Lisa Carnell

Biography
Dr. Carnell leads NASA's fundamental research in exploration sciences. She previously served as a Program Scientist for Translational Research where she led the divisions strategic partnership initiatives with other government agencies, including NIH, BARDA, FDA, DARPA, NSF, and the USDA. She was also responsible for advancing the divisions commercial engagement initiatives.Dr. Carnell formerly served as the Space Radiation Medical Countermeasure Lead for NASAs Human Research Program. In this role, she was involved in all aspects of understanding and mitigating radiation-induced health effects on humans including cancer, cardiovascular, central nervous system, and acute radiation syndrome.She holds a PhD from Duke University where she studied the effect of physiological and electrical signals on the differentiation of human mesenchymal stem cells.Dr. Carnell holds eight patents, has authored or co-authored several peer-reviewed journal articles, serves on numerous interagency working groups.

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Talk
Using Space and Organ-Chips to Advance Precision Health
NASA plans to send organ-chips to deep space. This technology enables researchers to study the effects of extreme radiation and microgravity on human tissue and could inform measures to ensure crew health on future deep-space missions. It could also help transform precision health on Earth, enabling clinicians to tailor medical plans to individual patients.

Clinical & Research Tools Showcase:
NASA
NASA

Jess Rabourn

Biography
Jess Rabourn is a trained economist and former hedge fund manager whose second career in healthcare innovation began in 2009 when the second member of his immediate family was diagnosed with ALS. Since 2012, Jess has been a nationally recognized speaker on the regulation and design of Expanded Access programs (EAPs) to marry clinical research with clinical care. He produced and directed the Expanded Access Summit series of conferences in Washington DC from 2017 through 2020, and he has served on the advisory committees of several governmental, non-profit and commercial drug develop initiatives aimed at structured learning from patients' experiences. In 2018, Jess founded WideTrial, a technology and service platform to conduct large-size, data-generating EAPs across a growing network of provider sites.

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Talk
Biomarker Discovery from Expanded Access Trials
Large-cohort Expanded Access Programs (EAPs) are special "treatment-use" clinical trials intended to be inclusive of broader phenotypic ranges of patients in comparison to traditional trials. Their breadth and size provide a unique opportunity to identify new biomarkers, including disease progression markers and covariates of treatment response.

Clinical & Research Tools Showcase:
WideTrial
For serious unsolved diseases, WideTrial has built a healthcare technology platform that makes it easy for physicians to bring investigational medicines to their patients. WideTrial's goal is to marry clinical care and clinical research through AI-driven therapeutic matching and a network of participating providers.

JP Hinestrosa

Biography
P Hinestrosa is a scientist and builder working at the intersection of biology, data, and technology. His work focuses on extracting meaningful biological signals from complex systems, with an emphasis on biomarker discovery and multi-omic analytics that can move diagnostics earlier in disease progression. He brings a deep curiosity for how molecular information encodes health and disease, and how that information can be transformed into reliable, scalable tools used in the real world.JP has trained across engineering, national laboratory research, and international scientific environments, giving him a broad perspective on both fundamental science and translational impact. At Xzōm, he helps shape the scientific and analytical foundations of a platform designed to learn continuously from real-world data turning biological complexity into actionable insight that improves with use.

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Talk
Early Enough: Exosomes Power Next-Generation Detection
Xzōm is building a first-in-class, exosome-based foundational technology platform that delivers actionable biomarker insights in under 30 minutes. By unifying exosome isolation, biomarker analysis, and AI that is point of care capable Xzōm enables early detection, smarter monitoring, and a continuously learning precision medicine platform across cancer, neurodegeneration, and other diseases.

Clinical & Research Tools Showcase:
Xzom, Inc.
Xzōm is a life sciences company developing a comprehensive, exosome-based biomarker platform that delivers rapid, actionable results. Our technology empowers partners to build and scale next-generation clinical applications while continuously learning from real-world use to enable earlier detection and better outcomes.

John Cunningham

Biography
John Cunningham leads an early-stage life science tools company developing next-generation PCR chemistries that enable faster, higher-plex, and more sensitive molecular assays. He previously founded and led RapidBio, a high-throughput molecular diagnostics laboratory that processed more than 300,000 clinical samples during the COVID-19 pandemic and generated over $20M in revenue. Earlier in his career, he served as COO of Functional Fluidics, where he helped build functional biomarker assays for red blood cell health, and spent five years in the University of Michigans Office of Technology Transfer supporting commercialization of academic innovations. His current work focuses on translating novel processor-mediated PCR chemistries into multiplexed assays that expand access to precision oncology and other advanced molecular diagnostics.

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Talk
PCR Chemistries for High-Plex Precision Diagnostics
Signal Bioscience introduces Processor-Mediated PCR, a novel reagent platform that separates signal generation from amplification. This technology enables tunable signal intensity, allowing 100-plex capabilities on existing digital PCR instruments and significantly enhancing speed and sensitivity for precision diagnostics without requiring new hardware.

Clinical & Research Tools Showcase:
Signal Bioscience
Signal Bioscience is a life science tools company developing novel reagents that extend the functionality of PCR and dPCR instruments by dramatically increasing speed, sensitivity, and multiplexing capabilities. Our proprietary Processor-Mediated PCR platform enables high-performance diagnostics on existing laboratory infrastructure.

Roy Rabinowitz

Biography
Dr. Roy Rabinowitz, Ph.D. is dedicated to leading the future of rapid molecular testing, focused on developing platforms that enable end-to-end diagnostic solutions anywhere and anytime to improve the patient-doctor experience. He is a curiosity-driven scientist entrepreneur who converges molecular biology solutions with various disciplines to address unmet medical needs.Dr. Rabinowitz has a proven track record of creating biological solutions for real-world problems. He is the author of multiple scientific publications and a portfolio of patents covering diagnostic methods and tools, gene editing, and computational protein design methods. Dr. Rabinowitz is also a recipient of several distinguished awards for academic and professional excellence, including the Dan David Prize scholarship and the TEVA BioInnovation fellowship.

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Talk
Molecular diagnostics, where and when it matters
Kansos "Molecular 2-Factor Authentication" platform delivers lab-grade diagnostics through isothermal amplification and unique labeling. By utilizing a microfluidics-free design, the system significantly reduces cost-per-test and simplifies manufacturing. Validated on patient samples, this plug-and-play solution enables rapid, affordable results at the point of care, beginning with womens health.

Clinical & Research Tools Showcase:
Kanso Diagnostics
Kanso is revolutionizing molecular diagnostics by making lab-grade testing affordable and immediate. Our breakthrough platform slashes cost-per-test, empowering providers to deliver high-accuracy results during a single patient visit. We are bridging the gap between clinical need and accessible, high-performance diagnostics.