods for measuring the permeability of cell membranes to druglike molecules and techniques for measuring ionic currents through membrane proteins.

Owen S. Fenton, Ph.D. is an Assistant Professor at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. The Fenton laboratory is located in the Division of Pharmacoengineering and Molecular Pharmaceutics within the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Eshelman School of Pharmacy. Research in the Fenton laboratory focuses on the development of mRNA-based nanomedicines for the study, prevention, and treatment of disease.

I am currently a Professor & Executive Vice Chair for Research and the Director of the Nebraska Center for Substance Abuse research at the University of Nebraska. I received my PhD in 1982 in Microbiology from Maharaja Sayajirao Univ in Baroda, India and moved to Canada for postdoctoral training. I began my independent research career as an Assistant Professor at the Hospital for Sick Kids, Toronto, following which, I moved to Kansas University and embarked on a research area focused on understanding how addictive drugs co-operate with HIV-1 to exacerbate neurological complications. I rose through the ranks at Kansas and in 2007, made a move as a full Professor to University of Nebraska in Omaha. Research approaches used in my lab involve a multi-pronged approach comprising of a variety of complementary model systems ranging from cell cultures to rodent models to the higher more relevant macaque model of SIV pathogenesis. More recently, my research interest is centered on exploring how exosomes act as conduits to transport key signaling mediators (small noncoding RNAs/microRNAs) to distant recipient cells as a means to regulate gene expression and cellular cross talk. I lead an active research program involving collaborations both nationally and internationally, with over 225 peer-reviewed publications. I have consistently held NIH funding throughout my career and continue to serve on NIH study sections.
During my career, I have had the good fortune of being recognized by various national and International societies with the Wybran (2012) and the Distinguished service (2023; 2013) Awards, both of which hold a special meaning for me. I have also been awarded the UNMC Scientist laureate award (2016) in addition to the Kansas City scientist award. Aligning closely with my passion for mentoring, has enabled me to take an active leading role in the Women’s Mentoring Program at UNMC (2015-2017). I have also received the Women in Neuroscience award at the International Society of Neurovirology in 2016. I have played an active role as a Secretary of the Society on Neuroimmune Pharmacology and have been invited as a speaker & as a Chair at various meetings and have also organized several symposia. To further hone my leadership skills, I graduated from the Executive Leadership for Academic Medicine Program that fosters the growth and career trajectories of women leaders nationally.

Professor Soper (since 2016) is a Foundation Distinguished Professor in Chemistry and Mechanical Engineering at the University of Kansas. At KUMC, Prof. Soper holds an adjunct appointment in the Cancer Biology Department and is a member of the KU Cancer Center. He also holds an appointment at Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology in Ulsan, South Korea, where he is a World Class University Professor.

As a result of his efforts, Prof. Soper has secured extramural funding totaling >$125M, has published over 245 peer-reviewed manuscripts (h index = 70; >17,000 citations); 31 book chapters and 71 peer-reviewed conference proceeding papers, and is the author of 12 patents. He is also the founder of a startup company, BioFluidica, which is marketing devices for the isolation and enumeration of liquid biopsy markers. Soper recently founded a second company, Sunflower Genomics, which is seeking to market a new DNA/RNA single-molecule sequencing platform. His list of awards includes Ralph Adams Award in Bioanalytical Chemistry, Chemical Instrumentation by the American Chemical Society, the Benedetti-Pichler Award for Microchemistry, Fellow of the AAAS, Fellow of Applied Spectroscopy, Fellow of the Royal Society of Chemistry, R&D 100 Award, Distinguished Masters Award at LSU and Outstanding Scientist/Engineer in the state of Louisiana in 2001. Finally, Prof. Soper has granted 50 PhDs and 7 MS degrees to students under his mentorship. He currently heads a group of 15 researchers.

His major discoveries include: (1) Technology for the detection of liquid biopsy markers that can manage a variety of diseases using a simple blood test (test has been demonstrated in multiple myeloma, pediatric acute lymphoblastic leukemia, acute myeloid leukemia, pancreatic, breast, colorectal, prostate, and ovarian cancers); (2) new hardware and assay for the point-of-care diagnosis of acute ischemic stroke; (3) single-molecule DNA and RNA sequencing nanotechnology; and (4) currently working on a home-test for COVID-19 infections (handheld instrument and the associated assay.

Susan Belzer is an accomplished biotechnology and clinical diagnostics executive with extensive experience in research, product development, and business strategy. She has held leadership roles in companies such as INOVIQ, MD Biosciences, and Exosome Diagnostics. Throughout her career, she has successfully led cross-functional teams, managed regulatory compliance, and developed innovative diagnostic solutions. Susan is a recognized expert in molecular diagnostics, clinical trial strategies, and laboratory management, with multiple publications and industry awards highlighting her contributions to the field.

Sven Kreutel studied biology at the University of Hohenheim in Stuttgart, Germany. After his graduation in biology, he received his PhD in microbiology and protein biochemistry at the University of Hohenheim under Prof. Dr. Andreas Kuhn and Dr. Dorothee Kiefer working on the light sensing and signal transduction in photosynthetic bacteria. Since then he worked in different sales and sales manager positions within the life science industry from clinical research over biology to nanoparticle sciences. In 2021 he was appointed as CEO of the American subsidiary of Particle Metrix.

Varshal thrives in the commercialization of novel technologies, and strongly believes that innovation accelerates discovery. Prior to joining Exokeryx as SVP Commercial Operations, he most recently served as CEO of ORFLO Technologies, and has held senior commercial roles in several companies, ranging from startups to large conglomerates. He trained under Harold “Skip” Garner at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, and holds a M.S. in Biology from the University of Texas at Arlington and an A.B. in Chemistry from Duke University.